My grandmother died last week (not unexpectedly) and while I’m still sorting through the event and will have something to say about it later, I thought I’d discuss some recent AdSense news.
The big news is that AdSense video units are being discontinued at the end of next month (April 2009). Google refers to it as “sunsetting”, I refer to it as “good riddance”.
The problem I always had with the video units was the lack of inventory. I could never find videos that related to the keywords I wanted.
The success of the AdSense program has ultimately been its ability to automatically match relevant advertising to content. Google has been able to do this by tapping into the sheer breadth of search-related advertising available via its AdWords program. They haven’t been able to replicate that breadth with the video units, hence the poor returns for them and for AdSense publishers. (Google had also had to discard similar forays into radio and print advertising for similar reasons — they haven’t been able to replicate their success with text ads with other kinds of advertisements.)
I don’t think many AdSense publishers will miss video units. Everyone I talk to is primarily using the same basic ad units that have been around since the start of the AdSense program. Personally, I still get a steady stream of hits on my original AdSense Tips page and those tips are still relevant today, four or five years after I wrote the first four of them! (If you want 40 more detailed and useful AdSense tips, check out my inexpensive Uncommon AdSense book. You also get a free copy of my analysis of Google’s AdSense patent when you buy it.)
There are a lot of smart people at Google, but they still haven’t come up with anything that comes even near to matching the success of the original AdWords and AdSense concepts as a money-maker for Google. And perhaps never will…
I must admit I have no idea what AdSense video units are (or were).
Good I tried using it when it first came out none of the videos were site related, I pulled all ads and went with what works. I would thing Google could of made this concept work, if they had tried harder.
Websites are better off without Video ads, I never seemed to like them, plus, like you said, they never seemed to be relevant.
I never was interested to use them in the past for the same reason as you, the lack of choice. Now that you are telling me that they are gone, I guess it’s a right move from Google if it’s a sinking product.
There are a lot of smart people at Google, but they still haven’t come up with anything that comes even near to matching the success of the original
@Rich: Adsense video units are video ads, normally you see or publish image or text ads on sites, but with video units, u could have videos as ads.
The ppc for a google video unit is very very low. I have google vid units
It is good idea to let go of this product, maybe Google would come up with something better in the future.
I think Video Advertising on You tube could have been properly handled if the advertiser could choose a relevant video to their relevant product.
But not only that allow the “Video Owner” gain a profit on it as well. However, they need to allow consent if they want to have some advertising on their video.
But like I said, it needs to be properly executed, and google doesn’t do things “manually”.
Interesting article, thank you. I also think that the most video ads have bad conversation rates…
Good I tried using it when it first came out none of the videos were site related, I pulled all ads and went with what works.
I saw a few people using Googles Adsense Video units, but wasn’t really impressed by them. I think Google decided to remove them, as they probably weren’t being used as Google predicted.
Still gotta give Google props for trying something that not alot of advertising networks do.
Regards,
Daniel
Good riddance. I always felt that they were a bad idea.
They were bad idea. It is true that the internet went very fancy and modern. But who will click and watch a video about some ads.
They weren’t simple thats why Adsense video ads didn’t success.