What's been called an assault on click-fraud, or affiliate networks, or both, could also carry with it a little controversy. Google's recent beta launch of pay-per-action AdSense, available only to US advertisers, was released overtop another new product: the text link format ad unit.
Google Sneaks Embedded Text Link Ads Into PPA
See, according to the conspiratorially minded, while everybody buzzed about PPA, they'd be less apt to notice the Snap-like or Intellitext-like advertising platform that allows publishers to embed ads in hyperlinks appearing within content. Before, AdSense ads were confined to certain spaces, transparently. But there in Google's
What's the big deal? Well, for the Google purists out there, sneaking in an advertisement rather than there being a clear demarcation between ads and content, is somewhat of a sin. Google seems to have realized this, but perhaps was hoping it was a small sin.
As for what the new model could do to affiliate networks, most outlooks are bleak.
"Commission Junction and LinkShare are screwed," comments Arrington.
Greg Sterling, blogging for
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