Taking a Hard Hit from Adsense

• Posted by Badi Jones on January 10th, 2008 - Comment on this Post »

I found out late last night that Adsense is changing its referral payment structure for residents of North America, Latin America, and Japan.

The change is for the worse, and I’ll explain about that more in detail below, but there is even worse news for the folks who don’t live in North America, Latin America, or Japan. Google will no longer pay people in these areas for referring new publishers.

To those hit hardest by this news, I’m really sorry. I feel your pain, and I feel bad even complaining about the changes for the people who still get to participate in the program.

For those who can still participate. As it is now (before the change), you make $5 if you refer a new publisher who makes $5 within 180 days. If that publisher makes $100 or more in 180 days, you then get another $250. If you refer 25 of thos3 $100+ publisers within 180 days you get a whopping $2000 bonus.

Even though I’ve never made the $2000 bonus, but I have gotten used to making at least $1000 (and up to $2000) per month from adsense referrals.

Well, all that is changing now. For some reason, they have decided to go back to a paying only $100 for each publisher you who earns $100 in 180 days.

They have also gotten rid of the $2000 incentive for referring 25 $100+ publishers in 180 days.

Up until now, Adsense referrals had been my biggest earner, with TLA referrals coming in second.

Luckily, I don’t depend on only one source for my income. Yes, my income will take a hit due to Adsense changing their payment structure, but because over the past few months, I have been putting my eggs into a lot more baskets (monetizing via several other companies) I’m still making decent monthly income from my websites.

One of those that has been performing far better than I ever expected is Kontera. I’m going to have to do some checking after a month or so, but as far as contextual goes, Kontera is working great. I have it on this site, (in the tools section) and on another blog.

(for the comments) To anyone who was previously promoting Adsense, what are you planning to do to supplement that lost income?

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