More Changes In AdSense Referral System!

If you hadn’t heard this earlier, AdSense had introduced some changes to their referral program, which were very unpopular with many publishers. Now, they (the AdSense team) have announced some radical (and nice) changes to the system!

The AdSense Blog has just announced more changes to the AdSense referral system.

Apparently, they(the AdSense support team) had received a lot of responses(good and bad) about the program now being only for specific publishers(those in the Americas and Japan). In lieu of the huge response, they’ve decided to make some more changes to the system:

The changes to referrals promoting AdSense will now depend on where your users are located, regardless of your location as a publisher. You’ll earn $100 for every user you refer to AdSense who is located in North America, Latin America or Japan when they generate $100 in AdSense revenue within 180 days and they remove all payment holds. You’ll no longer be paid for users you refer who are located elsewhere. These changes will go into effect the last week of January.

What the above simply means is that you’ll earn $100 for every referral who is located in N.America, Latin America or Japan, and makes $100 in revenue within 180 days. So, where ever you may reside, be it Australia or Pakistan, you can still earn the money for referrals located in the Americas and Japan. Meaning to say that if for example a some one from India signs up for AdSense using your link, you won’t be paid for that, since that referral is based outside the Americas and Japan.

The above was the most significant piece of news in the announcement on the AdSense blog.

Also, there’s been a coupla changes with Google Pack and Firefox referrals too. At the moment(before the changes, that is) you can earn up to $2 for every successful Google Pack referral. Starting from the third week of February, each successful Google Pack referral will earn you up to $1. This change is for all publishers, regardless of your location. Also, starting from the third week of Feb, AdSense will be reducing payments for Firefox referrals from China. This will only affect downloads and installations of Firefox in China.

What Do I Think of It

This certainly is a welcome and pleasant change, from the previous nasty announcement. At least now every publisher can earn money for referring people to AdSense. But since this will only be for referrals based in the Americas and Japan, many bloggers will see their referral incomes decrease considerably. But, still, they will earn something from these referrals! And since many blogs’ main traffic source are the Americas, these bloggers shouldn’t notice that much of a drop in the income.

As for the changes in Google Pack and Firefox, I’m OK with them. I don’t use Google Pack. But what seems fishy to me is the ‘we’ll be reducing payments for Firefox referrals from China‘ part. By how much will the payments be reduced?? Well, only time will tell since all this is going to take place from the third week of February.

How will you be affected by this change in the referral program? Are you pleased or still pissed off by this? Please let us know with your comments!