Affiliate Marketing

Google has just announced that it is integrating the Performics affiliate network and rebranding it as the “Google Affiliate Network“.

Google describes it thus:

Google acquired the DoubleClick Performics Affiliate operations in March 2008. Together, we’re creating new opportunities for monetization, expansion, and innovation in affiliate marketing.

Performics was founded as the first full-service affiliate network in 1998 and was acquired by DoubleClick in 2004. Today Performics Affiliate operates as Google Affiliate Network and remains committed to delivering affiliate channel growth for advertisers and publishers.

Google has been attempting to enter the affiliate marketing industry since early 2007. At the time Google launched its Referral Program within the Adsense network. This program offered lackluster results, and Google announced it will be closing the Adsense Referrals program soon.

Publishers have the option to replace the referral ad placements with traditional Adsense ads. Google is encouraging them to sign up for the new Google Affiliate Network.

It will be interesting to see how the Google search and Adwords platforms respond to the new Google Affiliate Network link technology. It is common knowledge in the affiliate marketing industry that Google penalizes naked affiliate links.

Uncloaked affiliate links will prevent affiliate pages from ranking well in the SERP’s. Google has been penalizing affiliate links, because it has stated that “thin affiliates” offer little value other than a “doorway page” to another site.

It is ironic that Google is now pushing a network of publishers who will be doing just that.

Google Adwords has also penalized affiliate landing pages with uncloaked affiliate links with its infamous “Quality Score” known to affiliate marketers as the Google Slap. This results in immediate bid requirements of $5 to $10 per click. The end result makes Adwords advertising impossible without using link cloaking and other methods.

 I will be watching and probably experimenting with whether Google will be applying their search and Adwords penalty to publishers using their own affiliate network. I ask all my readers the following important question.

Will Google’s enthusiasm for their new Affiliate Network skew their standard penalty against affiliates?

Feel free to let me know your thoughts on this question.