Google has informed that the Adsense referral program would expire by the end of January 2008. It has also requested the Adsense referral users to remove the referral ad unit and replace with another ad unit from Google or display any products or services. This has frustrated many web owners who display these referral programs.
A copy of its mail is displayed below:
Hello,
We are writing to share some important information with you about referrals to the AdSense product. As part of ongoing efforts to optimize revenue opportunities for our publishers, we’re
constantly experimenting with new revenue-enhancing features as well as tweaking those products already available to our publishers. This is the case for referral units directing visitors
to sign up for AdSense. After experimenting with this program over the past year, we’ve concluded that there are other products that are of higher value than this program to publishers in your region. As a result, referral units for the AdSense program will be retired in the coming weeks. Referrals to other products and services remain unaffected.If you’re currently displaying referral units on your site directing users to sign up for AdSense, read on below for details about what to expect in the coming weeks.
In early January, the option to add referral units directing users to the AdSense product will no longer appear in your account. You will continue to accrue earnings for all existing referrals yet to
generate $100 until late January, at which point the program will be fully retired. Existing referral units will continue to appear on your pages.By the end of January, you should remove all referral units directing users to AdSense from your pages. Referral units that you do not remove will continue to be displayed on your pages
as normal, but conversions will no longer be recorded. We suggest you replace the AdSense referrals with referrals to another product or service or an additional ad unit.Thank you for referring users to AdSense in the past. We apologize for any inconvenience this news may cause.
Sincerely,
The Google AdSense Team
Google Inc.
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway
Mountain View, CA 94043Email preferences: You have received this mandatory email service announcement to update you about important new AdSense features.