AdSense for Search

There was one more AdSense feature I needed to discuss. "Everything we've discussed so far about AdSense has been about placing ads on third-party Web pages," I said. "Google refers to this as AdSense for content, because it's all about Web-page content. This is the main AdSense program, the one that everyone uses." The three of them nodded their understanding.

AdSense for Search

Learn more about AdSense for Search at www.google.com/adsense/ws-overview.

"There is a second AdSense program available," I continued, "called AdSense for search that appeals to a more limited audience."

"Is it for other search engines?" Anita asked.

"No," I answered. "In fact, one of the conditions of joining the AdSense programwe'll get to those shortlyis that you don't display ads on any search-result pages you might have on your site. In other words, you can't compete with Google's bread and butter, however minuscule that competition might be, and use Google to make money at it."

"I guess that makes sense," Anita said. "So what is AdSense for search, then?"

"AdSense for search is about getting your visitors to use Google for their searching," I explained. "If you direct your visitors to Google's search engine, Google is willing to share some of the advertising revenue with you. Joining AdSense for search gives you the right to display a Google search box on your site. Visitors who enter queries into that search box are sent to a custom Google search page. The search page displays your logo and displays search results generated using the Google search engine. Search-related advertisements are displayed prominently at the top of the page. Just as with AdSense for content, you make money if visitors click those ads."

Claude wasn't sure what the benefit of this program was: "Why wouldn't the visitors just go to www.google.com or use their browser's search box? I normally use the Google Toolbar for my searching."

"Because it's a simple way for visitors to search your site," I explained, "not just the Web. It's not a great money-maker for most sites, but if you want to add searching capabilities to your site without having to do any programming, it's an easy way to do it. We'll talk a bit about it later, but really most of our focus is on AdSense for content. I'm just mentioning it because it's an interesting and underused feature."