Google, which built its empire on pay-per-click search and contextual advertising, is now testing a cost-per-acquisition network, that would only require merchants to pay when users perform a specific
action. As usual, Google was light on details about the new test--but according to the
Financial Times, the ads will be carried on a separate network from AdSense, leading the way for
advertisers and publishers to take advantage of both AdSense and the new CPA network. Publishers that take part in the test will be able to select the merchants whose ads they want on their sites. CPA
networks are similar to affiliate marketing networks in that merchants pay independent Web sites to send them customers who go on to buy their products and services; with many affiliate networks, Web
site owners typically pay when consumers actually take action by buying something, or signing up for something. eBay last week launched a variation on the affiliate network theme last week with
AdContext, a network of eBay merchants willing to pay Web site owners for sending them traffic converting to sales of their products. Google is now selling CPC search and contextual, display, video,
pay-per-call, print CPMs, and now CPA advertising (did I forget anything?). Google's still just focused on search. Really.
Read the whole story at Financial Times »
