AdSense for Feeds

If you’re like many savvy web users, you may be reading this via a feed reader, along with all the other blogs, newspapers, and other content that interests you. Whether a feed is Atom-enabled or RSS,
it offers great flexibility for users and additional distribution for
publishers. As with many promising technologies feeds haven’t quite hit
the mainstream yet, nor are the business models entirely sorted out.              

Enter AdSense for feeds,
launching today in beta. The idea is simple: advertisers have their ads
placed in the most appropriate feed articles; publishers are paid for
their original content; readers see relevant advertising – and in the
long run, more quality feeds to choose from.

Given the
great flexibility that feeds can offer, it’s essential to get the model
right, especially so that readers are satisfied. Towards this end we
have outlined what we believe are some best practices for advertising in feeds.

Publishers who want to participate in the public beta can apply here.

Michael doesn’t think this is such a great thing and I tend to agree with him.  On one hand being able to add AdSense to my feeds ensures that people who only read my site using my feeds are exposed to ads and that theoretically increases the chance of people clicking on the ads and me earning more money.  On the other hand it is a bit like ambulance chasing – sticking an ad onto everything that moves.

I am going to mull over this for a little while before jumping onto the bandwagon.  I think people have grown accustomed to ads on a blog and almost expect it.  I think placing ads into a feed may be a little invasive.

Darren Rowse has also commented on this development.

(via eclecticism)