Google AdSense Revolutionizes Affiliate Video

Today is a watershed moment in affiliate marketing, video, and advertising with the launch of Google AdSense Video Units.

AdSense now has an option for affiliates or publishers to earn commission by displaying YouTube video content on their sites.

I’d imagine this roll out only includes trusted partners, so that YouTube can guarantee there are no copyright infringement issues.

But this isn’t AdSense as you have known it. This new video option splits the revenue from the advertising in three directions: video creator, Google, and the affiliate.

This new compensation structure in AdSense is akin to network television where the video creators on YouTube are similar to the folks creating a TV show; Google/YouTube is in the role of distributing the video like ABC, NBC and other television networks; and the affiliate is like a local television affiliate that ultimately delivers the video content to their audience.

The new AdSense creative opens the door for a whole new type of affiliate who features relevant videos as a unique value proposition for their site, and there is no shortage of videos for any niche on YouTube.

It’s also huge for anybody who has gotten into creating video that solves a problem or answers a question. Now there is a clear way to monetize this sort of video and a huge distribution vehicle.

Great things all around, not to mention a whole new breed of affiliates – people that have been embedding video without compensation will be joining the party here and potentially expanding on to other affiliate opportunities.

Just login to Google AdSense and click on the “AdSense Setup” tab. Click the video units link and you’ll be on your way to setting up your first video unit.

More details at http://adsense.blogspot.com/2007/10/introducing-video-units.html.