Google AdSense API Closes to Small Sites...For Now

Google has quietly raised the required minimum traffic limit for small sites who wish to use its AdSense API to 100,000 page views per day. The AdSense API was introduced in March 2007 as a way for sites with user generated content to share advertising revenue with their members. From "Policy change introduces page view requirement" in the AdSense API Forum:

Since we opened the API to all a few months ago the response has been incredible and we're pleased at being so popular. However, this popularity has led to us providing less than the highest levels of support for our developers that we strive for. As a result, only developers who expected 100,000 (one hundred thousand) page views or more for AdSense API pages will be able to go live. This policy change will probably result in fewer developers going live and give us a chance to enhance our support resources and processes to more easily support a greater number of developers in the future. Developers who have already started on their implementations are not effected by this change... To those who don't meet the page view requirement, we hope to be able to lower it in the future as we become more efficient at supporting our developers!

While Google advises that integration approvals may take a week, longer if changes are required, the policy review for the APIs seems to be stretching out to a month for some customers. I've been waiting two weeks for NewsCloud's application to be approved - the technical approval did take only one week.

While the AdSense API is a more sophisticated service than Google Analytics (which allows access for even small sites), is this an indication that Google plans to offer its services less democratically in the future? Or, is this just a bump in the road to help them provide a higher quality of service? I tend to believe its the latter and take them at their word for now.

When Analytics launched, many sites had trouble getting data recorded at first as the site scaled. GMail was launched primarily via closed invitations and in tiers as it scaled. So, perhaps this isn't unusual. However, it does remind me of the initial delays with getting Facebook applications approved. In contrast though, any small developer can release an application in the Facebook environment within days now. Squeezing small startups out from being able to access valuable Web Services that larger corporations can could have a similar effect as the possible end of status quo "net neutrality".

While the AdSense API isn't necessarily as profitable to small publishers (or Google) initially, offering revenue sharing is a powerful way to attract new members and grow. It could be part of the secret sauce to successfully expanding user generated sites. I would hope Google can make the AdSense API available to everyone again in the future.

Technorati Tags: adsense, adsense api, facebook, google

Comments

[Saumendra Swain]

Even though the Page View Limits are set on, Google Adsense API is flourishing through out the internet. It will definetly makes a positive impact on the developers.

[Kevin Perkins, CEO Greenlight Wireless]

It's interesting your write about this. At our company, we are putting together a very cool "converged" AdSense that will not only give you the API to dork around with, but the ads will come to you ready-to-go for desktop AND mobile.

On a personal note, it's interesting to watch Google mature. Apparently, it must cost them too much money to manage small accounts that generate little revenue relative to the large 20%.

Those slighted by Google from this... consider yourselves "the old girlfriend".

[searchbox]

well this is a welcomme step. for smaller publishers, the usual google adsense account can work, but if you have a user generated website, your adsense api allows every user to have his own account. this is good move. http://searchbox.mobi

[racm]

This is a major idea, and it will help users to generate more adsense revenue
racm
http://www.domaincile.com

[Timmy]

Here is some sites using Google AdSense APIs:

http://www.dotnetspider.com/adsense/
http://www.indiastudychannel.com/adsense/

[pankajaj]

well big publishers are the ones who are actullay going to gain from this. their own sublet pages are, on the other hand going to benefit their own contributers. http://www.ledbazar.com

[pman]

well this is a good step that adsene has taken. Adsense is open to small publsihers throught the normal channel, so adsense api should remain with the big publsihers only

[jeff paul]

Well i must say google adsense are always a great source for making money on internet and but for those who know how to get traffic to your blog.

[singh]

Well, it is true that this will really help big publishers. now their contributers can get leavearge from this.
In the long run, it might be good step