CPA the Holy Grail for Google!!

Well it has been a long time coming but Google finally announced today that they have started implementing a CPA (Cost Per Action) System for advertisers. This has long been rumored to be what Google has wanted.. a way to tie Google Analytics/Adwords/Checkout into a click fraud free environment.

This also spells big trouble to Affiliate Programs out there like CJ and Linkshare

For our startup.. I had actually planned not to spend any $$$ on PPC (Lead Generation) .. rather I would allocate that $$ in Community Forums as a direct sponsor to engage w/ our members in more effective manner. This has changed my thinking due to the fact that I can measure if a campaign is working at gaining new members.

Thanks Google!!

clipped from searchengineland.com Google Launches Pay Per Action Ads Google announced a limited U.S. only beta for a new service they are calling Pay Per Action ads. Google Pay Per Action will allow advertisers to create ads that cost only when a desired action is triggered. The advertiser sets the price per action; for example, an advertiser can decide to pay $5 per lead acquisition, as opposed to paying per click or per impression. These Pay Per Action ads are available to a limited number of AdSense publishers. Publishers will be able to select which Pay Per Action ads they would like to display on their content sites. A publisher accepted into the beta can choose to display all pay per action ads, or select to show keyword specific ads or select a specific ad from a specific advertiser. To do so, the publisher will have to login to their AdSense accounts, go to the referrals section and select other referrals from the options. Google is accepting U.S. advertisers and publishers into the beta now. Google plans on adding more advertisers and publishers into the program over the upcoming weeks.