- Google's Free Search Programs
- AdSense for search
- Restrictions and Limitations
- What's Next
AdSense for search
AdSense for search can be considered an extension of the Google Free web search with site search program. Unlike the regular program, however, AdSense for search is only open to AdSense publishers. Its features are similar to those of the Google Free program, but with these differences:
- Searching of the Web or up to three publisher-owned websites
- Customizable colors for the results page
- A site-specific logo displayed on the results page
The most important difference, however, is that the AdSense for search results page is a revenue-generating page for the publisher, not just Google. As expected, the results page displays advertisements related to the search terms, just like on the normal Google results page. If the searcher clicks one of those ads, however, the publisher shares in the ad revenue, just as in the AdSense for content program.
AdSense for search is a simpler program than AdSense for content. There is no JavaScript involved or any analysis of page content: All you do is paste the markup for a Google-supplied HTML form onto your web pages. The form is submitted to Google in the usual manner, which then generates a custom page for displaying the search results. Tracking ad clicks and crediting publishers for their share of the income is the most complicated part of the program. Publishers can track search income at a high level using custom channels, but the specific search terms being used by searchers cannot be tracked.