by Hillary LaClair, Senior Editor
January 10, 2009
Google Adwords is soon to become a money-maker for online poker affiliates. Following the recent lift of Google’s ban of gambling adverts in the UK, the billion dollar company has announced that it will now open the door to UK affiliate programs.
A press release on Friday said that the marketing agency has taken so well to the idea of running online poker advertisements that it is currently advising its customers on how to efficiently bid on search terms. Before the affiliate programs, the online poker rooms themselves have were permitted to invest in pay per click advertising back in November of 2008. Leading gambling websites such as William Hill and Party Gaming, because they do not accept U.S. wagers, have successfully taken advantage of Google’s generosity.
Daniel Bakerman of Income Access reports to Poker News Daily, saying “Google has a vested interest in making sure affiliates are successful. They are huge spenders and represent a good market for Google.”
Google Adwords is a vital instrument in any web developer’s arson for driving in traffic. Bakerman adds, “Affiliates make a lot of money using PPC advertising in industries such as retail. If it’s done well, it’s a way to attract targeted traffic to your site. You can get your ads displayed right in front of people who are searching for what you’re offering. Another benefit is that you can get an instantaneous result for the money you put in,”
Not everyone supports Google’s decision to allow advertisers to promote online poker, however. Some feel that it will contribute to the problem gambling in youth in the UK, regardless of the fact that the youth would only view the advertisements if they had initially searched for gambling content.
MPs and church leaders in the UK have launched an attack on Google, calling the decision “irresponsible.” Even while the Queen gave her assent to the search engine, the Church of England feels that, “Whatever people are searching for on Google, it probably isn’t the chance to risk developing a serious problem that could have a hugely negative effect on themselves and their family. As people are facing more financial uncertainty, the fantasy of instant wealth could become particularly attractive and the consequences of losses correspondingly serious.”
When the decision to allow gambling adverts was made by Google, however, James Cashmore of the search engine’s Industry Market Groups states, “We’ve decided to amend our policy to allow text adds to appear against search queries related to gambling in Great Britain. We hope this will enhance the search experience for users and help advertisers connect with interested consumers. Gambling ads will automatically be classified as Non-Family Safe which means they will not show on any search where the user has applied the Safe Search Filter.”
Google currently hosts a gambling guide, complete with instructional systems and video poker reviews and tips. While the search engine will allow affiliates to market specifically in the UK, U.S. online poker affiliate programs may not advertise with Google without first obtaining a license.
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