NEW DELHI, India (India CSR): Google is making changes to its AdSense for Search (AFS) reporting system, aiming to simplify the process for publishers. Starting March 13, 2024, subdomain data will no longer be displayed in standard reports.
“We identified an issue in our site reporting that makes it possible for AdSense to report for a large amount of subdomains. Google AdSense monitors and limits the number of subdomains in AdSense reporting to ensure system stability and long-term health of the network.”, Google informed its users today.
What’s Changing?
Previously, AdSense for Search reported data on both the main domain name (e.g., google.com) and its subdomains (e.g., adsense.google.com). This provided detailed information but could be overwhelming for some users and create technical challenges for Google.
Under the new system, reports will only show the main domain name. So, traffic from “adsense.google.com” will now be reported under “google.com” in your AdSense reports.
Why the Change?
Google explains that this simplification will improve the stability and overall health of the AdSense network. It also streamlines the reporting process for publishers, making it easier to understand how their websites are performing.
Are My Earnings Affected?
No, this change only affects how data is displayed in reports. Your ad serving and earnings will remain unaffected. You’ll still receive the same revenue, just with a simplified reporting structure.
What if I Need More Details?
While subdomains disappear from main reports, Google acknowledges that some publishers might require more granular insights. For such cases, the company recommends using “custom channels.”
Custom Channels Explained
Custom channels are a feature within AdSense that allows you to create personalized categories to track ad performance based on your specific needs. For instance, you could create a custom channel for mobile traffic or a specific section of your website, like your recipe page, to see how ads perform in those areas.
Overall Impact
This change simplifies AdSense for Search reporting for most users while still offering options for those who need more detailed insights through custom channels. The focus remains on providing a stable and efficient platform for publishers to monetize their content.
What is the AdSense for Search (AFS) reporting system?
AdSense for Search (AFS) reporting system is a tool offered by Google that helps website owners track the performance of ads displayed on their website’s search results pages. This system provides publishers with valuable insights into various aspects of their ad performance, allowing them to:
- Monitor earnings: See how much revenue they are generating from search ads displayed on their website.
- Analyze clicks and impressions: Track the number of times users click on ads or see them displayed on their pages.
- Identify top-performing queries: Understand which search terms on their website lead to the most ad clicks and generate the most revenue.
- Compare performance across different areas: Analyze how ads perform on different sections or categories of their website search results.
Before the recent change, the AFS reporting system provided data on both the main domain name (e.g., google.com) and its associated subdomains (e.g., adsense.google.com). However, this is changing as of March 13, 2024, with reports focusing solely on the main domain name, offering a simplified view for most users.
Even with the change, publishers can still access detailed insights through custom channels, allowing them to group ad units and track performance for specific sections, content categories, or user groups on their website.
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