Google Tests AI-Based Publisher Revenue Sharing Model
· 4d ago · Originally reported by GIGAZINE
Google is testing a new system to reward publishers for their content contributions, utilizing AI-powered summaries, AI Mode, and its Gemini model. The program is currently described as operating on a very small scale, with reports suggesting it accounts for roughly 0.1% of advertising revenue.
Why it matters
Any change to how Google rewards content publishers can directly alter the economics of the search ecosystem, potentially affecting the CPC values and feed payouts that search arbitrage operators depend on.
Explain it like I’m new here
It's like a video platform testing a new way to pay creators based on an AI's judgment of how helpful their videos are, even though it's only giving out a tiny bit of its ad money right now.
Terms in this story
Publisher
A publisher is whoever owns the web page, app or site where an ad is shown and who earns money when that ad is seen or clicked.
Net revenue (ex-TAC)
Net revenue is revenue left after subtracting the cost of buying the traffic that produced it, also called revenue ex-TAC.
Scaling
Scaling is increasing a profitable campaign's ad spend to earn more total profit, ideally without eroding the return that made it worth growing.
Go deeper
Related stories
Google Demand Gen campaigns carry de facto $100/day floor, 20x API minimum
A Google PM confirmed that the practical minimum spend for a Demand Gen campaign is around $100 per day, far above the $5 floor the API advertises. The excerpt also flags uncertainty around when Google considers creative assets 'spent' and…
Google Updates AI Content Guidance to Require Fact-Checking
Google has updated its AI content guidelines to emphasize the need for fact-checking, and Gemini links now display UTM tags. Additionally, desktop click-through rates declined in Q2, and two AI-related lawsuits were dismissed.
Court Rules Google’s AI Overviews Legal Despite Publisher Objections
A court has ruled in favor of Google, allowing its AI-generated overviews in search results to remain legal. Publishers had challenged the feature, arguing it used their content unfairly, but the decision upholds Google's current…
Google Requires Manual Fact-Checking of All AI-Generated Content by Publishers
Google now instructs publishers to have humans review and fact-check all AI-generated content, including titles, meta descriptions, schema, and alt text, before publishing. This policy aligns with recent spam updates and aims to ensure…
Google Ads Eases Business Name Policy for Select Advertisers
Google Ads has relaxed its rules regarding the use of business names in ads for certain advertisers. The change may allow more flexibility in how businesses present their names within ad creatives.
Google Ads Adds A/B Testing for Performance Max Asset Groups
Google Ads has introduced A/B testing capabilities for asset groups within Performance Max campaigns. This update allows advertisers to compare different creative assets and optimize for better results within the automated campaign type.