Recently Google has introduced the Google Referral Program, which is great for webmasters participating in the Google Adsense Program. The rules are that if you refer someone to the Google Adsense Publisher Program and they earn $100, then Google will match you with $100.

As I’ve blogged on Chitika Eminimalls recently, it occurred to me that there may be an inclination to compare the two programs side by side. I don’t know if anyone has said this yet, but it is my opinion only that the Google Referral Program is a business response to the increasing publicity that Chitika has received in the blogging community.

From a business perspective it is a wise move - garner promotion of adsense from a host of affiliates who want their $100 and give Chitika some competition for affiliate marketers.

Compared side by side a Chitika Affiliate would earn $100 if his selectee made $1000 in the first 12 months of the program. In that scenario both programs are equal.

However, many new adsense publishers may take some time to reach $100. If they never reach it at all, then one receives nothing, whereas in the Chitika case you will earn ten per cent of whatever they make. Now if they make $50 in the year you will still earn $5.

Are you confused yet? The more I think about it the more scenarios I’m seeing - sorry it’s late at night.

Now it just occurred to me that the real difference would be if you signed up a Chitika referral and he was a boomer - $10000 per month for example. Compare that to the adsense program. With the adsense program, your reward would be $100, but with Chitika, it would be $12000.

Ok, that’s maybe unreal. How many will earn this much? Well, in the final analysis it would all come down to statistics. What is the average earnings of a new publisher for Chitika and the average earnings for a new adsense publisher over a 12 month period.

From that data I believe - you could determine which was the best to promote pound for pound - Chitika or Google Adsense Referral Programs.

The particular banner that the adsense referral program has released makes it rather hard to promote
the Chitika program on the same site, so it seems that one must make a choice.

I did have some other speculation about market saturation but that’s way beyond me and especially at this late hour.

I hope this article has given you some food for thought. What’s your opinion?