2005 / November 5^th/ Google’s new referral system

Now here’s something interesting. Google recently announced that they’ve opened a new referral service for Adsense and firefox. The jist of it: Get $100 for every person you recommend that makes their first $100, and get $1 for every person who downloads and runs Firefox with the Google toolbar installed. Expect to see these banners plastered all over the blogsphere withing a few weeks:

The adsense referral system is obviously in response to the much-hyped YPN — it would seem Google is finally feeling some pressure in the contextual advertising business. Something they’ve been near dominating the past few years.

But the firefox thing really confused me. For the longest time people have been speculating that Google was building their own browser. But I think Google knows better than to start a business with no income potential. However: Firefox is really good for Google because it prefers Google for its search engine. The more accessible and easy it is to use a search engine — the more people will use it. Can’t get any easier than top right of a browser.

In any case, it’ll be interesting to see how many other ways Google starts to push the downloading of Firefox. I think this could be the catalyst that takes Firefox mainstream. Google has the power and the userbase to change how people think. I wouldn’t be suprised if this is the start of a major campaign to switch to firefox (by Google) to be launched early next year. Keep your eyes and ears open.

1. 

   Jean-Marcc

   November 17^th | #

   Building a browser wouldn’t be by any means the lowest income generating product Google has undertaken. Stupid as it may sound, Google is always looking for more hype, publicity, and a larger customer base. I think we may see Firefox being turned into the Google browser, with built in gmail (offline and online email browsing?), google maps, etc.

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