It’s official. Doubleclick is no more. The company was acquired by Google and has now been integrated by Google and renamed to the “Google Affiliate Network.” Google has created a new login for all old publishers and advertiser.
Google Affiliate Network offers:
* Industry-leading advertiser and publisher service
* Rigorous network quality standards
* Reliable conversion tracking
* Detailed reporting
* Automated payments to publishers
* Simple link and creative delivery tools
* Flexible commissions
* Access to top brands on the web
As we know, Google generally does on heckuva job when they integrate a new acquisition, and the DoubleClick deal doesn’t appear to be any different. Google has added a number of features to the program, and they seem to be sticking with the word “affiliate” as part of their re-branding campaign.
Truthfully, the offering is similar to when DoubleClick ran it, but I expect many big advertisers to join soon. I also would think Google will be combining more affiliate offers with their Google Referral offerings, or perhaps merge that into the new division. Who knows? Google does, I’m sure.
We’ll undoubtedly hear more from the Big G concerning G.A.N. in the new months. I’m sure it should be somewhat comforting to embattled affiliates to know that Google is getting in the game, rather than trying to shut it down. With Google, it’s almost always better to join them than to fight them.