One in seven people worldwide will go to bed hungry tonight... and the Google Affiliate Network team, wanted to do something about it, so on August 18th, some of the team went hungry for a day to raise over $4,000 for the World Food Program USA.

The Google Affiliate Network team joined 600 Googlers from nine offices around the world for one of our largest fund-raising events ever, the third annual Fast-A-Thon. In the name of hunger relief, participants abstained from food and water from sun-up until late afternoon, with some breaking their fast in the Ramadan tradition of dates and light snacks. Through generous donations from friends, family, and the Google employee Gift-Match, over $100,000 was donated to aid the hunger crisis in the horn of Africa.

This philanthropic event was a fantastic opportunity for the team to come together (with stomachs growling) to raise money and support a great cause.

Written by Emily Hotz, Account Management

Two years ago today, we announced new Google Affiliate Network software application guidelines to better protect the interests of our users, advertisers, and publishers. These policies are rooted in the belief that applications should enhance the user experience and never interfere with the user’s choice or purchase path.

Google Affiliate Network’s publishers have shown great innovation, building useful applications, toolbars, and browser extensions that benefit their users and drive quality conversions for advertisers. All approved applications go through a software review, where our Network Quality team thoroughly tests all submissions and each of their updates.

Our guidelines help ensure that applications don’t subject users to malicious or manipulative behavior, or create unwarranted commissions for advertisers. They also help prevent software from automatically co-opting commissions from other publishers. Most notably, these policies require users to agree before redirecting them through Google Affiliate Network links.

In the two years since we released our updated guidelines, our Network Quality team has reviewed and approved dozens of new software applications and updates. We want to thank our publishers for applying these guidelines to their applications, and look forward to the continued growth of the entire affiliate ecosystem.

Posted by Matt Dougherty, Network Quality

The Google Affiliate Network team is excited to join our fellow affiliate marketers at Affiliate Summit East from August 21-23, 2011 at Hilton New York.

At the conference, you'll have the opportunity to hear from our product management team. Many members of our account management team will also be on hand to meet with our valued advertisers, publishers and partners. Make sure to stop by the Google booth to meet the team and pick up a pair of wayfarers to wear around the Exhibit Hall.

Affiliate Summit East
Google Affiliate Network
Booth #216 and 218
map »

See you soon!

Posted by Erica Sievert, Product Marketing Manager

This week, we launched a new look for Google Affiliate Network's website. In addition to a refreshed design, we've added new features to provide you with fresh product updates, educational resources, success stories, and more.

New features:

• Partner Marketplace
• Advertiser success stories 
• Publisher success stories
• Featured publishers

Throughout the website, you'll find diverse stories of advertisers, publishers and partners who have succeeded with Google Affiliate Network. We hope they inspire you and that you'll share your story with us, too.

Check out the new website and tell us what you think!

Posted by Erica Sievert, Product Marketing Manager