Using the AdSense referral program? Many people are, and they’ll likely see a decrease in their earnings with new changes. Thousands of publisher’s will be disappointed with this latest AdSense change.

The referral program was introduced several years ago in order to ‘increase [AdSense user's] revenue while increasing their users’ awareness of useful products and services. By adding a referral button to a site, publishers can direct users to products like AdSense, AdWords, Picasa, Google Pack and Firefox with Google Toolbar. When a referral connects a user to AdSense, AdWords Picasa, Google Pack or Firefox, Google pays the publisher. Now publishers can introduce their visitors to services that will help them monetize their websites or improve their web browsing experience, and earn more revenue.’ (link)

One of the key changes to note is that only referral units promoting AdSense will be affected by this change. Other products and services will remain unaffected at this time.

Change 1: If you’re in North America, Latin America, or Japan, the pricing structure for AdSense referrals is changing.

The pricing structure, which was used as an experiment, for AdSense referrals was changed approximately a year ago. Currently, you will receive:

• $5 for referrals who earn $5 within 180 days of signing up.
• $250 for referrals who earn $100 within 180 days of signing up as well as removing all payment holds.
• A $2,000 bonus for publishers referring at least 25 new publishers earning at least $100 during the 180 day period.

If you meet the requirements before the change occurs, you will still receive the amount given the current bonus. Beginning in the last week of January, the earnings will be reduced as follows:

• $100 for referrals who earn $100 within the 180 day period of signing up.
• The $5 bonus will be removed at that time.
• The $2,000 bonus will no longer exist.

Change 2: If you’re outside of North America, Latin America, and Japan, AdSense referrals will be retired.

Referrals promoting AdSense will no longer be available, as it has “not performed as well as we had hoped in these regions.”

Trying to make publishers feel better, they tell you to keep using their other products. The option of creating a referral button will be removed for AdSense in your account by the last week of January. Again, users meeting the conversion criteria before the change occurs will still be able to cash in on the old format. Once the change occurs, you should replace your units promoting AdSense with another referral product (or another advertising program) or an AdSense for content unit.

Official post here. (Inside AdSense)

Members affected by the first change currently receive approximately $8,250+ by referring 25 new publishers making at least $100 during the 180 period plus the $5 bonus for any referrals making less than that. After the change takes place, that amount will be reduced to $2,500 for a similar amount. Don’t live in North America, Latin America, or Japan, you won’t get anything.

A few great reaction from around the blogosphere: Australian-based Darren Rowse (ProBlogger) calls the changes “stupidity stupidity stupidity“, US-based Jeremy Schoemaker (Shoe Money) calls it a “slap to foreign webmasters in the face“, and Matthew Packer calls it “AdSense gone bonkers!“.

What impact, if any, does this have on your earnings? What will you do to help maintain your current earnings, if you were using the AdSense referral program?