Feeds represent a useful tool of content/site promotion, allowing webmasters to share the headlines or the full text of their latest entries.

Publishers don't just stand waiting for visitors, they make the step towards meeting readers' need to keep up-to-date with the most interesting, fresh and relevant information. This form implies even higher quality requirements, as the reader has the decision on whether to keep receiving them or not (translated as whether to keep in touch with your site), based on the degree of interest these news arise.

Putting AdSense™ in feeds seems like a good idea, both for advertisers and publishers. Advertisers benefit from an extended reach area. Publishers have an additional revenue opportunity. Think that some people will just read feeds and never visit the actual site they originate from. Advertising in feeds makes content distribution financially viable.

What is more important remains still to be seen: their efficiency. There are publishers who complain of the lack of efficiency of this practice, arguing that most "clickers" come from SE traffic, because searchers would look for something in particular, while regular readers are just interested in what you have to say and therefore will not look further. Fact is that the concept's novelty has not permitted yet to test enough its effectiveness.

AdSense for feeds was recently introduced by Google, is now in beta version and is not available for all publishers (for example, with blogs, only those on MoveableType/TypePad or Blogger platforms are accepted at the moment). Opinions differ, users have not settled a final verdict on whether it works well or not. But again, this is normal because like all matters related to AdSense, this works differently for various types of feeds/sites.

Ads placement and customization works pretty much the same as for regular pages. However, keep in view that the news reader values the content, so customization and placement should focus on content blending. Feeds readers are regular readers, so avoid dull uniformity.

Google offers a list of best practices for Adsense for feeds. You might find useful to consider these also when thinking of using AdSense for feeds:

• Be very selective of your ads' content. Ads in feeds should be highly relevant and informative and less obtrusive.
• Monitor closely your ads activity versus unsubscribe rates. Better to restrain the ads number to minimum (or not to place them on every post).

Having in view the nature od feeds, a conclusion would be that AdSense for feeds would work better with brand-building/reinforcement type of ads, the ones used in the impressions-based advertising system.