Hoping to bolster its associate network, Amazon.com has begun testing an AdSense-like program that enables associates to host sponsored links from a third-party provider.

Google is taking steps with its AdWords and AdSense programs to assist advertisers in launching site targeted campaigns, help publishers sell those advertising spaces, and even optimize the advertising creatives and landing pages for the advertiser. This direction will be intended to smooth out the online ad buying and selling process while attempting to get the best return on investment for both the business advertising on Google AdWords, and the publisher selling ad space via Google AdSense.

Google filed two patents this week dealing with ad targeting based on user search history behavior and personalization in what seems an attempt to enter the post-search behavioral advertising market that Yahoo is already offering to its advertisers and will be available in MSN’s AdCenter. The patents also follow a line of filings, including the Google filing of a creative and landing page optimization patent filing in September.

Reported over at Search Engine Watch Forums, AdWords Now Allows Targeting Ads To Sections Of A Site. That is right, and I am not sure why I haven’t seen this before today. I mean, yesterday the InsideAdWords blogged about 25 cent CPMs for Site Targeting but no mention of such accuracy within site targeting. The Google Help section explains What are site sections?.

Google is testing “Advertise on this site” links on certain pages using Google AdSense. Clicking on the link (which is always positioned next to the actual AdSense ads) will take you to a special Google AdWords page reading “Advertise on example.com” (example.com being the domain the AdSense ad appeared on).