Google Testing Print Advertising with Publication Ads

We know Google’s intentions of keeping literature alive with Google Print, but will Google also be saving the newspaper industry? Google has launched its print advertising spinoff of Google AdWords, Google Publication Ads. Currently in invite only beta testing, Google Publication Ads is new direction for Google, giving advertisers the power to place performance based (direct response) print ads in newspapers, magazines and other forms of print ads (list not yet made public by Google).

Once invited to join the pilot program, Google advertisers can login to select a publication based upon the target market criteria of demographics, location, publication circulation details or keywords to create a list of relevant publications.

Then, the advertiser uses the Google Publication Ads interface to create a print add which features an image, sales copy, company logo, trackable URL, and phone number (trackable toll free numbers and site URL’s may be made available by Google). Once the print ad is finalized, Google reviews, then sends to the publisher for final approval. Once the ad runs, Google invoices the advertiser.

Since Google AdWords is based on a per click pricing model, expect a similar approach from Google Publication Ads. With the ability to track Pay Per Call from the print ads, and with Google hosted web site URL’s (which Google can tweak based on visitor profile information and referring publication), the Google Pub Ads system looks like a nice hybrid of old school direct response and pinpoint targeted web advertising and tracking.


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