Google to sell Ads in Print Media

Google has plans to test the concept of selling print ads in 50 major newspapers. Some of the companies involved in the 3-month test are Gannet, The Tribune Company, The New York Times Company and The Washington Post Company.

Google will begin testing the system with 100 advertisers later this month. They hope to reach small businesses as well as online retailers. Earlier this year Google began selling ads in magazines such as PC World and Motor Trend. According to an article by Wendy Davis for MediaPost Publications the magazine venture has not been as successful as planned. Jonathan Rosenberg, Goggle's senior vice president for product management said this about the print ad sales program "probably hasn't taken off as fast as we would like." With their latest venture into print media Google is hoping to generate more revenue while helping the struggling newspaper business. During the test Google will not earn any revenue. They usually keep around 20 percent of the revenue for the Internet ads they place. An article from the New York Times had this to say "Some newspapers see Google's proposed system as a way to increase sales. ‘Every day in the newspaper we have a fair amount of space we set aside for ads that we are unable to fill,' said Owen Youngman, a vice president for development at The Chicago Tribune. "Google says they can bring us thousands of small advertisers for space we would otherwise fill with house ads, and we say ‘Great.' " With newspapers struggling to compete with the online media while maintaining their circulation is this really going to be an effective venture for Google? If readership is declining then who will be viewing these ads in the print media? The issue of succeeding in print advertising must be something Google has thought about. Why else would they test this for 3 months instead of implementing the program now? The print media is becoming something of a dinosaur. Why would Google not target online newspapers for advertising instead of a medium that can barely keep its head above water? We will know the results in about 3 months from now. Google is willing to experiment with a concept that seems to be a backward and risky notion. Where will people read the results? From their local newspaper or an online media source?