Google said today it would expand its Google Print Ads advertising initiative. The program launched in November 2006 with a test of 50 newspapers and a small group of advertisers.
The program has grown to 225 newspapers representing 32 of the top 35 designated market areas and a combined circulation of close to 30 million. Newspaper publishers who have signed on to the program include E.W. Scripps, Freedom Communications, Hearst Newspapers, GateHouse Media, Gannett, MediaNews Group, The New York Times, The Seattle Times Company, Tribune Publishing, and Washington Post. Google print ads are available to U.S. advertisers who have a Google AdWords account.
“We are always looking to extend our editorial products to new advertisers while also driving additional revenue to our business,” said Todd Haskell, vice president of business development, advertising, The New York Times.
“Google Print Ads has brought in new advertisers who were either too small to consider advertising in a national newspaper or who hadn’t tried print advertising because their business was largely online. And Google Print Ads gives us the flexibility and control to set our own pricing, so there is never a conflict.”
Google Print Ads allow advertisers to plan and buy traditional newspaper media in national and local newspapers within a single interface. The platform allows marketers to reach new audiences in ways that are relevant for readers and cost efficient for advertisers.
“Over the past months, we have worked closely with our newspaper partners to design our Print Ads program to meet their needs and the needs of marketers,” said Eric Schmidt, Google’s chief executive officer.
“Newspapers are an important source of information and a powerful communication tool. With Google Print Ads we will bring more advertisers to newspapers which will ultimately benefit readers, publishers and advertisers.”
