The main competitors in the browser war may still be Internet Explorer and Firefox, but it looks like Google’s found another way or two in which to give Chrome an advantage. YouTube and Facebook users have started to notice promotions for Chrome pop up left and right.
Stephen Shankland reports, “The company is showing ads for its open-source Web browser. I saw Chrome overlay and display ads on a classically viral video, ‘No Pants Subway Ride 2009.’ . . . Chrome ads also are appearing on Facebook’s Boggle-like Scramble game.”
Given how much Google wants Chrome to succeed, this combination makes it look like the search giant has a fair amount of confidence in social media. Other advertisers on Facebook may appreciate the move, and perhaps a few companies will start a campaign as a result. As for Google’s second effort, the YouTube venture works as a sort of eating-its-own-dog-food act.
The only potential problem seems to be the one that plagues a lot of ad campaigns: a desire among the viewers to not have advertising at all. If Google annoys people by sticking stuff everywhere (see the Google Sites promo on Google.com today), some criticism of the clutter (and/or accusations of desperation) might result.
We’ll keep an eye out for different ads, and also for new numbers about Chrome’s market share.
