Google Closes Print Ads – Still a One Trick Pony?

Not sure if I agree with that assessment. If they had shuttered plans for online video, television or radio monetization you’d have a point, but I thing all this proves is the obvious, that printed newspapers are kaput.

Terry Howard’s last blog post..Merry Christmas!

>Not sure if I agree with that assessment. If they had shuttered plans for online video, television or radio monetization you’d have a point, but I thing all this proves is the obvious, that printed newspapers are kaput.

I think the real question is how well are they progressing in those areas, or are they tough sledding just as PrintAds were. If not well, the fact they are around are no evidence that Google is making progress beyond search adverts. “Never confuse motion with progress” – Hemmingway. I have not heard much about their figures in TV/radio, etc.

B. Chandra’s last blog post..Someone’s idea of humor?

Looks like they already do, http://www.google.com/adwords/tvads, any thoughts on how that is going for them?

@B. Chandra, @Andrew Melchior,

The press may not be reporting much on what Google is doing in those areas, but for the most part they are always months if not years behind. But if you just contact a rep over there and inquire, they will give you an earful about what they are doing in those areas and the huge advancements they have made. You might be surprised to find that you can already do much of what you are saying here plus some. Purchases like Urchin, Keyhole, Grand Central, YouTube, development of the GPhone, buying up dark fiber, their interest in the white spaces left behind by the DTV move… None of this is drawing lines for you? You don’t seriously think these all were for farts and giggles did you? Targetability and Trackability beyond what anyone else can offer, they are a few handshakes and contracts away to bringing that level of service to bear for any advertising medium you would want.

Like I said, this shuttering of Google Print Ads just shows that print has no audience to target.

Terry Howard’s last blog post..Merry Christmas!

None of the above. It’s the design and response by the newspapers.
I’ve used it and here are the problems:

1. Newspapers simply will not upgrade how they place ads – they’re dumped onto the pages in blocks without regard for context, competitors and visual interest. Google’s contextual paid ads next to natural search (their “news” content) is completely lost on the newspaper industry.

2. No run guarantee. Online, your ad always runs and price is determined by placement position and competition for that position. In print, it’s yes or no and hard bargain time. Newspapers are in love with rate cards and won’t let their ad prices float to actual value.

3. Confused about who the customer is. Who pays the paper’s bills? ALL the money newspapers need is there – they simply price themselves out of the local advertisers they use to survive on.

3. Bite the hand that feeds them. For smaller clients, I got to run some papers exactly 1X. Client was contacted direct and hijacked by the paper’s inhouse reps. No business for me and no business for Google. After 15 years and millions buying print, I’ve yet to find a paper with an in-house DResponse copywriter – or even an interest in how the campaign went. Guess how many of those are still running ads?

4. Failure to understand the newspaper’s USP. What other media actually puts something physically into your hands every day? You TOUCH a newspaper, and whatever’s in it or delivered with it.

Newspapers still work. 60 million read them everyday – but other ad options are maturing. The “only game in town” model is killing them.