Is Google Already an Ad Agency?
Written by Pablo Palatnik on January 22, 2008
There are so many concerns in the industry about Google becoming an ad agency, I personally already consider Google to be one.
Forget its purchase of Double Click, Google itself is the most powerful site on the internet driving millions and millions of users each day and displaying millions of ads daily and being the biggest brand online.
Google is a self-serve ad agency allowing advertisers to choose paid search (search engine ads), content display ads, bid for audio ads, and print ads venturing into the newspaper arena. The acquisition of YouTube was a great vision for Google to advertise on user-generated video content which has 22.7 billion views in 2007 and growing an incredible rate.
So, back to Double Click, Google did acquire a search marketing/ad network/ company which is significant in what they are trying to achieve.
Google has also ventured into the mobile space which according to Nielson Ratings, mobile search was used by 46 million users in 3Q of 2007.
MarketingVox reports, “Last week Andy Berndt, who left Ogilvy to help launch Google’s Creative Lab, told audience members at the Argyle Executive CMO Leadership Forum that “Google is not starting an ad agency.”
What constitutes an ad agency? A team of people putting a plan for you? OK, there is a difference between the traditional ad agency and Google but…I wouldn’t argue the fact that Google is or is becoming an ad agency. By 2009-2011, Google Adwords platform, and probably others, will allow to bid for magazine spots and other media sources. Online search and use is only growing, Google has yet to see better days for its advertising revenue.
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One Response to “Is Google Already an Ad Agency?”
I think Google is on its way to becoming an ad agency whether they admit it or not, but like you said, its self-serve. I’m not too sure we’ll see Google retail offices to the public offering their advertising/marketing platforms…maybe?
I don’t think search marketing industry would be too pleased with that decision and can stir up some serious controversy.
By Stacey on Jan 22, 2008