Google's $48 billion Print Ads test: Fourth time's the charm?

As with many of our products, we constantly test different models and features to ensure we are providing the best experience possible.  We incorporate learnings from each test into the core product and are following the same model with our offline print ads tests. 

Although Google is dubbing its latest effort at bringing the Google “targeted, measurable advertising” magic to the world of offline print advertising, a “alpha test, it is actually Google’s fourth time at bat.

The Washington Post cited Richard Holden, product director, Google AdWords, last month: 

Google tried three ways to make its magazine and newspaper advertising efforts work.

I recently underscored Google’s inability to achieve its grandiose offline ambitions:

Google failing to snag $116 billion print, radio, television ad markets

Why Google can't make it in the "real world"

Today, Google announced its fourth time at the print bat. 

Tom Phillips, Google print operations, cited by the New York Times, says Google is:

attracted by the $48 billion spent every year in the United States on newspaper advertising….

Google had been talking to publishers and running tests of advertising in both newspapers and magazines for nearly two years. But it found that there was less of an opportunity in magazines.

How about newspapers? Is there a greater opportunity “there” for Google? Or will the Google online search advertising magic fail to manifest itself in the “old-shool” world of newspaper advertising as well.

As usual, Google is heralding its attempt at grabbing billions of dollars in ad sales as just the latest way that Google is coming to the rescue of 1) media vehicles it competes against and 2) companies it wants advertising fees from:

Newspapers have long tried ways to develop standby advertisers willing to fill unused space at a discount. But the Google program is meant to appeal to small businesses and those in far-flung locations that cannot be easily serviced by local papers.

Powerful newspapers are not duped, however. They:

will not use Google to sell large advertisements and those in the most popular positions.

It is also doubtful that "small businesses" and "those in far flung locations" have been eagerly waiting for Google to avail them of its "targeted, measurable advertising," in print.

SEE HOW GOOGLE IS FARING WITH RADIO ADVERTISING:
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