Google closes its US Print Ads program

by Maisie McCabe, mediaweek.co.uk 21-Jan-09, 11:00

LONDON - Google is to close its program to help US newspapers make money from their print display advertising online in February.

Print Ads was launched with 50 newspapers in November 2006 and aimed to help newspapers offset declining print ad revenues by developing new ways to generate revenue from online ad sales.

Under the Print Ads program, customers could place print ads in more than 800 US newspapers through Google AdWords in the same way they buy web page, radio or TV ad space.

Spencer Spinnell, director of Print Ads at Google, said in a blog that Print Ads had not created the impact that Google and its partners had wanted, but the company remained dedicated to working with publishers to develop new ways to earn money.

Spinnell said that by moving resources away from projects that were not delivering impact, Google wanted to refocus its efforts on better performing services.

Though Google will stop offering Print Ads on 28 February, it will place campaigns for advertisers who have already booked campaigns until March 31.

Google will continue to sell TV advertising through its TV Ads programme. Last year, Google landed a deal to sell ads on US financial news TV channel Bloomberg, as well as on some of NBC Universal's US pay-TV channels.