Google Inc. has debuted a much-anticipated radio advertising system called Google Audio Ads.
The company has initiated a test period, letting customers bid for the ads based on a CPM auction.
“Google Audio Ads makes radio advertising easier by providing an online interface for creating and launching radio advertising campaigns,” said Ryan Steelberg, head of radio operations for Google, Mountain View, CA.
The system lets businesses run their ads on hundreds of radio stations nationwide and target customers by geography, station type, demographics and time of day, he said. Once the ads air, marketers can view online reports that tell exactly when the ad played.
“After the radio ads are run, Google Audio Ads provides online reports that allow businesses to hear real-time recordings of their ads as they were played on the radio,” Mr. Steelberg said.
Since it acquired dMarc Broadcasting earlier this year, Google has focused on integrating dMarc’s advertising platform into Google AdWords.
“This initiative by Google to bring interactive and traditional media together in a one-stop solution is all very interesting,” said Lora Parker, an account strategist for Range Online Media, Hermosa Beach, CA. “If this proves to be successful, it would impact the industry by bridging the gap between online and offline for advertisers and agencies.”
