Google to Distribute Online Video Ads

sufijazz writes to mention an AP story about Google's plan to start distributing online video ads. From the article: "The video expansion, announced late Monday, will affect thousands of Web sites that rely on Google to post ads related to the surrounding material on a page. For instance, a news story about housing might prompt Google to display an ad for real estate agents. Google isn't allowing the video ads to appear on its own Web site -- a heavily trafficked destination that produced 58 percent of its $2.25 billion in revenue during the first three months of this year."

Comments

On every site that uses AdSense?

[Centurix]

Nearly every site will blast annoying sounds out the instant I visit the page? We'll have to surf porn with the sound turned down?

Whew, good thing I RTFA

[Red Flayer]

FTA: "The appeal of Google's video ads might be dampened by controls that will prevent the messages from automatically streaming across a Web page. Google instead will display graphics promoting video ads that won't be played unless a viewer clicks on a play button."

The appeal to me is precisely that I don't have to watch the ads if I don't want to. Thank goodness.

Of course, advertisers are probably less enthused -- but I'm sure major brands understand that potential customers do get pissed off by intrusive advertising.

Re:Again??

[Whiney Mac Fanboy]

Dial-up users will be delighted!

I don't think they'll mind to much - from tfa:

Google instead will display graphics promoting video ads that won't be played unless a viewer clicks on a play button.

Truly unfortunate

[emorphien]

Not only is this a waste of bandwidth, but Google became so popular because of their clear, textual interface. And that included their ads which were usually easily visible and not obnoxious to look at. I will actually click on relevant text links, but I don't click on banner ads or video ads, ever.

Hopefully this won't turn out as bad as it sounds.

Any option for adsense users?

[E IS mC(Square)]

>> The appeal of Google's video ads might be dampened by controls that will prevent the messages from automatically streaming across a Web page. Google instead will display graphics promoting video ads that won't be played unless a viewer clicks on a play button.

Its close, but still - what if I dont want any video ad appearing on my website through adsense? Do people have choice of "only text"/"text and video"/"video only"?

Re:Any option for adsense users?

[Proteus]

Do people have choice of "only text"/"text and video"/"video only"?

Considering that Google already serves image ads through AdSense, and that AdSense subscribers can choose not to have image ads on their site, it's a good bet that sites will be able to opt-out of displaying video ads as well.

It's a shame I can't set a cookie in my browser (or something) that tells Google I have no interest in video ads. The advertisers would like it because they wouldn't waste an impression on an annoyed viewer, and the users would like it because they can choose what kinds of ads to view.

Re:Again??

[OctoberSky]

There is really not much to bitch about here. It is a still ad with the ability to become a video ad.

Slashdot already has those fancy Microsoft video ads, and thiers are set to autoplay! Although, thank FSM, they are muted from the start and the user gets to activate the sound.

Re:Again??

[Whiney Mac Fanboy]

Slashdot has ads?

*fires up IE*

Damnit you're right! ;-)

and yes, your point was completely valid, if the /. crowd can accept video ads (from MS no less), then the rest of the internet will lap up video ads that aren't forced on you.

not so bad

[swanriversean]

The appeal of Google's video ads might be dampened by controls that will prevent the messages from automatically streaming across a Web page. Google instead will display graphics promoting video ads that won't be played unless a viewer clicks on a play button.

The activation feature could discourage many advertisers from signing up for the new video service, said Jupiter Research analyst David Card. "This isn't going to be a game changer for Google, but it gives them a much richer palette."
</FTA>

It really isn't that bad, although I don't know how many people are going to click the ads. I'm sure some will to start, just for the novalty, but over time, I doubt this will be a big revenue generator for Google (wasn't that an original opinion considering the quote from Mr. Card!).

I wonder if the video will work on *nix anyway, and if it doesn't, whose going to bother installing the codec and plugin to make it work?

Google could get themselves into trouble though, if they let those pictures be animated, but I'm sure they know not to do that, otherwise they would just have the video start automatically.