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Google Moving Strongly Into Radio Advertising

AvgGatsby writes to let us know about Google's move into radio. The company is hiring "scores" of radio sales people in major markets and is offering them 50% above prevailing salaries. From the article: "Google spokesman Michael Mayzel said this week that the company will begin a public test of Google Audio Ads by the end of the year. Advertisers will be able to go online and sign up for targeted radio ads using the same AdWords system they use to buy Web search ads. It made a clear move into radio in January when it agreed to pay more than $1 billion, depending on performance, for dMarc Broadcasting Inc., which connects advertisers to radio stations through an automated advertising system. It's all part of what Google Chief Executive Eric Schmidt has said is an investment in radio advertising that could grow over time to include up to 1,000 Google employees — not just in ad sales, but also in engineering and operations."

54 comments

  1. Skynet by User+956 · · Score: 3, Funny

    So at what point does Google become self-aware?

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
    1. Re:Skynet by 0racle · · Score: 3, Insightful

      When it does don't you think it might be ashamed about what its become? Going from the best search technology to just another ad agency.

      --
      "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
    2. Re:Skynet by EraserMouseMan · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It never will become ashamed. Google always knew what they wanted. It's the slashdotters that will have the mental crisis when they realize that Google uses them and their benevolent open sourceness to build Google's mega-money-making machine.

      Go ahead. Supress my opinion.

    3. Re:Skynet by foobsr · · Score: 2, Funny

      Go ahead. Supress my opinion.

      I won't.

      CC.

      --
      TaijiQuan (Huang, 5 loosenings)
    4. Re:Skynet by eean · · Score: 1

      Erm, by which you mean, going from being an ad company to being an ad company?

      Sounds like they are still doing stuff high tech in regards to their radio advertising. There's nothing so special about the internets.

    5. Re:Skynet by Lord_Dweomer · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Going from the best search technology to just another ad agency.

      Sorry, hate to nitpick here, but they are most certainly not an ad agency. I work in advertising (at an ad agency) and what Google has become (and has been for most of its life) is a media property with a sales force. Just like ClearChannel et. al.

      And for anybody who thinks "ooo, they're paying 50% above prevailing salaries!" you need to gain a basic understanding of how this industry works. Their sales force gets a commission. Anybody in ad sales worth their salt is going to wait and see how in-demand this radio venture of theirs is before they jump ship because frankly, media reps get a crappy salary. The money is really made in the commission. So if this bombs, yeah, they might be making a bit more base from their salary, but they'll be screwed from commission.

      Of course, I'm sure that won't stop all of the sexy sexy media girls (fortunately a very true industry stereotype) from trying to work there. Can't wait to do business with them!

      Actually, there was a Google Ad Sales office directly below mine in Chicago here before it closed, and they had some very cute girls working there....but I have to tell you that the Google backpacks don't look as sexy on them as you think they would.

      --
      Buy Steampunk Clothing Online!
    6. Re:Skynet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I fear it is not going to be just another ad agency, but one of the biggest, and perhaps the only significant ad agency. Scary.

    7. Re:Skynet by Jahz · · Score: 1

      Don't you mean an ad agency with the best search technology? Just be happy Google understands enough about what it wants to give you what you want for free.

      Search: generates ad revenue by providing you with information
      GMail: free webmail with tons of space... so that you don't delete your old mail and Google can use it for language modeling corpus etc.
      Groups: again ad revenue coupled with providing information
      Docs and spreadsheets: probably another way to associate a language with your account for better overall service.
      etc, etc, etc.

      There are better targets for criticism right now.

      --
      There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary and those who do not.
    8. Re:Skynet by ELProphet · · Score: 1

      Surely, you meant the best ad agency.

  2. Wow... some competition for ClearChannel?! by chroot_james · · Score: 2, Interesting

    That would be fantastic! Electronic billboards would be great too. They could feed the ads straight off Google's wireless networks. Or even be the way to make money off the wireless networks. I'd like to see google processing tv shows and placing ads by relevance there too. I also wouldn't mind if they'd weight the ad as more relevant if it's funnier...

    --
    Reality is nothing but a collective hunch.
  3. ...radio? by Nemetroid · · Score: 0

    What is this radio thing you speak about? Never owned one of those.

  4. Luckily, I don't listen to radio by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Since I bought my first MP3 player (tiny 20G Archos Gmini) I stopped listening to radio. Don't miss it even a tiny little bit.

    Ads will rot your brain!

    1. Re:Luckily, I don't listen to radio by nzMM · · Score: 1

      I still enjoy radio allot, and i think its daylight robbery how Apple makes you pay for an FM radio addon!

      Anyways regarding this Google thing, my only hope is that audio advertisments never make it to the internet in a big way, that would be horrible.

    2. Re:Luckily, I don't listen to radio by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      I still enjoy radio allot, and i think its daylight robbery how Apple makes you pay for an FM radio addon!

      Anyways regarding this Google thing, my only hope is that audio advertisments never make it to the internet in a big way, that would be horrible.


      Yeah, the big problem is it only does FM. I have my iPod. I have my satellite radio. Now, the only thing I really want is AM radio. For music, it's my iPod or satellite. For local news, it's AM radio. I don't give one hoot about FM radio anymore - a vast wasteland of blandness and ads.
    3. Re:Luckily, I don't listen to radio by burndive · · Score: 1
      allot

      The word "allot" is a verb, meaining to assign a portion (or lot).

      The adverbial phrase "a lot" means "a [substantial] amount."

      Please refrain from inflicting further damage on the English language. I would like for it to make as much sense as possible.

      --
      ...because "hacker" sounds way sexier than "code drone."
    4. Re:Luckily, I don't listen to radio by EatChex89 · · Score: 1

      ever since i bought my 30gb iPod last year, I haven't touched the radio.. In fact I find the radio inferior because it plays all this crap. My musical taste contrasts with the shit on the radio.

  5. Podcasting by From+A+Far+Away+Land · · Score: 1

    In a discussion with a former broadcast journalist yesterday, he thinks that traditional radio will be nearly gone as we know it, not to far in the future. Advertisers and sales people from those stations will either have to learn how to podcast, or I suppose now will find themselves working for Google Adsense.

  6. I think I've heard one! by MBCook · · Score: 2, Funny

    Are you worried about... mesothelioma?

    Then just go to Google.com and type it in! Once you've clicked search, use one of the handy ads on the side of the page. </announcer_voice>

    <legal_note>I'm the Google hive mind and I've approved this advertisement.</legal_note>

    --
    Comment forecast: Bits of genius surrounded by a sea of mediocrity.
  7. Re:The REAL Google has finally stood up by mordors9 · · Score: 1

    So instead of the CDs coming in the mail, we will get an ad boy/girl coming to our door. Hopefully they are short enough to set my beer on their head, miss those coasters.

  8. read some camus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    and keep pushing the rock up the mountain, you blind fool

  9. Re:It's all shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    hahahaha

    I agree completely

  10. Focussing On Their Core Business by bc90021 · · Score: 1

    Everyone always chides Google on focussing on too many projects, but they are still focussing on their core business. They are also getting into Print Advertising as well:

    http://news.com.com/Google+takes+ad+sales+to+print /2100-1024_3-5844889.html

    So the bottom line is that they're an advertising company with lots of side projects.

  11. The question is. by LWATCDR · · Score: 1

    Well they actually advertise on good radio stations? Any chance they can stop the Clear Channel monster!

    --
    See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
    1. Re:The question is. by hypoboxer · · Score: 1

      Clear Channel stations run the Profit automation system. Google's recent aquisition of dMarc, which makes Scott Studios automation system. I would doubt any CC stations would jump no board with this. There are many other non-CC stations that run on a dMarc system. There is a ton a revenue available to sell.

    2. Re:The question is. by Tringard · · Score: 1
      Well they actually advertise on good radio stations? Any chance they can stop the Clear Channel monster!

      They might become the Clear Channel monster, FTA:

      Google's move into radio comes at a time when Clear Channel, the biggest radio station operator, is weighing a possible sale of the company.

      Clear Channel, which controls an estimated 20 percent of local radio industry revenues, declined to comment on recent reports that Google could take a stake in the radio company, perhaps as part of a buyout led by private equity firms.
    3. Re:The question is. by brett880 · · Score: 1

      Clear Channel stations run the Profit automation system. Google's recent aquisition of dMarc, which makes Scott Studios automation system. I would doubt any CC stations would jump no board with this. There are many other non-CC stations that run on a dMarc system. There is a ton a revenue available to sell.

      Actually the name of the automation system is Prophet and your point is kinda moot since data can be moved easily in and out of pretty much every major automation system now (not that there are many left now).

      I love how Clear Channel is always the "evil monster"...but never companies like CBS, Univision, XM, or Sirius. Not saying you personally were implying that...just came to mind as I was replying to your post.

    4. Re:The question is. by hypoboxer · · Score: 1

      I understand that data can be moved from one system to another...but will it? The Prophet system, which is run on many CC stations can in theory take data from a dMarc or Enco or any other system. I think what Google has in mind here is to start a sales force that can utilize the dMarc system (at many stations) and create tons of money for stations and themselves. Why would Google want to share with CC and CC share with Google? I think that Clear Channel is seen as an "evil monster" because it not only owns 2200+ stations but also owns billboards, arenas, and other things that are beyond (but in support of) the radio business. I think CBS is a distant second. And now that you brought it up, I think that either XM or Sirius will gobble up one another...then CC will step in an buy that company out. `cheers

  12. Tag trolling? by Jugalator · · Score: 1

    What the heck, including this article, there's now at least 18 of 23 articles on the front page marked as itsatrap. :-/

    --
    Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
    1. Re:Tag trolling? by DaveM753 · · Score: 2, Funny

      I noticed that, too. I think it's a trap.

    2. Re:Tag trolling? by Kobayashi+Maru · · Score: 1

      Yeah it's kind of weird. Every article seems to feature:

      isatrap, fud, notfud

      Every Ask Slashdot article is invariably tagged:

      yes, no, maybe

      I noticed the same thing with the EVIL tag for a while, then it disappeared. Weird.

    3. Re:Tag trolling? by Jugalator · · Score: 1

      I guess it disappears if moderators remove them for being inaccurate. Maybe it's some sort of GNAA-ish troll organization having fun again, because I assume you need quite a few people agreeing on a tag for it to appear.

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
  13. What about podcasts? by word+munger · · Score: 1

    If Google's doing this for radio, then what about podcasts? If I could put google ads into podcasts as easily and unobtrusively as I can with adsense, I might consider it (podcasting, that is).

  14. Re:It's all shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Martin Luther? Is that you?

  15. Re:The REAL Google has finally stood up by havenskate · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I dunno where you've been... Google has always been an advertising company. Search has always simply been their most successful delivery of ads alongside adwords on publisher sites.

    I think you're missing the point completely. 1) companies have to make money. 2) Google has done a lot for search and has maintained their simple webpage as they promised. 3) profit -- and you yell EVIL!... sigh.

  16. This could be ugly by pedantic+bore · · Score: 1
    The day Google searches result in audio ads popping up on my desktop is the day Google gets black-holed at my firewall.

    I hope that's not where this all ends...

    The whole appeal of adsense is that they're (often) reasonably relevant and non-obnoxious. Make the obnoxious, and I make them go away.

    --
    Am I part of the core demographic for Swedish Fish?
    1. Re:This could be ugly by jo42 · · Score: 1

      > audio ads in web pages or on desktop

      They are slowly Becoming Evil (tm)...

  17. Who's Voice? by bendodge · · Score: 0

    So who's voice will it be? Do the poeple who want the ads have to make the audio themselves, or will all these people be hired to make the actual adudio?

    --
    The government can't save you.
  18. Re:It's all shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So why haven't you?

  19. Speech recognition software? by burndive · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The best way to target advertisments would be to listen to the radio stations and advertise products based on what's discussed--at least for talk radio. That's pretty much what they already do with web pages, only those are much easier for a computer to read.

    --
    ...because "hacker" sounds way sexier than "code drone."
  20. Slashdot advertising? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I just took the tickle IQ test as advertised on slashdot, it was long and taxing, but I think it was a worthwhile and fulfilling use of my valuable time. I was awarded the following:

    The Classic IQ Test
    What's Your IQ?

    Congratulations, John!
    Your IQ score is 73

    This number is based on a scientific formula that compares how many questions you answered correctly on the Classic IQ Test relative to others.

    Your Intellectual Type is Inventive Inquisitor. You have the unusual distinction of being equally good at math and verbal skills. This means you are a creative thinker and are uniquely good at teaching others through experiences. You are also a great improviser and very good at handling change.

    I have given them my creditcard details am looking forward to the full report and certificate of my achievements.

  21. Once Terrestrial Radio Goes Away... by tobiathan · · Score: 1

    ...when google buys Sirius or XM, you will be able to get free satellite (sans Howard Stern and other shock jocs, who will on only be available to paid subscribers), this will all start to make alot more adsense than it may seem to at present.

  22. PLEASE... by certain+death · · Score: 0

    I SOOOO want to work for Google!!! Not that I am smart enough, free enough of a thinker, or for that matter, even close to one of their offices, but I would take a total beating just for an interview :o)

    --
    "My immediate reaction is "WTF? What kind of moron doesn't make things 64-bit safe to begin with?" Linus
  23. Can Google do radio better? by QuantumFTL · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Is there some reason that Google would excel at radio stuff? I mean, sure, they already distribute a lot of ads and why not have a radio presence, but it's not like they have the giant platform that is Google Search to spout better, more targetted ads through. Isn't it much more difficult to target Radio ads properly?

    Is there something that I'm missing that Google can really ad to the equation here? Or is this yet another example of a great company moving away from a core competency and expanding towards just being mediocre?

    1. Re:Can Google do radio better? by jrap · · Score: 1

      Earlier this year they purchased DMarc Broadcasting, a Newport Beach, Calif., company that works with radio advertisers in the sales, scheduling, delivery and reporting of radio ads.

  24. just keep it on the radio by grapeape · · Score: 1

    If its only targeted audio ads for radio, its no big deal to me. I listen to talk radio mostly and already hear plenty of worthless "in one ear and out the other" ads for everything from hottubs to frozen custard. I cant say I have ever purchased anything because of an ad but I can give you a long list of products I went out of my way to avoid after their commercials annoyed me.

    Where I concider it crossing the line is when it goes from radio ads to those annoying audio web ads. Those annoy me so much I turn the speakers on my computer off when im surfing. In fact I would say that audio web ads would be #3 in my top 3 of most annoying things online, #1 being spam and #2 being sites that want their headlines on google news but require registration to view them.

  25. Lol @ Google by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The great search engine with little more.

  26. They're also moving to newspapers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    An spanish newspaper reported yesterday that Google is also moving into "paper-based" ads. They'll start shortly a test phase with 50 american newspapers, among others The New York Times and The Washington Post.

    So, when will they rename the company to "Ads'R'Us"?

    PS: fsck! The domain is already taken. There goes my oportunity of becoming rich with a mere $10 investment...