Google Goes Gadget

by James Livesley

Google Australia has just launched its “gadget ads” – interactive ads that can be embedded into web pages, as revealed in B&T Digital Media in July this year.

Google Australia has today launched its “gadget ads” – interactive ads that can be embedded into web pages, as revealed in B&T Digital Media in July this year.

The ads give advertisers the option to add flash, video, and real time feeds to what in the past have been typically static display ads. From today the interactive ads can be used throughout the Google content network.

They can be placed by the existing bidding system, which allows advertisers to bid for a publisher’s site or content theme.

The benefit of the system is that it allows users to interact with advertiser’s content without the users having to actively search or click through to a landing page.

The new ads will be integrated into AdSense, the contextual advertising system for web publishers.

Local companies who already have examples of the gadgets available on users’ iGoogle homepages include Webjet, Selective Car Rentals, STA Australia, Autoweb.com.au, Brisbane on the Web and GlobeNet Travel.To view examples of the ads visit:

www.google.com/adwords/gadgetads