Google India unveils search format for ads

Google India unveiled a format for media advertisements (ads) to target, pay for and experience video ads on its Web search engine.

'The new ads format is designed to ensure users find the information they are looking for and enable advertisers to reach potential customers with the right information,' Google India sales head Praveen Sharma said in a statement here.

As a standalone format designed to put video ads front and centre, the search target is automated.

'The format is launched with STAR TV campaign built around its new channel Life Ok. The media and entertainment category search volumes have shown phenomenal growth.

In the last two years, the query volumes have grown at 125 per cent year-on-year,' Sharma said.

The format will also enable media firms to capture the traffic on search and leverage it to create familiarity of the content.

'Our research has shown that a substantial number of users are looking to watch the movie trailer or TV show clips on the search results page, which translates into a high response rate for this ad format,' Sharma noted.

The format also changes the way users experience video on Google search. It introduces a new Lightbox media player. When the video is played either by clicking the thumbnail or the 'watch' link, the Lightbox player expands to the centre of the screen and dims the rest of the page around it.

'The experience is meant to put the viewer's attention on the video and to create a theatre-like experience,' Sharma added.

Media Ads are charged at a flat rate on clicks. The pricing model makes it easier to budget for media ads campaign and to know how much an interaction is going to cost.

Google's search technologies connect millions of people the world over with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google is a top Web property in all major global markets.

Google's targeted advertising programme provides businesses with measurable results, while enhancing the overall Web experience for users.