Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Google's Radio And Print Equal Mobile Marketing Platform

Could this be the tipping point for Google's mobile marketing campaign?


Google entering print advertising market, and now the radio ad space, leads me to think they are creating an ad platform for mobile marketing and the physical world.

The recent acquisition of dMarc Broadcasting allows an advertiser to select an ad to play over the airwaves based on the demographic of their choice, whenever they want to, by their latitude and longitudinal position (location based advertising).

When Google starts using Global Positioning Systems (GPS), it will open up a plethora of revenue streams. Scott Shaffer

I can see Google Radio Ads generating revenues in two ways.

In addition to selling radio ads based on keywords and location, Google will sell SMS keywords to advertisers and they can use these kewyords in their radio or print ad. What I see is every radio ad including "send keyword to 46645 (GOOGL) for more information" and information is sent back via an SMS.

Revenue from the actual radio ad, and revenue every time a consumer sends a text message. This is "Pay-Per-Text".

The radio ads will progress to "Visit our site via Google LinkWord (keyword)".

A consumer can type in a specific LinkWord and use the Google Link function to be directed to A SPECIFIC SITE. This is "Pay-Per-Link".

This is not search, this is find. I don't want to do a search for Coca Cola's new energy beverage Blak, I just want to go to the specific site.

A Google LinkWord acts as a hyperlink.

After a consumer reads a magazine or hears an ad for Blak, they can send a text message "BLAK to 46645" or they can type in BLAK in the Google Link function to get more information about the product or be sent directly to Coke's site for Blak.

Google is the search engine of choice and because all of these functions don't require a special application to be embedded on the mobile phone, or require carriers to include, adoption can occur immediately.

Google is so recognized that they are almost considered universal, but specific keywords are still in a closed network. The Google mobile portal could offer Search, SMS, Map, Link and soon Scan. Why limit the function of a keyword to one application?

There's a reason they put many functions on their homepage, because keywords are used in different applications and Google doesn't want people to "find" the site for the other tools. You dont see a separate site for each of the uses, their homepage is a portal.

The same thing will happen with their mobile portal. Don't make people work even harder to use one of your tools.

Do you want to SMS, Search, Link, Shop, Coupon, Video, Purchase, Scan.... These will all be available on ONE SITE.

Any mobile application that limits the function of a keyword will have a tough time getting adopted.

From Yahoo Google positioning move into US radio

Web search leader Google Inc. is hiring scores of radio sales people and is spending heavily in a bid to expand its position in the $20 billion radio industry.

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.

Google's CEO, Eric Schmidt's vision of streamlining the radio ads with GPS location-based technology for in-car radio use.

Thoughts, comments?






3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Scott,
You know I'm a devoted fan of your blog and greatly value your shared insights on mobile related developments. I've been a little surprised at your apparent infatuation with Google in the past and have refrained from commenting, but now with two consecutive posts and this latest rather speculative one, I've decided to speak up and respectful say that this post goes a little over the top in singing the praises of Google.

I agree that Google is likely to expand their mobile ad offering. However, I argue that it is not as easy as you may think using "LinkWords." First, such words are limited...they must be unique within the short code. Only one business is going to be able to snag PIZZA. Sure variations are possible, but not as easily communicated as part of an ad to be correctly typed on a phone. Multiple short codes are an option, but not a good one for Google. Second, Google doesn't have the foot soldiers to sell words to local advertisers and coach them on using mobile marketing effectively and appropriately. Finally, and most importantly, Google can shut off an online ad when the daily budget has been reached, a radio ad can run for a certain frequency and so can a newspaper ad. Mobile with keywords is different. For example, if I'm a pizza shop and I want to use the word PIZZA and I put that on print ads, billboards, TV commercials, etc. Google can't pull my service or let another advertiser outbid me for the word. I'm not going to want my word being texted to all of a sudden start returning a competitor's message.

I'm sure there are solutions to these issues. I didn't say it's impossible for Google to do keyword or code based mobile marketing, it's just not that simple. If it was and/or if it was a priority for them, they likely would've done so already. I think their interests with mobile are elsewhere. We will all certainly see.

As always, thanks for your insights, thoughts, etc, but please refrain a little bit from being so pro-Google. I don't have a problem with Google or with them being a competitor to us and I know you're not a news agency that has to be unbiased, but you do an excellent job of being even-keeled on all posts...except when it involves Google.

Jim Washok, CEO
OTAir - impulse marketing & media
http://www.OTAir.com

Unknown said...

Scott,

You're right on the money. Location based advertising is the future especially for mobile.

Here's the technical problem to be solved. GPS data is accessed through a COM port. All the search engines rely on JavaScript for advertising. JavaScript is confined to the sandbox and cannot access a COM port.

5o9 Inc has solved that problem. Not only can we read the COM port, we can stream the data over HTTP and we can also present the data to Google's JavaScript advertising engine.

Real time location via GPS is the future for advertising on the third screen. All you need is the GPS data. And now that problem has been solved.

Cheers,

Peter

No Name said...

Jim,

I appreciate the input and yes I have been discussing Google quite a bit lately, but there's a reason.

G is setting up an advertising platform that ties directly into the PWC world.

I can see a groundswell occuring and when G "turns on" this platform people and companies will be saying "why didn't we think of that".

Wouldn't you like to know about a potential threat to your business ahead of time so you could react?

I see some companies having big problems when this platform develops.

Blogs weren't around 10-15 years ago, but if they were, they would have focused on what Microsoft would be doing.

When was the last time we saw a company that influenced so many industries before?

Back to regularly scheduled blogging :)