Ready or not, here they come…
Sponsored links on Google that display Internet video.
Search the keyword “olympics” on Google and up comes a NBC-sponsored graphic on the top of the page.
Click on the graphic and you get a short video from their coverage of the Torino Winter Olympics.
Google: olympics
– Ken McCarthy
P.S. For over 25 years I’ve been sharing the simple but powerful things that matter in business with my clients.
If you’d like direction for your business that will work today, tomorrow and twenty years from now, visit us at the System Club.
Didn’t work for me. But then again I’m from the land down under.
Ken,
I either do not see the video. Perhaps it’s
available only from a few DC’s from selected
countries.
Ken,
I’m not seeing it either. For those outside the USA add the following to the end of the url after you have done your search and you will see adwords targetted to the USA only: &gl=us
J.
I see it but I have a blazing connection and a very fast machine.
I love this!
We are going to see some fantastic things from this.
Thanks Ken.
Keep up the good work.
Sam
There is no video on the page of google results.
I seem them fine on a Mac. Here we go!
This is going to be fun. I’ve been uploading tons of video to youtube.com now I got to get a google video account right away.
Guys and gals,
Access may be a national thing. John above gives a possible fix above. Thanks John.
Brad Fallon wrote and asked me: “Cool, but is that an ad?”
Good question because it doesn’t “feel” like a ‘normal’ TV ad.
But it definitely is an ad for the following reasons.
1. Based on its placement, Google is flagging that it’s an ad. It seems safe to assume that NBC paid for the placement (either in cash or trade.)
2. Even though its not “hawking” anything specifically, the video does make people aware of NBC’s product which in this case is its web site and its televised coverage of the winter olympics.
When you click on the clip, you’re offered the option of seeing a longer clip or going to the web site.
3. The video conforms to the dictionery defintion of an ad which according to my dictionery says: “A notice designed to attract public attention or patronage.”
Can pure content be an advertisement?
Sure it can!
In fact, I know a guy who does a weekly radio show that’s pure content – and its one of the best advertisements for his services possible 🙂
Now here’s a million dollar question…
Will Goggle make special AdWords placement available to OTHER advertisers who have video content that’s relevant to specific keyword search results?
If so, Internet video is off to the races.
Imagine trumping everyone else for your keyword because you have video and they don’t.
The Internet as a video delivery system…that’s where we’re heading.
Ken,
That’s great, but how do you explain that most people do NOT see the video ad?
“Most?”
Let’s be accurate.
Half of the posters say the ad is served when they search. Half say it can’t. Even so, eight people is a pretty small sample to draw any conclusions about.
How do we explain when some people see the ad and other don’t?
No doubt Google is doing a simple split test to measure the effectiveness of this particular ad format.