Google begins testing image search ads
Search giant makes its money from text ads, but putting ads in image search results lets it show graphics as well. It insists that it'll place ads only in a way that adds to user experience.
- Shankland covered the tech industry for more than 25 years and was a science writer for five years before that. He has deep expertise in microprocessors, digital photography, computer hardware and software, internet standards, web technology, and more.
As it promised to do, Google has begun testing ads shown next to image search results.
Google Blogoscoped and TechCrunch carried screen shots from readers showing the new tests, and Search Engine Land added a shot of a banner ad as well. Now I'm seeing the image ads too.
Google's cash cow is its ability to display small text ads next to search results, but the new examples include pictures as well. That could be more distracting or more useful, depending on how you see it, but Google insists that it'll place the ads only in a way that adds to the user experience, one measurement of which is that people search more often.