Google extends newspaper print-ads service

Google has expanded its Print Ads so that anyone subscribing to its AdWords program can purchase print advertising from a growing network of newspapers.

Google Print Ads, which began with 50 newspapers in November 2006, now has more than 225 newspapers with print advertising available for agencies and advertisers. Now, any U.S.-based advertiser with a Google AdWords account can purchase print advertising for any of these entities, which include newspapers from publishers such as W.W. Scripps, Freedom Communications, Hearst Newspapers, GateHouse Media, Gannett, MediaNews Group, The New York Times, The Seattle Times Company, and the Washington Post, among others.

For publishers, Google's print program complements existing sales efforts by providing access to new advertisers and a tool to fill inventory on a timetable, said company representative Deanna Yick. For marketers, Google Print Ads simplifies the selection, scheduling, and delivery of newspaper advertising, and offers advanced targeting tools, transaction processing, and print-campaign reporting, she said.

Google also Wednesday said it has renewed its agreement with the Washingtonpost.Newsweek Interactive to deliver search results, search, and contextually targeted advertising to Washingtonpost.com readers.

More information about Google Print Ads can be found on Google's Web site.

Both Google and rival Yahoo have deals with a network of newspaper companies to sell print advertising through their respective Web-based search advertising services. Yahoo formed its newspaper consortium beginning with 150 newspapers around the same time that Google started its Print Ads program. In April, Yahoo said it had 264 newspapers in its consortium, including the San Francisco Chronicle, the Miami Herald, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the Houston Chronicle.

On a conference call reporting quarterly financial results Tuesday, Yahoo president Susan Decker said the newspaper consortium is a core area of focus for the company as it tries to grow revenue after top executive changes, poor financial results, and criticism from investors.