Will Google Be Able To Make More Money From Radio Than WE Have?

Media Post's Shankar Gupta reports Google has started inviting search marketers to participate in an expanded test of its new radio advertising program.

Analyst Greg Sterling, principal for Sterling Market Intelligence, said that if anything, Google's participation might drive ad prices higher. "It's quite possible that you'll get a new class of advertisers trying radio advertising," he said.

Let's hope that is what happens, but Greater Media President & CEO Peter Smyth's December column on the company's home page puts this issue in a very savvy context. Radio has proven that it's a great medium for driving web usage, yet so far the majority of our sales people have been unable to turn that "1 + 1" into a 1+ 1 = 3 equation.

If Google CAN do it, we should all watch how they do it very carefully. It will be a sad commentary if DMarc/Google is able to merchandise radio more effectively than our own sellers have been able to do. For that reason, I agree with Smyth. Lets only enter into these partnerships with extreme caution.