Jun 6, 2012

Google launches "operating system" for digital marketing

Google is launching a feature that will let marketers manage different types of ad campaigns -- in formats such as mobile, display and search -- from a single hub. The "DoubleClick Digital Marketing" platform is a step toward a unified operating system for digital marketing, and could help Google seize a bigger slice of the display-ads business. "We're bringing some of the science of search to the art of display," says Susan Wojcicki, Google's senior vice president of advertising. Article via Bloomberg Businessweek:

Google Inc. (GOOG) (GOOG) is introducing a feature to help advertisers manage different types of promotions -- including mobile, video, display and search -- as it tries to boost revenue by streamlining digital marketing.

Called “DoubleClick Digital Marketing,” Google’s new tool lets clients use a single software service to track the effectiveness of different types of a digital ads, said Neal Mohan, Google’s vice president of display advertising.

Google is expanding advertising options and offering new tools to gauge how the ads work as it steps up competition with Facebook and Yahoo! Inc. This year, Google will account for 16.5 percent of the U.S. display-ad market, which includes banners and videos, according to EMarketer Inc. By next year, Google is expected to grab almost 20 percent, unseating Facebook (FB) (FB) as the market leader.

“This is the first technology platform that will be truly integrated and seamless,” Mohan said in an interview.

Advertisers currently use a hodgepodge of software tools to track different types of digital advertising, making it difficult to quickly analyze and tailor marketing messages, Mohan said. The new service, which manages promotions on various sites including Yahoo and other rivals, will offer a faster look at ad performance, he said.

In April, Mountain View, California-based Google rolled out a new feature, called Brand Activate, which makes it easier for companies to know when Web surfers see their ads.

Google acquired DoubleClick for $3.2 billion in 2008 to improve its display-advertising efforts.