Google Display Network Begins Showing +1s With Ads Today

Visitors to Google Display Network sites will begin seeing +1s and annotations on display ads for the first time today, according to Google. The initiative, announced nearly a month ago, is aimed at adding social cues — recommendations — to display advertising. The addition of social cues at least partly takes its cues from Facebook […]

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Visitors to Google Display Network sites will begin seeing +1s and annotations on display ads for the first time today, according to Google. The initiative, announced nearly a month ago, is aimed at adding social cues — recommendations — to display advertising.

The addition of social cues at least partly takes its cues from Facebook ads, which can be targeted to “friends of fans.” If a friend +1s an ad, or the landing page URL associated with an ad, the ad will get a boost in the auction, giving it a higher chance of displaying on the page. It’s thought the ads with +1s and annotations will be more successful in getting users’ attention than those without. Though Google hasn’t released specifics, the company says search ads with +1s associated with them have a significantly higher click-through rate.

Advertisers or publishers who don’t wish to participate in this program may opt out in AdWords or AdSense, respectively.


About the author

Pamela Parker
Staff
Pamela Parker is Research Director at Third Door Media's Content Studio, where she produces MarTech Intelligence Reports and other in-depth content for digital marketers in conjunction with Search Engine Land and MarTech. Prior to taking on this role at TDM, she served as Content Manager, Senior Editor and Executive Features Editor. Parker is a well-respected authority on digital marketing, having reported and written on the subject since its beginning. She's a former managing editor of ClickZ and has also worked on the business side helping independent publishers monetize their sites at Federated Media Publishing. Parker earned a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.

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