Google announced it will stop its Print Ads program on 2/28 because the program to help newspapers make more money in online ad sales wasn’t working as well as expected. The program was first unveiled in 2006. Under the program, Google AdWords customers could place newspaper ads in the same way they buy Web page, radio or TV ad space.
Google said last week it would lay off 100 full-time recruiters and close three engineering offices. We hear the overall cuts across the company are equal to $500 million and largely include contract vendors and overseas offices.
Advertisers who had booked campaigns would be allowed to place ads through 3/31, Google said on a blog post.
"While we hoped that Print Ads would create a new revenue stream for newspapers and produce more relevant advertising for consumers, the product has not created the impact that we or our partners wanted," Google said on a blog post.
The Print Ads program includes 807 papers, including The New York Times, New York Post, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, The Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News.
