Google Finally Introduces Video Ads in Search Results

Just last month, Google's vice president of search products and user experience Marissa Mayer gave us the first hint that video ads might be on the way and advised that the approach would be "delicate" which it certainly is. Video ads are only appearing on a very few selected queries as plus box results accompanying normal text ads.

An example is shown below for the BlackBerry.

When you click on the "Watch demonstration" link the actual video appears.

So just how do video ads work? Google clarified to Search Engine Land last month, that "advertisers pay on a CPC basis where any click counts. Meaning, if a user clicks on the URL link, that counts as a click or if a user clicks to play the video (via the plus box) that also counts as a click. An advertiser only pays for one click."

While the new video ads will not be immediately obvious to all searchers, the "watch demonstration" link will certainly lead to plenty of curious clicks by users and this could really be the start of something new in search engine marketing scene.

Posted by Courtney Mills at 9:17 AM GMT