Google Expands Advertising Monetization Program for Websites

Google AdSense Enables Sites to Maximize Revenue Potential While Enhancing User Experience

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- June 18, 2003 -- Google, developer of the award-winning Google search engine, today announced a new self-service option for Google AdSense, a program that enables website publishers to serve ads precisely targeted to the specific content of their individual web pages. With Google AdSense, publishers serve text-based Google AdWords ads on their site and Google pays them for clicks on these ads -- users benefit from more relevant ads and publishers can maximize the revenue potential of their websites. The self-service option augments the existing content targeting services for publishers announced by Google in March 2003, now making this service available to a broader universe of high-quality websites.

Website publishers that already serve ads on their pages can use Google AdSense to complement their existing advertising and reduce unsold inventory. Additionally, publishers that do not currently display online advertising can integrate Google's targeted ads with minimal effort. Publishers apply online and once approved by Google for participation in the program have instant access to Google's network of search advertisers – comprising more than 100,000 advertisers, ranging from large global brands to small and local businesses. This depth and breadth of advertisers provides publishers with ads that are highly relevant to their content, even if it is specialized.

"Google AdSense improves the overall web user experience by bringing relevant, unobtrusive, text ads to web pages rather than disruptive, unrelated ads such as pop-ups and animations," said Sergey Brin, co-founder and president of technology at Google. "By providing website publishers with an effective way to monetize content pages on their sites, Google AdSense strengthens the long-term business viability of content creation on the web."

"Google has dramatically improved our ability to reach our readers with very targeted advertisements," said Robert Hoskins, group publisher, Broadband Wireless Exchange, Inc. (bbwexchange.com). "We are now able to reap thousands of dollars in additional advertising revenue each month that we probably would have missed without Google AdSense."

"The ads served through Google AdSense are a service to our users - they're not flashy, obnoxious or intrusive," said Erin Martin, web producer, Infoplease.com. "We like giving our readers what they want – ads that are helpful. With Google AdSense, we immediately made twice the money we had been making with any other type of advertising."

To apply online for the program, website publishers can visit www.google.com/adsense. Google's editorial team will review each publisher application to ensure that the site meets editorial guidelines. To activate the service, the publisher logs into their account and cuts and pastes a small piece of HTML into their web pages or ad server. Once the program is up and running, publishers can monitor ad performance through detailed online reports. In addition, Google's editorial team monitors each participating site in the program on an ongoing basis. The program is currently available for English language websites worldwide.

In addition to applying online with Google AdSense, website publishers with more than 20 million page views per month may be eligible for premium AdSense service, which includes dedicated account service. Selected website publishers enrolled for premium service include ABC.com, HowStuffWorks, Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc., Lycos Europe, Knight Ridder Digital, About.com, CNET and others.

About Google
Google's innovative search technologies connect millions of people around the world with information every day. Founded in 1998 by Stanford Ph.D. students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, Google today is a top web property in all major global markets. Google's targeted advertising program, which is the largest and fastest growing in the industry, provides businesses of all sizes with measurable results, while enhancing the overall web experience for users. Google is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. For more information, visit www.google.com.