Google To No Longer Offer Print Ads

The WSJ and Fox Business News are reporting that Google has made the decision to stop offering print ads noting, "the program didn’t create the desired impact." The print ad service launched in 2006.

From the WSJ, "The Internet company said it will stop offering advertising under the program called Print Ads on Feb. 28. The program, which allowed advertisers to place ads in newspapers through an online interface, generated little revenue for Google."

This news comes a week after Google announced closings of a variety of services. Google shares are currently down about 5%.

I assume today’s decision won’t affect the newspapers in a big fashion if the program wasn’t working for Google.

Update: The Google blog has more information on the closure, "We will continue to devote a team of people to look at how we can help newspaper companies. It is clear that the current Print Ads product is not the right solution, so we are freeing up those resources to try to come up with new and innovative online solutions that will have a meaningful impact for users, advertisers and publishers."

Check out the presentation from Tiffany Shen Miller of Google speaking about the print ad program which we captured on video last year.