Google Launches Click-To-Buy Ads On YouTube

Google has launched click-to-buy ads on YouTube, enabling users to buy items directly related to the videos they are watching.

Adverts will appear directly below videos on the video-sharing site, with a link through to retail sites so that users can purchase related products.

The first click-to-buy ads are mostly appearing against music videos with links through to iTunes and Amazon, in Google’s US-only trial.

In a statement, Google said its long-term goal is to expand the click-to-buy ads across the entire Google partner network.

Google said: “Our vision is to help partners across all industries – from music, to film, to print, to TV – offer useful and relevant products to a large, yet targeted audience, and generate additional revenue from their content on YouTube beyond the advertising we serve against their videos.”

It added: “These retail links are being gradually added to our library of music videos and are currently only available to users in the US, but our goal is to slowly but surely expand the program to additional content and product partners, as well as our international users.”

The move is the latest in the search giant’s attempts to create an effective ad model for YouTube, which it acquired in October 2006 (see Google Buys YouTube).

Google: 020 7031 3000 www.google.co.uk/