Google Is Taking Over The World!

I just saw the Sex and the City movie over the weekend, so I’m all jacked up on the love.  Since I’m still waiting for my very own Mr. Big, the current love of my life is Google…and it’s taking over the world!
I recently learned that you can now book print ads in local newspapers through Google using their auction based system.  Some of the newspapers who are experimenting with this new way of booking space are the Courier Journal, New Albany Tribune, Jeffersonville Evening News, Seymour Tribune, E-town News Enterprise and Pioneer News, plus over 800 others, nation wide.  Through your AdWords account, you can select a publication, run dates, which section you’d like to schedule your ad in and the ad size.  The bidding starts on a scale, with the minimum level being the least amount the paper is willing to accept and the highest amount being right off the rate card.  Once you’ve determined what price you are willing to pay and upload the ad, your ad schedule is in the almightly hands of Google.
I didn’t actually get to test the process to see how long it takes to get approved (or rejected) and to see what level of pricing a paper would accept, since I didn’t have a real ad, but I can’t wait to try it.  This would be perfect for a client that is running a branding campaign over time and has some flexibility on the run dates.  It’s also a great way to get a better price on smaller volume buys that may not qualify for a contract rate.
So, in conclusion, two thumbs up to Google for continuing to evolve their services and doing so locally.  I will definitely keep you posted on what happens once I place a bid for print advertising with Google!