Google has introduced third-party expanding ads to its Google AdSense network. Advertisers will now be able to buy ad units that expand on being clicked. On expansion, such ads can display rich media content such as film previews, video game clips, and the like.

Right now expanded ads are only available to U.S. advertisers currently participating in Google’s third party ad serving program. Such advertisers are placing ads on specific sites in the AdSense network using Google’s placement targeting feature.

Two companies, DoubleClick Rich Media and Eyeblaster are certified to create the expanding ads, which can be bought on either a cost-per-click or cost-per-thousand impression (cpm) basis.

While Google’s move is to be applauded, it’s also an example of the company playing catch-up with ad networks such as Platform-A, Microsoft, and Yahoo, which have offered expanding ads for some time now.

Source: Zachary Rodgers, “Google Embraces Expanding Ads,” ClickZ, Mar 6, 2009

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