Google to launch new ad-planning tool for agencies and media planners

Google is launching an ad-planning tool -- probably free, at least for now -- that will help agencies and media planners better determine where their most desired audiences are, according to a story in the New York Times. The official launch is expected tomorrow (Tuesday). News leaked out when the Advertising Research Foundation's website publicized the media conference for Googles's initiative in "internet audience measurement" for 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Of course this largely applies to online advertising rather than print, but could affect magazine sites.

While Google declined to comment there was some information available:

A person familiar with Google’s plans, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the product before Google makes it public, said that the new tool, called AdPlanner, was designed to help agencies identify sites where their target audience might be active. While it uses audience measurement data, AdPlanner also combines it with search engine data and information from third parties, to determine with more precision what sites attract a certain demographic audience. It then uses that data to help agencies determine where to place ads.

If a media buyer has been successful with ads that ran on WebMD, for example, AdPlanner might be able to easily identify other sites where that media buyer will find similar success because they attract a similar audience, the person said. AdPlanner is expected to be offered for free, at least initially.

This is the latest audience-measurement tool from Google. Recently, we posted an item on Google Trends for Web sites, which allows anyone to measure a Web site’s audience. Google said that the service calculates a site’s audience by using a combination of source “such as aggregated Google search data, aggregated opt-in anonymous Google Analytics data, opt-in consumer panel data, and other third-party market research.”*

The person familiar with AdPlanner said there would be “overlap in what it accomplishes,” but added that AdPlanner would be tailored specifically to help media buyers.

[*Hilariously, the NYT reports, Google Trends for Web sites doesn't measure any Google properties; they decline to provide interim financial guidance and therefore don't release Google numbers.]