Google+: ads create too much of a 'disruptive experience'

By Matthew Chapman, marketingmagazine.co.uk, Tuesday, 05 February 2013 08:00AM

Google has reinforced its opposition to introducing ads to Google+, on the basis that they ruin the user experience.

Google+: saying 'no' to ads

The social network's global marketing director, Marvin Chow, said the search giant 'does not currently believe in advertising on Google+', describing it as a 'disruptive experience when [a user is] trying to have a meaningful conversation or look at a picture of a grandchild'.

The approach differs from the traditional business model of other social networks, including Facebook, which offers large-scale advertising on the site alongside information on users' news feeds.

Google is instead focused on developing features such as social annotations. This displays how many people have '+1'd' or followed advertisers within a search ad.

Chow said 'bringing an additional layer' of social experience to ads would remain a focus because the effectiveness was 'proven'.

Google claimed social annotations increased click-through rates by 10% on average, with H&M and Ocado enjoying 22% and 30% rises respectively.

This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk