Mountain View (US): Google Inc has started testing a long-awaited radio advertising service that represents the Internet search leader's most elaborate attempt yet at expanding its financial clout beyond the web.
The test announced on Thursday will help sell advertising on more than 700 radio stations in more than 200 US metropolitan markets.
Google hopes to eventually sign up more than 5,000 stations, according to documents shown potential advertisers.
For now, at least, Google will lag well behind other radio advertising placement services like Softwave Media Exchange, which says it has enlisted more than 1,500 stations with a combined daily audience of more than 9 million listeners.
Thusrday's announcement didn't specify how many advertisers are involved in the early radio tests nor set a timetable for opening the service to all comers.
Google is betting its technology can do for radio what it has already done for the Internet by automating the process for selling and distributing ads to an audience where the messages are most likely to pique consumer interest.
As it does on the web, Google plans to charge a commission for helping radio stations sell ads.
The Mountain View-based company signalled its intention to expand into radio advertising in January with a $102 million acquisition of dMarc Broadcasting Inc.
Since then, Google has been working to make the service compatible with a system that already serves millions of Internet advertisers.
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