Google Rolls Out 'Above the Fold' Targeting on Content Network

Like many of its rivals, Google is perpetually batting its eyelashes at large brand advertisers. To make a pass for their billion dollar TV and print budgets, the company knows it must create new ad types and audience segmenting tools that speak their language. And so it has, adding tweaks such as frequency capping, larger ad sizes, and integrated measurement of display and search advertising.

The latest feature, available today on Google's Content Network, allows advertisers to bid only on ad inventory appearing within a user's browser window when a page loads, without requiring her to scroll. It allows ad buyers to exclude ad space outside the frame by selecting a "below the fold" exclusion. ("Above the fold" and "below the fold" are newspaper industry terms referring to printed content appearing on the visible side and underside, respectively, of a folded daily edition.)

"With brand-aware advertisers paying on a CPM basis, they're concerned with making sure their ads are seen by as many users as possible within [segment] they're targeting," said Brad Bender, director of product management for display ads on the Google Content Network.

Bender noted the feature is also available to direct response and cost-per-click advertisers, who may experiment with it for time-sensitive campaigns or to increase ROI. But it's really designed to serve brand marketers and others paying by the impression, for whom off-screen ad placements are a waste of money.