Google TV: A World of Opportunity -- Or Peril -- For TV Advertisers – Eric Rhoads – MediaBizBloggers

In six months, I've jumped from one game-changer to another. In this case, not only does Google TV change the way I watch TV, it has replaced two other devices. And it changes the way advertisers will have to use television as an ad medium.The iPad revolutionized my life because I can now sit with the family in front of the TV and still work on my computer. But Santa arrived this Christmas with a Logitech Google TV, which rapidly replaced my iPad during my private TV viewing time. Google TV also replaced my ROKU unit, which I had been using for instant Netflix access.Now I use Google TV for Netflix -- and for so much more, like Web surfing, video searching, Facebook, Twitter, and HD video chat on my big screen, all of which I can do while watching television. (Anyone who advertises should buy a Google-enabled TV today to experience how it will change advertising.)Last night, watching television and armed with a Google TV keyboard, I saw an ad come on for Lifelift, a service that claims to eliminate jowls and a sagging neckline. I'd seen the ad about a thousand times before and always thought, "Gee, I could use a little lift." But I'd never taken the time to visit the website before.A single button on the Google TV keyboard opens up a search function, in which I typed "Lifelift." Though my intent was to find the official Lifelift site, my search opened up a series of video links. And the first one was a damning YouTube video with an investigation of Lifelift. Watching the video killed my enthusiasm and my perception of their product.Though the company's advertising intent was to prompt a website visit or phone call, Google's search bar on my TV was a lot easier and faster than opening the browser, and opening a video about the product was more compelling than reading text. Slam. That TV ad was instantly rendered useless.Soon a TV without Google TV will be like a computer or smartphone without Google, which means advertisers will be more challenged to deal with a whole new level of search results in video. That, of course, could be a positive if there are lots of videos singing the praises of the product -- or a negative if there are several negative videos.Suddenly Lifelift, and all other TV and cable advertisers, must explore the results of a video search of their product before a campaign launches, or negative search results will hamper their success -- unless they can find a way to own the top 10 or so videos that pop up in the video search engine. (I suspect Google will eventually create a video AdWords scenario so advertisers can control who shows up in highly visible search results.)Though Google TV may ultimately be the best thing that ever happened to television and TV advertising, it changes the game for every marketer. Smart marketers will not only check for negatives and use SEO techniques so their videos dominate the top slots, they will also create loads of YouTube videos that let consumers dig deeper into the product and prompt a couch purchase. Suddenly the goal of a TV ad is to get the consumer to do a video search of the product. That could potentially turn every TV ad into the entry point for search-found infomercials. The possibilities are endless.Google TV is exciting because a well-thought-out strategy allows an advertiser to extend the use of video and increase the chances of a sale. It's frightening because one cannot control what consumers post and view, and what will drive negative videos to the top of the video search. In any case, Google TV has changed TV forever and is an invention as significant as TV itself.B. Eric Rhoads is CEO of Streamline Publishing, Inc. Rhoads writes regular columns for his publications and is an active blogger in the radio and art industries, including Radio Ink Tank, Artist Marketing, and Blue Chip Gallery Marketing. He is an active speaker, consultant, and advocate in the radio, art, and technology industries, and he sits on a number of advisory boards. Eric can be reached at eric@RadioInk.com.Read all Eric&#8217;s MediaBizBloggers commentaries at Ink Tank with B. Eric Rhoads.Check us out on Facebook at MediaBizBloggers.comFollow our Twitter updates @MediaBizBloggerMediaBizBloggers is an open-thought leadership blog platform for media, marketing and advertising professionals, companies and organizations. To contribute, contact Jack@mediadvisorygroup.com. The opinions expressed in MediaBizBloggers.com are not those of Media Advisory Group, its employees or other MediaBizBloggers.com contributors. Media Advisory Group accepts no responsibility for the views of MediaBizBloggers authors.

Google TV: A World of Opportunity -- Or Peril -- For TV Advertisers – Eric Rhoads – MediaBizBloggers

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