Google to unveil free web hits tool

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 24 Jun 2008 at 12:18

Google is to offer advertisers a free web measurement service to track the size of online audiences, according to reports.

According to a story in the The Wall Street Journal, the tool is intended to help advertisers purchase the most profitable advertising space, by allowing them to discover which websites their target audiences most frequently visit.

The introduction of the service will see Google stepping on the toes of established market leaders such as ComScore and Nielsen. However, while their competing services utilise surveys and audience panels to estimate site traffic, rumours suggest Google's service will collect data directly from web servers - its own and third parties - which it believes will help it offer a more comprehensive and attractive package.

Google believes that the more data it can provide to advertisers on their audience, the more they're like to spend on advertising space, and it seems that, at least initially, the service will be part of its media planning tools available to its own advertising customers.

The company says it will release further details on its blog later today.