Google: 40% of our ads are non-text ads, number doesn’t include DoubleClick ads

Google today has announced that it is simplifying its display advertising process in a post on the Official Google Blog. Dropped right in the middle of the post, however, is a big number: 40% of Google’s ads – not even including the 45 billion ads served daily through DoubleClick, the display ad network it acquired a few years ago – are “non-text ads”, including video ads on YouTube.

Saying that, “Display advertising has come a long way from the ugly banner ads and pop-ups of the mid 1990s, but there’s still huge improvements to come,” the rest of the post goes into Google’s push to simplify display advertising so that more companies – large and small – will take the leap into display.

Google is launching a promotional campaign called “WATCH THIS SPACE” where it will highlight how advertisers and agencies can better leverage Google’s display ads. Simple is good, so it’s certainly good news to hear that Google is focusing on making this process smoother, especially in video ads which certainly aren’t the easiest thing for a small business to crack. In addition to simplifying the process, Google says it is working to offer better performance and to “open the display ecosystem”, i.e. make it available to smaller businesses.