Google TV is rolling out a new ad format on its home screen, and it’s got some users raising their eyebrows. This isn’t exactly a surprise, as Google has been increasingly incorporating ads into the platform. They’ve even been surveying users about the number of ads shown, which hinted that more might be on the way.
This new ad format is a banner that shows up underneath the “Continue Watching” row. It can be used to show different types of content, like ads for games. One example of how this new section is being used is an ad for the recently released Bethesda game, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. This game, available on Xbox and through streaming services, is being heavily promoted across the Google TV platform. It’s featured in the “For You” row, has its own sponsored row with related content recommendations, and now, it’s showing up in this new banner section. The banner ad includes a brief description of the game, a link to watch gameplay on YouTube, and a QR code that users can scan for more details.
This new banner is in addition to the ads that are already shown in the “For You” slider and in recommendation rows. It seems like Google is trying to find new ways to show ads, even though users already been asked about how many ads they want to see. While this new banner ad format isn’t immediately visible, it does contribute to the overall ad load on the platform. And let’s not forget that Google TV also recently started using those giant QR codes in ads.
The new ad format is just one of the many changes that Google has been making to its TV platform. Recently, they also started using giant QR codes in ads. I’m not sure how I feel about all these changes. On one hand, I understand that Google needs to make money from its products. But on the other hand, I don’t want to see too many ads when I’m just trying to watch TV. I hope that Google finds a way to balance its need for revenue with its users’ desire for a good experience.
