Google selling targeted Gmail ads that look like emails

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in google on (#KW54)
story imageA few years ago, Google tested a new kind of "native" ad in Gmail that sat at the top of the inbox and mostly looked like a regular email. They appear both in the mobile versions of Gmail and on the web. Now, Google is opening up these ads to all advertisers, to purchase directly from AdWords. Advertisers will be able to use the standard AdWords targeting options and work from several templates to build their own native Gmail ads that can feature single images, videos, forms, phone numbers and call-to-action buttons.

What's interesting is that these ads are made for forwarding, too, with a "forward" and "Save to Inbox" link underneath all of them. When you click on "Save to Inbox," the ad will move into your inbox and you can then treat it just like any other regular email. Google says it will continue to give users the ability to control which types of ads they see (and you can always opt out of interest-based ads, too). Google doesn't show ads in the inboxes of Google Apps for Work subscribers.
Reply 6 comments

If you don't pay for it, you are the product.... (Score: 2, Insightful)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-09-09 09:25 (#KWKN)

And this is why I prefer going with paid hosting....

Re: If you don't pay for it, you are the product.... (Score: 1)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-09-09 09:40 (#KWMY)

That used to be true.

Now, even if you pay, you are still the product!

Re: If you don't pay for it, you are the product.... (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-09-09 22:45 (#KZ3W)

Not always. Try Runbox?

Slashdot (Score: 2, Interesting)

by bryan@pipedot.org on 2015-09-09 22:49 (#KZ4V)

Slashdot is doing this as well with a new type of ad that is located in the same location as traditional stories.

Mail Clients (Score: 2, Insightful)

by metamer@pipedot.org on 2015-09-10 12:44 (#M10D)

Mail clients like Thunderbird or mutt can be useful for avoid annoyances like this. They also have the benefit of providing a consistent interface, saving the user from unexpected or unwanted changes in the webmail interface.

Fastmail.fm (Score: 1)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-09-10 13:59 (#M187)

I use fastmail.fm for IMAP email: no adverts, ever. You get what you pay for. Gmail sucks - this is just another reminder of what you get when you want something for free.