Google Wants Your Video Advertising: Exclusive

NEW YORK (MainStreet) - Google (GOOG) is continuing its push to get small businesses online with plans to officially roll out a streamlined advertising program in May through YouTube (owned by the giant search engine) that it hopes will result in more small companies creating video commercials. (Those are the ones generally seen before an actual video.)

Called AdWords for video, the self-service ad buying platform was designed specifically with small businesses in mind. Through the platform, companies can create and manage a video campaign in the same way they would for search ads. The company introduced a test version of the program in the fall.

The AdWords for video product is part of a broader Google-wide initiative to help small businesses get online. During the past year, Google has set its sights on offering more products, services and support to the segment, it says.

Last July, YouTube introduced its first search ads product for small businesses called AdWords Express.

Google has a program in the works to make advertising on YouTube easier for small businesses.

Previously the process for video commercials was a bit more complex, required a sales rep to purchase ads and was typically only used by large companies.

Google says large brands have been fairly quick to adopt YouTube to showcase their commercials, run contests and do other interactive promotion, but over the past couple of years more small businesses are using YouTube to reach customers.

"This is because small businesses can tap into a viewer base of more than 800 million worldwide, and essentially one viral video can launch a business. You can get the same impressions -- if not more -- as taking out ads on TV," Baljeet Singh, YouTube's group product manager says.