Google is doing something it doesn't usually venture into. I'm not speaking about the new doodle, but rather, the company using its search engine homepage to promote its two-month old Nexus 7 tablet.
CNET reported that it was one of the "rare instances" where Google is actively promoting its product; which is very similar to the way Amazon features its Kindle Fire advertisements.
Google's desire to make a bigger impact in the tablet market explains the bold move. Apple is still dominating with its iPad. And with the kind of traffic Google search engine page generates, it could be the most "coveted" spots for advertising.
Google teases with only the top part of Nexus 7 peeping out with a slogan that reads "The playground is open. The new $199 tablet from Google." It provides you with links to the Google Play store.
Google's homepage has a minimalistic design and does not allow any third-party ads on Google.com. The first such product promotion that Google was involved in was in late 2009 where it advertised for Droid from Motorola and Verizon Wireless.
Last year, Google showed a link promoting a free Nexus deal on the homepage, it also promoted its Google+ social network last summer, said Christopher Katsaros, Google spokesman to PC Magazine.
The search engine giant is also known to promote causes on special occasions like the one to protest SOPA/PIPA and Steve Jobs' death. Google has not said anything on how long these ads will continue or if this is the start of a long advertising campaign.
Nexus 7 is a tablet developed by Google but built by Asus, which ran on Android 4.1 or Jelly Bean. The tablet will enter the markets in Germany, France, and Spain on Monday.
Nexus 7 faces a lot of competition especially from Amazon's Kindle Fire.
