Google adds ads to RSS feeds

Google has launched a beta of its AdSense programme for online advertising that puts commercial messages in news feeds.

Shuman Ghosemajumder, AdSense product manager at the search giant, revealed the news on the Google blog.

A news reader allows web users to stay up to date with new content posted to a website by having it 'pushed' to their desktops. NewsGator is among the more popular readers currently available.

Apple has already integrated a reader into its Safari browser that launched as part of OS X 10.4 Tiger.

The Google support uses both the RSS and Atom syndication standards. Although most blogs and news sites today publish news feeds, few have embraced advertising.

"As with many promising technologies, news feeds haven't quite hit the mainstream yet, and the business models are not entirely sorted out," wrote Ghosemajumder.

Google's AdSense programme is already popular with many bloggers. The addition of feed advertising allows them to get additional revenue from their blogs without having to sign up for any additional services.

Google is not the first company to offer advertising in news feeds. Search advertising specialist Kanoodle in February launched its BrightAds RSS service.