The local branch of US search giant Google yesterday said revenues from Internet advertising expanded 48 percent in the first half from a year ago on the back of rising demand for keyword searching services amid an Asian-led global economic recovery.
The rate of expansion was faster than the projected full-year average growth of 12.76 percent for Taiwan’s Internet advertising business, Google Taiwan said, citing a forecast by Internet Advertising and Media Association (IAMA).
The Taipei-based market researcher expects industrywide revenues to rise to NT$7.88 billion (US$247 million) this year.
“The search volume has increased significantly because of a recovery in the domestic market and [overseas market, which] boosted Taiwan’s exports,” Google Taiwan general manager Chien Lee-feng (簡立峰) said on the sidelines of a media briefing.
“The search volume for Taiwanese companies like HTC Corp (宏達電) and Acer Inc (宏碁) was amazing as they had been making greater efforts to promote their brand,” Chien said, adding that Acer and HTC were two of Google’s clients.
Three years ago, Google started offering cost-effective services for local small and medium enterprises selling their products via the Internet.
“We are optimistic about the second half,” Chien said.
“Revenues will be higher than the first half,” he said, but did not provide financial details.
Internet advertising is Google’s biggest source of revenue, accounting for more than 90 percent of the total.
The company’s customer pool has more than 20,000 Web site operators, with the search volume reaching 100 million an hour, Google said.
Compared with the fast growth in its Internet advertising business, Google’s plan to launch a software application store, dubbed Android Market, for local mobile users on Android-powered devices is still in limbo.
“As it involves transactions, we have a lot more to do before we can start offering the service,” Chien said.
Google needs the approval of the National Communications Commission to sell its software along with its designated local carriers.
Asked whether Google would offer a Facebook-like local social networking service, Chien told the Taipei Times: “Now, we have Google buzz. And we hope to make it popular.”
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