By: KEVIN J. DELANEY | Source: online.wsj.com

Google  Inc. has been racing to extend its reach on the Internet and in traditional media. Now it needs advertisers to follow.

Among those it is wooing is Alan Cohen, chief marketing officer of Gemstar-TV Guide International Inc. Early last month, Google invited him and about 60 other advertisers to its headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., for a sneak preview of a system it is testing for buying radio ads. Google’s chief executive officer and co-founders attended a candlelit dinner for Mr. Cohen and the others. For dessert at lunch the next day, chefs baked large cookies in the shape of each guest’s corporate logo. After a day of presentations, Mr. Cohen concluded that "it didn’t seem very daunting to do business with Google."

The success of Google’s efforts to persuade Mr. Cohen and his counterparts to shift more ad dollars to its new offerings are crucial to the company’s success in expanding beyond advertising linked to Web-search results. It’s not just big marketers who need to be persuaded — the company will be focusing a good part of its attention on the small- and medium-size businesses that represent the bulk of its ranks of current advertisers.

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