Example, click to enlarge

Google yesterday opened up its CPM-based ad network model to more of its AdWords publishers. While the move gives more momentum to its effort, and begins to approach a critical mass of available sites for advertisers, the pricing model has been Googletized just enough to make it incompatible with major advertisers' other CPM-based efforts. Google's model, explained further here, allows advertisers to bid on a maximum CPM, much like existing AdWords advertisers do on a cost-per-click pricing basis. The higher the bid, the more and better inventory will be assigned that campaign. But advertisers will not be guaranteed either a price or a predictable out-of-pocket cost, making the direct transfer of brand budgets less likely.

Google first announced its intent to get into CPM advertising in April by using the inventory of its AdWords partners rather than its own site. Industry reaction then showed a bit of fear and loathing, perhaps reacting to Google's non-industry-standard method of setting up CPM transactions.

The CPM abilities are now combined with Google's new ad size capabilities, which include some standard display graphic dimensions., as well as its regional and site-by-site selection capabilities.