As the political arena heats up in India, Google is making a lot of money from political parties advertising on its platform.
Between January 1 and April 16, 2024, Google earned a whopping Rs 135 crore from these ads.
This shows how important tech platforms like Google are in election campaigns. They allow parties to reach a lot of voters with targeted ads.
Political leaders and ad executives say online campaigning could be crucial in winning elections in today’s digital age.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is spending the most on Google ads, with Rs 45.1 crore.
Following closely behind is the Central Bureau of Communication, part of the Government of India, with Rs 32.3 crore.
They’re showing ads featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi in various languages.
The main opposition party, the Indian National Congress (INC), is fourth in spending with Rs 10.4 crore. Some of INC’s ads were taken down by Google for breaking rules.
Groups like Populus Empowerment Network (PEN) and I-PAC also spent a lot on Google ads. PEN, linked to TN Chief Minister Stalin, spent Rs 14.4 crore. I-PAC, led by Prashant Kishore, spent Rs 7.5 crore.
Other entities like the Electronics Department of Odisha Government, YSR Congress, and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) also advertised on Google, though with smaller budgets.
So far, there have been over 1.17 lakh Google ads, mostly targeting states like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and West Bengal.
Over 97 crore voters will cast their votes, and the results will be out on June 4.
