Google announced in a corporate blog that it has officially begun beta testing its Audio Ads marketing platform. Earlier this year, the company acquired dMarc Broadcasting as part of its plans to crossover into radio advertising.

Google has made waves in recent months in its efforts to expand beyond the online marketplace into traditional advertising platforms such as print and radio. The strategy, bold to be sure, has been met with both praise and skepticism from industry analysts and prominent bloggers alike.

At the Inside Adwords Blog, a member of the Audio Ads team gives a little more elaboration on the company's vision for the project:

"Over the last year, we've been partnering with both terrestrial and satellite radio stations across the U.S. so that our advertisers have many options for broadcasting their ads -- whether it's a Country station in Tyler, Texas or an Adult Contemporary station in New York City."

"Currently, there are hundreds of stations to choose from and we hope to grow the list over the coming year. Our broadcast partners are looking forward to making their ad inventories available to thousands of new advertisers, especially since they aren't easily accessible today."