Looks like Google is getting ready to expand their ability to offer advertisements. Internet Week is reporting that Google is considering the idea of offering non-search related advertising to its customers. Sounds intriguing, but could it work?

Search giant Google Inc. on Monday branched out from its traditional model for selling advertisements, and started offering non-search-related ads for partner websites outside of Google’s own network.

The ads would not have to be related to the content of the publishing site, nor would it have to be text-based, which is the traditional format used by Google when displaying ads related to search results. The ads could contain graphics and some simple animation.

Google launched a test of the new offering Monday with a select group of advertisers, a spokesman said. The service is expected to be generally available in the “coming weeks.”

Google does not plan to sell non-search-related ads for its own sites. [Read the rest]