Google launches location aware display ads

Google is introducing mobile display ads for both the iPhone and Android phones which can be geo-targeted. Advertisers will be able to check a “location extension for display” box and their ads will become geo-enabled when viewed in mobile browsers or apps.

Earlier in 2010 Google launched click-to-call features for search ads appearing on mobile devices with full Internet browsers. Now location-aware advertising will be available for mobile devices supplied with full browsers.

Google believes the new feature will be valuable for mobile consumers who use maps to locate a business and get directions on their phones. With AdWords location extensions marketers can now  feature a business location and phone number on an expandable map ad  that can appear on mobile websites and apps in the Google Display Network.

The ad appears as a banner text ad with a business icon that expands to show your business location on a Google map along with your ad creative, click-to-call phone number and option to get directions.

Since ads can be served based on the user’s location, a potential customer will see the phone number and map of the store location that’s nearest to them.

Advertisers are charged when a user clicks to call the business or clicks to visit an advertiser website. Advertisers are not charged when users click to expand the map or get directions. The cost of a click to call a  business will be the same as the cost of a click to visit a website, Google says.

Google already offers so-called “location extension” ads for mobile search, but this is the first time it is expanding the concept to mobile display ads.  Google says that mobile ads that offer a location generally see an average eight-percent increase in click-through rates over plain-vanilla mobile ads, and click-to-call mobile ads see a six-percent increase in clicks.

http://googlemobileads.blogspot.com/2010/07/new-location-extensions-ad-formats-with.html