This article was published on August 20, 2014

Google now offers targeted mobile app install ads in Search and YouTube, deep linking for installed apps


Google now offers targeted mobile app install ads in Search and YouTube, deep linking for installed apps

Google today rolled out new Google Search and YouTube ad offerings globally: developers and advertisers can now promote their app via the two sites. The company will suggest keywords that are already effectively resulting in downloads from the Google Play Store.

Google first announced the plans to offer these features in April. App promotion features arrived on the Google Display Network in June at the company’s I/O developer conference, and now the app install ads are also available.

Nexus-4-Artemis

The company claims that in “just 3 easy steps,” anyone can use the simplified campaign set-up flow to promote their app on Google.com. Furthermore, search ads created with this new flow are only shown to people who don’t already have the app. That being said, if you already have a large userbase for your app, you can now deep link users directly from Google Search into specific pages of apps they’ve already installed.

On YouTube, you can showcase your app via TrueView ads when people are watching their favorite videos by simply linking your app’s ID to your campaign. TrueView lets advertisers reach potential customers based on their interests, previously-watched videos, and demographics.

To summarize, Google is promising three new improvements with today’s rollout:

  1. Better discovery: Businesses looking to promote app installs on the AdMob network can reach people who are your most likely customers, based on the apps they use, the frequency of use and the types of in-app purchases they make. On YouTube, app installs are being offered as an enhancement to the current TrueView offering.
  2. Easier re-engagement: Many businesses are able to get their apps onto a device, but might never see their customer again. The new app re-engagement campaign type in AdWords for both search and display lets consumers be taken directly into already-installed apps.
  3. Enhanced measurement: In AdWords you’ll soon be able to measure conversions across the entire lifecycle of the app – from install to re-engagement to in-app purchases.

All in all, Google is making a massive push to sell more app ads. Given the size of the company’s advertising network, success will not be surprising.

Driving mobile app downloads

Image credit: Karen Bleier/Getty Images

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