Google Ads for Apps in Search Results Given Trial Run

By Jason McClain | April 10, 2016 | 0 Comment

If you think Google Ads are boring, wait until you learn about Ads for Apps. You may already be savvy to the concept of streaming apps appearing in search results since Google has been testing the concept since December 2015 and rolled it out to a wider audience in early 2016. Just when you thought online advertising couldn’t get more nondescript and easy to ignore, Google brings the interaction! “Try Now” the button implores. A trite tap and you’re suddenly test-driving the app. It’s genius and you haven’t downloaded a single thing!

How It Works

With Ads for Apps, when a user searches Google for an app, they are presented with a “Try Now” button that allows them to run the app directly from the search results. The user is then able to try out the app before installing or buying it. These Google Ads will only appear to users on smartphones that are connected to WiFi. At the 10-minute mark, the user will be prompted to download the app to continue.

Google’s New App Advertising is a Delight for Developers

While the streaming apps that appear in search results allow a full 10 minutes of play, the first tests of the Ads for Apps allowed only 60 seconds of play. Either way, the feature originally aimed at game developers will soon feature a wide array of app categories. This is quite the boost to developers using AdWords since the main objective is to improve user engagement after the initial install. Google says only one in four actually engage an app further after  the initial install.

A Myriad of New Features Are Related to Ads for Apps

In fact, Google is doing a lot right now to cater to game developers and app advertising is a big part of that. First up, they are allowing for portrait-oriented video advertisements after ascertaining that 80% of these videos were being viewed vertically regardless of the original screen orientation of the creator. Early tests of this change showed an increase in click-throughs and conversions in app advertising. Next, developers will be able to target app users with Google Ads on a couple new parameters:

• Users who have played a certain game for more than 30 minutes
• Users that have a game integrated with Google Play Games

App advertising that laser-targets game lovers. Well played, Google.

Lastly, there’s a huge plan in the works: Google is set to release a Video Recording API in a few months that will allow users to record their gameplay and upload it to YouTube.

One More Thing: Google Ads Will Make You Some Money

AdMob is a service that helps app developers the world over earn money through in-app advertisements. Rewarded advertising has become one of the key ways that game developers monetize their apps. What rewarded advertising does is give the user the option to interact with in-app ads to receive in-app rewards. This is a win-win for users and developers alike. The developer earns revenue from the online advertising, and the user can get coins or gems to advance more quickly in their game without paying for it out of pocket.

Wrap Up

The idea of being able to try an app before you install or buy it is interesting indeed. I expect it to change the app rankings as well since it will drive the best apps designed for certain functions to the top while sending others down. The app developing world is certainly one to watch, but app advertising is definitely holding its own.

It’s extremely refreshing to see Google Ads working to help developers build strong businesses. It’s also amazing that they manage to do it with advertising that is mutually beneficial to the developer and user alike. Wouldn’t it be nice if television would follow suit?

0 Comments