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Google sees 50pc app download rate via AdMob network

Google saw a 50 percent download for its Google Search iPhone app after running mobile ads within its AdMob network.  

In addition to downloading the app, users spent an average of a minute and 30 seconds interacting with the ad. The company worked with agency Grow Interactive on the campaign.

?First, we wanted to drive engagement and awareness of the Google Search app on iPhone,? said Clay Bavor, product management director of mobile display ads at Google, Mountain View, CA. ?We wanted to show people some of the amazing things you can do with the app - like searching with pictures via visual search or speaking your searches with voice search.?

?Second, we wanted explore some of the coolest, most creative things that are possible today with mobile rich media advertising,? he said.

Mobile city
The Uncover Your World campaign?s goal is to encourage users to explore their city with Google search.

The ad uses features that Google AdMob is known for, including mobile banners, videos and audio.

Consumers can also take a picture of bar codes on products to comparison shop for local items.

?The campaign is built entirely in HTML5, features swipeable galleries, interactive games, and in-line video and audio, which enables people to engage with its sites and sounds without having to open the device?s media player,? Mr. Bavor said.

?Just as the app makes use of the unique attributes of mobile devices for search, we wanted to use the same qualities to showcase some of the things we can do today,? he said.

Since the ad runs completely in HTML5, users can either watch the ad in-app or at http://www.uncoveryourworld.com.

Consumers can also use voice recognition to unlock games that involve their city.

Additionally, the app uses GPS to nearby retail stores for consumers.

Google claims that more than 15,000 buildings have been discovered and 2,000 games have been played through the ad so far.

High engagement

In particular, Grow Interactive says that Google?s campaign is effective because it focuses on things users need while on the go.

?The app?s innovations are specifically targeted to the things you need in a mobile setting?things like searching by voice when it?s not convenient to type, or searching with a picture when you can't describe something,? said Drew Ungvarsky, owner/creative director of Grow Interactive, Norfolk, VA.

Uncover Your World is designed to highlight those features of the app that make it the go-to for mobile searching

?With the Google Search app specifically, we?ve seen great innovation around making search more applicable to the user?s context,? Mr. Ungvarsky said.

 ?It seems obvious after you see the feature, but of course it?s more convenient to say a long search than to type it on a tiny keyboard,? he said.

 ?When you pair those innovations with Google?s search functionalities and optimize them for mobile viewing, you get a very useful experience.?

Specifically, Mr. Bavor expects we will see an increase in similar rich-media mobile ads this year that are built around Google AdMob?s features.

?Today there are over 100,000 sites and apps in the AdMob network - that?s more than doubled since January of this year,? Mr. Bavor said.

?Campaigns will become increasingly tailored specifically to mobile platforms and will really make use of what mobile phones and tablets can do,? he said.

?I expect we?ll see fewer and fewer miniaturized desktop banners used as mobile ads and more purpose-built, interactive mobile rich-media ads.?

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York