Link Your Google Paid Search Mobile Ad to Your Mobile App

Anne Garcia - May 22, 2012

Google AdWords has made it easy for advertisers to promote their mobile application with a new Ad Extension called the Mobile App extension. In the past, Google has extended its Ad Extensions from desktop to mobile devices, but this new extension will streamline the ability for advertisers to grow mobile application downloads and users.   With the Mobile App extension, visitors are able to download an advertiser’s mobile app directly from a paid search link extension and are still able to click through to the advertiser’s main site through the headline.

Please note that only one mobile app extension can be displayed per text ad, unlike ad sitelinks where up to four links can be added to a text ad.  Also, note that Mobile App Extensions are not yet available for tablet devices.
To add a Mobile App Extension, in the Campaigns tab of your AdWords account, select the Ad extension tab. Select “+ New Extensions” and choose the campaign you’d like to enable the extension and select “Mobile app extension.”

Please note that your mobile application must be available within an app store like Google Play or the Apple App Store. Then, select the operating system of your mobile app and you will be prompted to add the Android Package Name or iOS App ID of your mobile app. Enter the text link you would like potential users to see, as well as the URL of the link where users can download your app from the app store.

Google says that Beta participants saw a 6% lift in CTR for campaigns using Mobile App extensions, compared to control campaigns.