Google Releases New Click to Download App Ad

It’s hard to stand out in a crowd, especially if you’re a brand new mobile app from a small company but Google is here to help. They’ve just released a new AdWords add that lets users download an app directly from iTunes or the Google Play store.

Seriously, Google, you’re not going to leave a dollar on the table are you?

Google’s been using Click-to-Download ads since 2010 (can you believe it), but this new version makes the process easier and smarter.

The biggest change is in the delivery. The new system is designed to show the ad only to the right type of mobile user. Promoting an iPhone app, it won’t show up on an Android phone. Not iPad friendly, the app ad will only show up on an iPhone.

You can also use AdWords Ad Extensions to deep link into an app so current users will go straight to an upgrade page instead of the initial download page.

The whole idea here is to eliminate as many steps from the process as possible. Click the ad, put in your password for iTunes or Google Play and it’s a done deal.

If all of this sounds familiar, it’s because Facebook set up a similar program just last year. Various companies conducted tests and were generally pleased with the results.

Katie Smillie of Miso wrote extensively about her experience with Facebook’s Install Ads, saying that the initial response was excellent but she expected the results to fade with time and competition.

Here are her initial numbers:

$0.45 Average cost-per-click (CPC)
26% Conversion rate of installs (actions) to clicks
$1.73 Average cost per user

AdParlor ran their own tests and came up with a much higher $2.75 Average cost per user (installs) but the ad registered over 10 million mobile impressions and thousands of people clicked to install the app, so they’re happy.

Both the Facebook and the Google Click-to-download app ads have the potential to drive an unprecedented amount of app installs. I don’t understand why more people aren’t using them already. I’m a fan of apps, yet I’ve never seen an app ad appear in my Facebook feed or on Google, even when I search for a new app.

According to Gartner, “global revenue from app stores is expected to rise 62% this year to $25 billion.” If you want your share, you have to get noticed.