We’re hearing a lot about AdSense for Mobile this week. Basically this new service allows publishers to place adsense contextual advertising on WAP sites to help form a revenue stream for the traffic. The service, which is currently in beta, is being aimed at publishers looking to take advantage of the fast-growing mobile advertising market with targeted Google ads.
So what does this mean? Well, you’re likely going to be seeing more ads. Face it, we can’t escape advertising, but it also means that many sites can continue to remain free at least!
Google’s entry into mobile advertising is well-timed as (1) the mobile internet is starting to take off, and (2) many mobile sites are transitioning from premium SMS to ad-supported models.
While there currently exist a number of mobile ad platforms doing a good job monetizing the space, Google entry means that mobile advertising is here to stay. This is good news for users since it means more free services.
What remains to be seen is what Google’s entrance (and increase in ad inventory) will do to CPC and CPM rates.
Indeed, everything about mobile reminds me of the web in the late 90s and the advertising is no exception. I remember when you could buy the top Google spots on a CPM basis for prices that now seem rock-bottom. Google’s entry here is generally welcome, but mobile advertisers can expect higher prices in years to come. Making money is one of the things Google does best.