• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, September 21, 2011

Google will introduce mobile optimization of Web sites for AdWords campaigns to drive mobile search traffic. On average, Google expects the ads to accelerate mobile traffic at lower costs.

The move follows last year's decision to limit ad serving on high-end mobile devices when pointing to landing pages with Flash-heavy content. Both changes aim to give consumers better experiences on mobile devices. Sixty-one percent of users who participated in a recent Google study said they are unlikely to return to a Web site they had trouble accessing from their phone.

Sonja Lee, Google product marketing, said Wednesday that more than 925,000 mobile devices are activated daily. Mobile queries on google. com during the holiday season grew nearly three times from 2009 to 2010, and the company projects much higher growth in 2012. Google estimates that 44% of all shopping-related searches in the U.S. will come from mobile phones during the holiday season.

Developing a mobile site requires that goals be defined to support everything from an informational landing page to a product-specific microsite. Marketers need to analyze Web site tracking to see how mobile visitors interact with the desktop site.

A key foundation for mobile strategies includes setting up separate mobile-only campaigns and thinking local. Separating mobile ads improves click-through rates, on average, of 11.5%, according to Google. Once mobile campaigns are in place, optimize and set bids.

While ad space is limited on mobile phones, they are more prominent compared with desktop search. Marketers need to bid for either the first or the second position. Anything else serves up below the organic search results. Google released a new optimizing tool to adjust bids and analyze performance. When possible, provide a call to action appropriate for mobile users, such as "Call today for a quote" or "Browse our catalog from tablet."

Creating mobile campaigns may require using a mobile-specific keyword tool that can help to find mobile-specific keyword ideas and traffic estimates. Local interest enhances mobile advertising. One out of three searches on mobile has local intent on google.com. And Google research shows 61% of users call the business after finding it from a search on a mobile ad, and 59% visit the physical location.