However, I am noticing a lot more advertisers using the mobile ad space for branding purposes. For example, I have seen lots of mobile Microsoft Bing ads that lead me to simple webpages that mimick their traditional online counterparts. While the mobile web pages aren’t interactive, they drive home the main components of the larger Bing ad campaign.

Another use for the mobile ads is for companies pushing their mobile applications. With the places like the iPhone app store becoming more and more saturated, companies have to try that much harder to promote their apps.

All the mobile ads I’ve seen are being displayed while I’m doing something else that’s fun and interesting, like playing a game, or checking on movie times. The chance that the advertiser is going to write an ad that’s going to capture my interest away from that is much slimmer than a search ad or even a content network click.

Second, how do you get the conversion? If I did click on a mobile ad, and wasn’t interrupted by something in the real world while reading the ad copy, how am I going to give you my contact info?
Typing in my email address is a pain in the neck, and you still don’t have my first name, so you can’t personalize the email.
My new iPhone has an “Autofill” feature now, but it doesn’t work very well yet.

I’m not saying this doesn’t have potential, but I’m not convinced this is an area that’s ripe to spend money in yet. It seems to me like the conversions would be pitifully low.

That said, I guess you could split the traffic to a separate landing page, from a separate ad group, and track total visitor value. That would really be the proper way to test it.

Thank you.