Image-driven Mobile Ads for Auto Makers Now Available On Google in the US

You may recall that Google announced new mobile ad formats for specific verticals about a year ago, one version of which was a test for automotive manufacturers and dealers. On Wednesday, the company announced the big mobile ads that feature multiple images of specific makes and models of cars and trucks are rolling out of beta in the US. Dealer ads are also now available in the US.

The ads are rolling out as Google releases new data on mobile search behavior for automotive and dealer information. The company says automotive searches on mobile are up 51 percent from a year ago, with half of searches for makes and models occurring on smartphones. Eighty percent of searches for images of cars and trucks now happen on mobile.

In addition to large images, Model Automotive ads feature links to additional content, including ads for local dealerships. Ford and Toyota are among the manufacturers currently running the mobile ads for some models.

“Across our core line of car models, we’ve seen a 45-percent increase in conversion events and a 30-percent decrease in CPA compared to standard text ads,” Dionne Colvin-Lovely, director of traditional and new media for Toyota Motor Sales, USA, said in a statement. On average, Google says engagement rates on Model Automotive ads have been 30 percent higher than standard text ads.

The Dealer Automotive ads integrate with the new Automotive Model ads, accessible from the “Dealers” tab. The Dealer ads also display at the top of the search results for queries like “nearby ford dealers.”