Google premieres click-to-call mobile ads

Google is introducing click-to-call functionality to mobile advertisements served across its AdWords program. The digital services giant recently notified AdWords clients of the new service, writing that "your location-specific business phone number will display alongside your destination URL in ads that appear on high-end mobile devices. Users will be able to click-to-call your business just as easily as they click to visit your website. You'll be charged for clicks to call, same as you are for clicks to visit your website."

The move represents Google's latest expansion of its mobile advertising horizons. Earlier this week, the firm introduced its branded Nexus One smartphone, which it will sell through a hosted online storefront--already, analysts are speculating the store will feature third-party advertisers. "Our primary business is advertising," said Google vice president of engineering Andy Rubin. "A superphone [like Nexus One] is a great way to access the web, and that ... supports our whole business model, which is advertising. This [phone and store] is the next front of our core business." In addition, Google acquired mobile advertising network AdMob for $750 million in November 2009, a deal Google CEO Eric Schmidt said will herald an expansion in ad sales for mobile applications running on Apple's iPhone as well as Google's own Android smartphone platform.

For more on Google's click-to-call initiative:
- read this AndroidGuys article