With people on the go, Google's ad strategy goes mobile

— -- What's Google's long-term mobile ad strategy? Publicly, the Web giant has said little about that, but last spring, at a briefing with advertisers, it offered some insight. In the presentation — titled "Google Mobile and What's Next: Little screen, big opportunity" — the Web giant says it sees a number of advertising opportunities in mobile.

High on the list: "Local Relevant." That's the idea of using local search results — local pizza parlors, for example — to provide links for "instant action" such as clicking on a number to call the restaurant, or on a business name to link to a map.

The confidential briefing, by Deepak Anand, a mobile marketing manager, was given to the Advertising Research Federation, a mix of advertisers and agencies, Google says. The company declined to elaborate, or to make Anand available for comment. A copy of the May 2008 presentation was obtained by USA TODAY; Google confirmed its authenticity.

In the presentation, Google also makes the case that mobile presents an opportunity to "reach out to captive users on the go." To illustrate that point, a slide depicts a search box with the word "burgers" typed in. Alongside it is another box showing search results, with an ad for Burger King stripped across the top.

On another page — "Google Mobile Ads" — the Web giant identifies two kinds of mobile ads: "contextual targeting," which is Google-speak for ads that are relevant to a local activity, say, finding a local spa within a certain ZIP code; and "Image Ads," which offer an actual image (photo, graphic, illustration, etc.) of a product, say, a new Apple laptop. Both also are variations of what it currently does on the desktop.

Another slide boasts that Google "can measure clicks, impressions and conversions for all (ad) campaigns." Google does that on the desktop, as well. In both cases, Google uses "cookies" as a tracking tool.

What do people want from mobile search? In Google's view, consumers want "exact information," as they do on the desktop. "The key difference with mobile is that they immediately act on it."