Yahoo Inc. began to show keyword-based advertisements on mobile phones in the U.S. and the U.K. today, in its first effort to establish a mobile-advertising business outside of Japan. 

They have introduced the test advertising programs for its mobile Web service, which lets users perform keyword Web searches on most mobile phones and hand-held devices, starting with a select group of less than 100 advertisers, which Yahoo declined to identify.

As with the search-based ads Yahoo displays on Web pages viewed via personal computers, Yahoo will charge advertisers each time a consumer clicks on the link shown in their ad at rates established by advertisers in online auctions.

Yahoo said so far ad rates appear to be comparable to those for the PC, but in time could prove to be even more lucrative.

The mobile-advertising market currently is small and undeveloped, but it is garnering increasing interest as more powerful, Web enabled devices get into the hands of more consumers and as the devices become the primary way to access the Internet in some countries. Rivals such as Google Inc. have held tests of mobile advertising but have yet to roll out test programs.

 

 

Popularity: 1%