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Google: “No current plans” for ads in Gboard

But the new iOS keyboard app from Google sure looks like a big new opportunity for mobile search ads.

Ginny Marvin on May 13, 2016 at 11:15 am

Google launched Gboard, its keyboard app for iOS, on Thursday, and it is currently sitting in the top spot in the App Store’s chart of free apps. Among other things, Gboard brings Google search into any app with the press of the “G” icon. This, of course, could also mean bringing Google search ads to any app.

For example, one can easily envision AdWords search ads extending into these results in the Twitter app for [restaurants near me]. However, a Google Spokesperson tells Search Engine Land, “We have no current plans around ads in Gboard.”

“Current plans” leaves a lot of ambiguity, of course. Currently this week? Currently this month or year? It’s nearly impossible to imagine a scenario in which Google would not be looking at this as an eventual ad vehicle. The big argument Google has faced in the age of mobile and the rise of native in-stream ads is that apps are where users spend their time, not browsers, leaving Google out in the cold. But Gboard brilliantly puts Google anywhere users are spending time on their phones — and yes, that includes Facebook.

Or imagine quickly searching Google from within the Amazon app to see if you can find a better deal. That experience doesn’t quite pay off now, because Gboard just brings up links to retail sites. But it might, if product ads were enabled.

If Google can can build a critical user base for Gboard, it could have a dramatic impact on search behavior and give Google the monetization answer it’s been looking for on mobile. We’ll have to wait to see how long “current” lasts.

About The Author

Ginny Marvin

Ginny Marvin is Third Door Media's Editor-in-Chief, managing day-to-day editorial operations across all of our publications. Ginny writes about paid online marketing topics including paid search, paid social, display and retargeting for Search Engine Land, Marketing Land and MarTech Today. With more than 15 years of marketing experience, she has held both in-house and agency management positions. She can be found on Twitter as @ginnymarvin.