Twitter Steps Into Facebook's Shadow With Launch of Mobile App-Install Ads

Twitter is following in the footsteps of Google and Facebook with the launch of mobile app-install ads.

The microblogging service tested the feature in beta earlier this year with a select number of advertisers including EA Games and Lyft, and this week it confirmed that it is rolling out the app-install ads globally.

These adverts will show as promoted tweets, and users who click on the link will be taken automatically to the iTunes App Store or Google Play to download the advertised app, with Twitter using EA’s Real Racing 3 as an example.

Those using Twitter on an iPhone or iPad will get a notification when the app has finished downloading, and those who already have the app installed will see it launch if the promoted link is clicked.

Companies can target their ads to users based on interest, keyword, gender, geographic location, language, and mobile device, and Twitter said that advertisers will be able to customize promoted tweets to provide additional context, or to pull in information from an app’s App Store or Google Play listing.

Twitter is clearly looking to attract new advertisers, having detailed its new “cost-per-app-click” payment model in a blog post, a feature that means advertisers will only be charged when a user clicks through to the App Store.

The firm will also provide tracking for developers, boasting, “Once your ads are running, we provide conversion tracking for mobile apps, which allows you to measure the full conversion impact of your campaigns, including initial installs and in-app conversion events.

“We’re excited for you to take advantage of this product suite to drive app installs and engagements with new and existing customers on Twitter,” it added.

This article was originally published on the Inquirer.