Yahoo testing app install ads on its mobile properties

Yahoo has started testing app install advertisements across its mobile services, a move indicate the importance Yahoo is giving to the growing market for mobile apps, and its own demographic, having already announced in January it expected to have more mobile users than desktop users by the end of 2014.

Several reports on Monday claimed Yahoo was testing app-install advertisements within its mobile properties' content feeds, such as Finance, Mail, Weather, and Search, for iOS and Android users. A Yahoo spokesperson confirmed the news to Adage, saying, "We're testing in-stream ad opportunities with an initial group of advertisers who have mobile apps and want to connect directly with audiences across Yahoo mobile apps and sites. The purpose of these native ads is to help brands drive downloads of their mobile apps. These tests will begin to appear across all of our properties where in-stream ads run on iOS and Android devices."

Essentially, the new mobile ads on Yahoo properties will enable users to click and install the advertised apps onto their smartphones or tablets. Additionally, a report by Re/code suggests that the company has possible plans of turning its homepage into an app platform, codenamed 'Touchdown' and the platform is currently under testing too.

The aggressive step towards app advertisements is a part of Yahoo's product development plans, on which it spent roughly $1 billion in 2013 to beef up its media, news and entertainment offerings with the aim to serve advertisers and consumers better. The company also went on an acquisition spree, acquiring as many as 28 startups last year, looking to grab consumers' attention, especially those using mobile handheld devices.

Previously in March, the California-headquartered company had reiterated its strategy of "building products focusing on mobile first", adding "we have over 400 million monthly mobile users, an increase of more than 150 million users since we launched our new Mobile and Emerging Products team in October 2012".