Dive Brief:

• Google announced that searches originating on mobile smartphones and tablets have overtaken those launched on laptops and desktops.
• Smartphones alone account for more than half of searches in 10 countries worldwide, including the U.S. and Japan. 
• Google has introduced new mobile ad formats to cope with the shift, and is adding to its programmatic buying and location-based tools in support of mobile ads.

Dive Insight:

Google announced that mobile search has overtaken desktop search at its annual AdWords Performance Summit, confirming what many tech analysts have been expecting for some time. More than half of all searches in the United States originate on a smartphone, the search giant says, and the shift has huge implications for ad strategy.

The company is targeting hotels, car companies and retailers with new mobile ad formats it says will stand out in search results and cut down on the time it takes to access relevant information on a smaller screen. Dodge, Hilton, Wal-Mart, and B&H Photo are among the early adopters.

Google is also adding to its programmatic capabilities and location-based tools in support of mobile ads.