Advertising platform cleared for mobile pages

Google has rolled out a version of its AdSense online advertising platform for mobile devices.

AdSense for Mobile will allow online publishers to sell AdSense ads specifically formatted for the mobile web, such as pages in the WML, XHTML or CHTML formats.
Advertisers can either provide one slot inside the page, or two slots at the bottom.

The service operates in a similar way to AdSense for the web. Publishers place AdSense code in their pages to open up ad space, which is then auctioned off to advertisers looking to reach targeted audiences in a certain location or industry.

The publisher is then paid a fee for every user that clicks on the message.

Google is offering the mobile AdSense programme in 11 countries including the UK, the US, France and Germany.

The announcement comes just one day after handset maker Nokia jumped into the mobile advertising market with the purchase of ad firm Enpocket.

The two companies will contend for a slice of a mobile advertising market that is expected to balloon to $11.35bn over the next four years.