Earlier in the month we rolled out "Microsoft Mobile Marketplaces," a new mobile ad product that illustrates the performance advantage gained by combining the power of mobile search and display.

We launched the Marketplace to a select group of advertisers during the critical holiday shopping season, when consumers often are on the go and pressed for time. So far, we've launched Marketplaces for Ringtones, and additional Microsoft Mobile Marketplaces are already in the works, including Holiday Shopping, Mobile Games and Wallpapers slated for release in the coming days.

Here's how Marketplaces work: A user browsing a Microsoft mobile media property, such as Mobile MSN, Hotmail, Messenger, CNBC or FOX Sports, is presented with a display ad promoting a specific consumer product vertical, such as "Last Minute Holiday Deals" or "Hot Ringtones." When the user clicks on a mobile display banner they are then re-directed to a mobile landing page that contains a list of sponsored links from Bing for Mobile that are based on the specific theme or set of keywords associated with that Marketplace. 

In effect, the Mobile Marketplace acts as a transformational mobile ad product, converting a generally reactive medium like mobile display into a more intent-based mobile search product. Benefits to the advertiser are many, but two of note are cost savings and ease of implementation.  Advertisers are able to increase their ROI by extending their mobile search campaign across key Microsoft Mobile display properties, and it's simple to implement - advertisers can participate in the Marketplace simply by setting up a typical Bing for Mobile ad campaign and bidding on just one keyword.

The early results are in and we're off to a great start. Average Marketplace campaign click-through rates (CTR) are currently running in excess of 20 percent, which is over five times more than the average CTR for a mobile search campaign.

Stay tuned as we launch additional Microsoft Mobile Marketplaces over the next few months.  In the meantime, please contact our Mobile Sales Specialists at mobads@microsoft.com if you are interested in participating.  Also, leave a comment below if you have any thoughts on specific Mobile Marketplaces you'd like to see brought to life, or if you have any additional thoughts you'd like to share on this new product.