In an effort to help online advertisers effectively reach consumers across a variety of devices and platforms, Google has introduced two targeting options to your AdWords campaign settings.

AdWords are the three-line text ads that appear next to search results. Advertisers already have access to a range of targeting options, including the ability to run separate mobile and desktop campaigns, target tablet devices, or target specific mobile carriers. Google’s newest features – WiFi Targeting and targeting by mobile operating system – will help to ensure that your ads are going to the right users.

Through WiFi Targeting, you’ll be able to reach a consumer when you know he or she will have access to a high-speed connection. This is helpful for mobile campaigns, especially if your landing page has high bandwidth content, such as videos.

Currently you can target mobile users by their operating system platform, such as Android or iOS. However, this update lets you get even more specific by targeting specific platform versions. For example, if you’re marketing an app that’s only available on Honeycomb or iOS 5.1, you can target your ads to reach only the consumers running that OS.

The use of mobile devices is growing and more consumers are turning to phones and tablets for content consumption. Targeting the right users can lead to more awareness, traffic, and ultimately, more sales.

[Via: Search Engine Land, Image credit: UltraSlo1]