How to Show Google Ads Only on Mobile Phones

In today’s digital advertising environment, it’s crucial to optimize your Google Ads campaigns to reach the right audience. One of the most important adjustments you can make is ensuring that your ads are shown on mobile phones, especially if your target audience predominantly uses these devices.

In this article, I’ll guide you through the necessary steps to configure your Google Ads campaign so that it only shows on mobile phones.

How to Show Google Ads Only on Mobile Phones

Previous Locations of Device Settings

Historically, device settings in Google Ads were located in different places within the platform. Here are some of the locations where you could previously adjust your bids by device:

• Campaign Settings: Many users used to find the option to adjust bids by device directly in the campaign settings section.
• Ad Groups: In some cases, device adjustments were available within each ad group’s settings.
• Advanced Targeting: Another common route was finding these adjustments within advanced targeting options or additional campaign settings.

However, with recent updates to the platform, these options have been relocated, causing some confusion among users. The differences in Google Ads’ design and interface have changed how and where these adjustments are made, making it necessary to stay updated with the latest changes to effectively optimize your campaigns.

Old Interface vs. Current Google Ads Interface

The Google Ads interface has evolved significantly in recent years. The old version allowed users to adjust bids by device directly from the main campaign or ad group settings. This made campaign management easier since all options were centralized in one place. However, this simplicity could also lead to accidental misconfigurations, as less experienced users might not fully understand the implications of their adjustments.

In contrast, the current Google Ads interface has moved many of these settings to more specific and detailed sections. This helps users make more informed decisions and more precise adjustments but also requires greater familiarity with the platform to navigate and find the correct options. This new layout may seem less intuitive at first, but it offers greater flexibility and control over advertising campaigns.

New Location for Adjusting Device Bids

In the updated Google Ads interface, device bid adjustments are located in a specific section that may not be immediately obvious to all users. Below are step-by-step instructions on how to find and adjust this setting to ensure that your ads only show on mobile phones.

Steps to Adjust Bids by Device

1. Access Your Google Ads Account: Log in to your Google Ads account and select the campaign you want to adjust.
2. Select the Campaign: In the left-hand menu, click on “Campaigns” and select the specific search network campaign you wish to modify.
3. Go to the “When and Where Ads Were Shown” Section: In the left-hand menu, select this option. Here you will find a tab called “Devices”.
4. Adjust the Bids: In the “Devices” tab, you’ll see a table showing the performance of your ads on different devices (Mobile Phones, Computers, Tablets). Adjust the bids for Computers and Tablets to -100%. This will ensure that your ads do not appear on these devices.
5. Verify and Save: Make sure the changes have been saved correctly. This can be verified by checking that the bid adjustment shows -100% for computers and tablets.

Benefits of Showing Ads Only on Mobile Phones

There are several benefits to optimizing your Google Ads campaigns to show only on mobile devices:

• Improve Relevance: If your product or service is primarily targeted at mobile users, focusing your ads on these devices will increase the relevance and effectiveness of your campaign.
• Lower CPC Costs: Often, clicks on mobile ads can be less expensive than on other devices, allowing you to achieve a better return on investment.
• Optimized User Experience: Mobile ads can take advantage of specific phone features, such as geolocation, to provide a more personalized and effective user experience.

Google Ads Expert

Adjusting your Google Ads campaigns to focus solely on mobile phones can make a significant difference in your ad performance. Be sure to periodically review your settings and adjust bids based on your campaign’s performance to maximize your return on investment. While the locations of these settings may change over time, staying informed of Google Ads updates will help you keep your campaigns optimized and effective.

I hope this guide has been helpful in setting up your Google Ads to show only on mobile phones. If you have any questions or need further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact Google Ads support.

By the way, you might be interested in this article about Google changes:

Major Google Changes in 2023 and 2024

Or this one about how to calculate your digital advertising costs:

The Best Guide to Calculating Advertising Costs on Google and Social Media

Javier Carmona Marketing Expert