Dive Brief: 

• Sponsored search result ads will be coming soon to the Google Play store. 
• Google is positioning the ads as a way for app developers to get in front of mobile users who may not have seen the apps otherwise. 
• The ads will roll out over the next few weeks and will pop up with related search terms, and be marked with a yellow "Ad" label. Google is initially only going to allow advertisers already running Google search campaigns take advantage of the program.

Dive Insight: 

Google isn't the first to put new and different apps in front of mobile users— Apple just inked a deal with Pinterest to run app-install ads for iOS apps. It's a saturated market out there, and many mobile marketers will likely benefit from the new program. 

"We’ve seen how search ads shown next to organic search results on Google.com can significantly improve content discovery for users and advertisers, both large and small," the company wrote in a blog post Thursday. "Search ads on Google Play will enable developers to drive more awareness of their apps and provide consumers new ways to discover apps that they otherwise might have missed."

The news comes the same day Google also announced it will start highlighting mobile-friendly sites on mobile search, perhaps a wakeup call for businesses not yet focused on mobile marketing efforts.