Mobile Web Opportunities — Affiliate Summit West 2009 Session Report

Mobile services are still a very new market, and this is a time when all the necessary technologies (hardware & software) are hitting a tipping point in pricing. Just very recently it became very affordable to use all the services offered through mobile devices (such as the internet), and as the mobile web continues to approach critical mass, many mobile verticals even remains immune to the recession.

Of course, this made mobile was a hot topic at Affiliate Summit West 2009, and Peter Glaeser from Mobile Space Ltd. delivered a presentation called Mobile Web Opportunities. The presentation seemed targeted mostly at affiliates, giving them some tips on how to optimize their sites for mobile users and offering them some insight into where mobile opportunities may lie.

Based on what Peter covered, it seemed the greatest potential for mobile affiliate marketing today is for lead generation campaigns, which is probably true today. He also noted that, even though there are enough mobile users to represent a demand for other offers, such as retail, content, and bookings, the advertisers aren’t there yet. Granted, advertisers could be fickle because of some tracking problems that still remain..

Technology and Tracking for the Mobile Web
Now, because of differences in screen size, input devices, connection speeds, and cookies, javascript, and flash, Peter pointed out that the mobile web provided a completely different user-experience, had technical limitations, and so required a whole new set of solutions. For advertisers, he suggested creating .mobi sites, shortening URLs, and implementing server-based tracking. Similarly, he encouraged affiliates to abandon tracking pixels (i.e. push for server-based tracking) and test to find out which handsets convert and why.

Affiliate Design for the Mobile Web
Peter then went on to address actual site design. He stressed using DIVs instead of tables, using images only when necessary, and the need to test your site on multiple handsets. He also covered CSS and HTML considerations, such as using click-to-call and click to SMS, which are both great for lead generation campaigns, and offered a few online resources that affiliates could use to preview their sites as seen through a mobile device (see slideshow for more).

Monetizing the Mobile Web
Mobile monetization methods also seem to pose a challenge. Affiliates have to choose between either direct deals (which are hard to set up), or CPM/CPC ad networks that tend to have low pay-outs and the aforementioned tracking problems.

As for CPA-based affiliate programs, they offer higher pay-outs, but also have trouble tracking mobile users. Advertisers, moreover, tend to be mostly related to mobile entertainment; and there aren’t many retail or brand name advertisers. Some of the biggest potential niches, then, that are missing are:

• retail: mobile price comparison
• bookings: travel, dining, tickets, etc.
• local deliveries: groceries, pizza, etc.
• content: news, music, movies, etc.
• social services: networking, dating, etc.

Nevertheless, there’s considerable opportunity in the mobile affiliate marketing space because there are more and more users everyday, traffic is still inexpensive, and building mobile sites is easy. Of course, until affiliate networks and software providers can provide reliable, server-based tracking modules so that advertisers can feel confident that their affiliates are properly supported.

A Mobile Future
As Peter noted, the user-experience of the mobile web is completely different than what we’ve grown accustom to. What startled me was how Peter neglected to speculate on how that completely different user-experience will affect the evolutions of affiliate marketing. Granted, the insight and advice offered by Peter in his presentation was a great primer on what affiliates, networks, and software providers can be doing to get a piece of the mobile web today. Where it left me wanting was for some insight on how industry members can secure a spot for tomorrow.

•  

  

• Subscribe to ReveNews

  • Get ReveNews Updates in Your Reader
  • Get ReveNews Updates in Your Email

• The Latest Comments

  • Armando Williams on Amazon Plays Chicken with Connecticut over Bill HB 5481.
  • Vinny O'Hare on MediaTrust Sets the Pace with NASCAR Success
  • Nick Doneilo on MediaTrust Sets the Pace with NASCAR Success
  • Cory Grassell on Last Gasp for MySpace?
  • Barry Silverstein on Last Gasp for MySpace?
  • Chad Wilson on MediaTrust Sets the Pace with NASCAR Success
  • Angel Djambazov on MediaTrust Sets the Pace with NASCAR Success
  • John Harrington on MediaTrust Sets the Pace with NASCAR Success
  • Vinny O'Hare on MediaTrust Sets the Pace with NASCAR Success
  • d. p. schmidt on Do Marketers Understand Social Media?

• ReveNews Readers

• Archives

  Select Month March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004