Day in, day out, I hear from others in the advertising industry that the network they chose to run their campaigns has failed. Miserably. I ask how they went about choosing their network and invariably the reply is, "We went with the cheap guys." Or, "On the surface, the said they could do A, B and C. Turns out, they can't, and instead did X, Y and Z."
At this point in the conversation, I usually stop them and ask how often they communicate with their network. I don't mean how many emails, phone calls, IMs or text messages, but how frequently do they discuss strategies, tactics and plans?
The answer? Not very often.
The problem, of course, is that advertisers and networks usually have a hard time communicating goals and objectives, whether it's for a specific campaign or for a long-term strategy. Many times, advertisers don't know when to be tough or flexible with a network, and this leads to an unhappy marriage.
With communication in mind, here are seven key tips to get the most out of an ad network.
Expertise
When deciding on a network, do your research. Rely on the network's areas of expertise and their track record. Because publishers are not paying for ad placements, they have to run an ad that appeals to their audience. Advertisers need to constantly collaborate with their ad network to provide new and unique offers to publishers, as these tend to deliver higher conversion rates. What many advertisers forget is that if a campaign isn't working, it's ok to repackage it with a fresh spin. This will be perceived as a different campaign when it's really just a facelift to maximize the offer.
Appeal to consumers
Appeal to consumers by following the rules of direct response. By being direct response savvy, a network can push a campaign to greater heights. Traditionally, advertisers don't understand landing pages and many times don't use them properly or, even worse, don't create them correctly. A solid network will understand the power of the landing page and work with an advertiser to develop the most robust one. Landing pages are an important part of the campaign, so advertisers should be asking the network about what made previous campaigns successful. In my experience, "free" is the most powerful word in direct response, and since offers drive conversions, why not deliver what the consumer wants?
Compliance
Advertisers need to have a frank discussion with their network regarding compliance issues. I have witnessed campaigns go down the drain because advertisers tie the network's hands with restrictions that limit the possibilities of conversions. For example, CPA networks have thousands of clients with thousands of email subject lines. Many advertisers are inflexible with what can or cannot be used in a subject heading, a rigid philosophy that helps neither the advertiser nor the network. Rather than being stringent about subject headings, advertisers should talk about these types of compliance issues with the network. Let the network do its job and modify the heading, as long as it keeps the spirit of what's been approved.
Test
Many advertisers just want to throw some random offer up on a network and see what happens. The network will bow to the advertiser and take the paycheck to the bank. Instead of this "spray and pray" philosophy, advertisers and networks should work together to test elements of the campaign before going live. Go to limited publishers. Figure out what works and what doesn't. If there is a high conversion rate, great, you've proven it in a test and can do a broader campaign. If not, go back with the results and tweak the necessary elements. Advertisers, don't be afraid to ask your network to test. Remember, you're in a partnership.
Payouts
One of the major issues that pop up time and time again between advertisers and networks is understanding how payouts are set. Networks are knowledgeable (and sensitive) to payouts because they are determined by what an advertiser is willing to pay and what they need to pay to stay in business. Both parties need to communicate to set competitive payouts, because if the payout is too low, a publisher will not run the ad. Publishers maximize payouts and will go to the highest bidder. Choosing a network that has its fingers on the economic pulse of the industry is always a great bet for an advertiser, as they will act as a mediator delivering ads at a respectable rate, striking a happy balance between the payout the publisher wants and what the advertiser wants to pay.
Choose one network
Advertisers give themselves headaches by selecting too many networks. Ease the pain by choosing one, and go with one you trust. Working with multiple networks means they will compete against each other and wind up hurting you in the end. One ad network maintains price control, is better at tracking compliance and is easier to communicate and set goals with. Studies show that being in a monogamous relationship makes both parties happier. Why not apply that to business?
Tracking by publisher ID
Advertisers don't necessarily need a publisher's name to succeed, but need to be able to track results on a publisher-by-publisher basis. A good network will do the legwork and look at conversions, leads, etc. for each publisher because at the end of the day, it's all about conversions. Remember, an ad network is working in your best interest and a network that is able to track your ads (for optimal maximization) will work for you, not against you.
The bottom line is that advertisers and ad networks need to be on the same page in terms of goals, strategy, tactics and results. Open communication between both parities makes a relationship work and -yields the best possible outcome. Advertisers need to be flexible and let the ad network do their job, which is to create the best possible scenario for conversions.
Mason Wiley is SVP marketing for Hydra.
