A beginner's guide to mobile ad networks

Peter Hamilton
Mobile Posted on November 29, 2011
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Mobile web or mobile app
A lot of our clients only think about mobile advertising for mobile apps, but mobile websites (websites tailored for mobile devices) can be advertised on mobile ad networks as well. Most mobile ad networks allow you to advertise either mobile apps or mobile websites and enable you to set up advertising campaigns accordingly.

Tracking advertising campaigns for mobile websites on mobile ad networks can be done relatively simply since most traditional tracking methods work on smartphones such as client-based cookies and server-to-server tracking.

However, tracking advertising campaigns for mobile apps on mobile ad networks can get complicated quickly since traditional tracking methods don't work. When it comes to mobile apps, users leave their web browsers, entering into app stores and marketplaces, and once they've installed a mobile app on their device and open it, they continue to operate without a web browser. These are the tracking problems we've been solving for some of our largest clients. In the coming months you'll begin to see the growing need to quantify the value of advertising for mobile apps.

Monitoring your mobile advertising
Just like web advertising, you have to monitor the value of the traffic coming in as well as the effectiveness of your ads. Just because users are not installing your app does not mean it is the ad network's fault and vice versa. If you don't track your success and failures, you really have no way to optimize your campaigns and get the most out of every dollar.

Most of the better mobile ad networks offer some tools for tracking performance, though these are still in extremely early stages. Some networks integrate with other analytics tools like DART and Omniture (if you're at the enterprise level), and even Google Analytics can provide some insight for Android apps and mobile web. Just like picking the right ad network, finding the right analytics or tracking solution really goes back to your business goals. 

Moving forward
Advertising on mobile isn't significantly different from other forms of online advertising, so there is no reason for hesitation. In fact, if you're already familiar with major web advertising channels and ad networks, you'll be a pro on mobile in no time. This is your chance to become a part of the fastest growing and most forward thinking advertising segment, and I strongly encourage you to jump in with both feet. The more you learn, the better your ads will be and the tighter the relationships you'll build with ad networks as they continue to grow.

Treat mobile advertising as an exciting new opportunity with no limits. Watch as new ad networks, advertising strategies, and analytics solutions spring up all around you in the next few years and get in on the ground level of something that is certainly going to be a very big deal. 

Peter Hamilton is partner and CMO of HasOffers and mobileapptracking.com.

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Comments

Wade Kingston
Wade Kingston January 28, 2013 at 1:49 AM

One major piece of advice absent from this primer on mobile ad networks, which is still very helpful, is that mobile ad networks should be selected on the basis of how effective they are, not just how well known they are. They also have to be selected with your unique goals in mind, as an advertiser or developer. Beyond that, look at the ad networks that have really innovated in this space and are moving the industry forward. In other words, look at the hot young ad networks like Airpush (www.airpush.com) and others that are delivering industry leading results while being so effective that they basically raise the bar for everyone else http://www.examiner.com/article/airpush-praised-for-contributions-to-mobile-ad-industry-growth-2012

Talya Shoup Burnett
Talya Shoup Burnett March 16, 2012 at 3:02 PM

I would definitely say that while there is no fool-proof way to guarantee the quality of a network, it is important to find one that has been around for a decent amount of time and that also has reputable partners and references. And starting out with a couple different networks is a good way to find out which will be the best advertising partners for you. I wouldn't recommend spreading yourself too thin, but working with a handful of companies will give you a good idea of what is out there.

John Ardis
John Ardis November 29, 2011 at 9:18 PM

And don't forget ValueClick's Greystripe (www.greystripe.com), the largest brand-focused mobile network in the US, and now expanding to the EU. Per Peter's definitions, Greystripe would be a "premium blind network," but with a named site/app list so brands can have comfort and safety. Also, Greystripe's technology enables Flash to be transcoded to work on the iOs platform.

Cory Grassell
Cory Grassell November 29, 2011 at 2:01 PM

Of course, there is also xAd, the largest mobile-local ad network and the only one offering both targeted search and display. It also has reach across more than 70 percent of mobile-local apps.