Mobile Marketer asked some probing questions about the Guide to mobile advertising networks. And no, we’re not telling you which network refused to be profiled.
mobiThinking was asked some probing questions by Mobile Marketer this week, following the launch of The mobiThinking guide to mobile advertising networks. The guide profiles in full nine of the most important mobile ad networks. We thought we’d share the answers because they explain what we are trying to achieve and mirror some of the questions we’ve been asked in forums.
MM: How did you narrow down the networks to these nine companies?
mT: This was partly achieved through recommendation from industry experts (e.g. we asked mobile media buyers what networks they used), reputation and the willingness of the mobile advertising networks to share this information. One CMO from an established US-based network said he wasn’t ready to publicize this data – that’s a great endorsement for his competitors in this guide who see the value in embracing transparency.
These nine are the starting point. We hope to add more mobile ad networks as they are recommended, and/or they become more willing to open up. If any reader has positive feedback about any mobile ad network they use, we’d appreciate hearing from you: editor(at)mobiThinking.com.
MM: Who is the target and what are they supposed to do with this listing?
mT: The networks are profiled in full. Each has answered a lot of the questions that mobile marketers should be asking. It will help any mobile marketer interested in mobile advertising understand how mobile ad networks can help, enabling them make an educated choice when choosing an ad network. It will also help publishers as to choose a partner to fill inventory on their mobile site.
MM: What role do mobile ad networks play in the ecosystem?
mT: When you see an advertisement on a mobile site, mobile application etc, this will often be sold through a mobile ad network. They perform an invaluable role for mobile publishers who do not have a direct sales force (and most of these supplement their direct sales with sales through a mobile ad network) and advertisers who do not have mobile media buying expertise.
MM: What is mobiThinking looking to do with this listing?
mT: Educate. Everyone in the ecosystem benefits if mobile marketers know better how mobile ad networks can help them target consumers through the mobile Web. All these ad networks – including the blind ones, provide sophisticated targeting tools, so mobile campaigns can be aimed at particular channels (e.g. sport), countries, or even by the type of cell phone visitors use. There is very little information (and some disinformation) out there about mobile ad networks; this is our effort to address that.
Even if you choose to work with a network that isn’t profiled here – perhaps a company with a local focus – this guide will help you by showing the norm for costs, targeting etc.
If you use a mobile ad network that is in the same league as these nine, please recommend them. We’ll take a look and ask them to do a profile – if they make the grade and they’re prepared to share, then we’ll add them to the guide.
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