The Top 3 Things to Consider When Monetizing Your Mobile Properties

By Amy Vale 


If you’re a publisher looking to monetize your mobile properties – a) you’re doing the right thing and b) you’re onto a great thing. We have all seen the statistics recently: Forrester Research estimated that U.S. tablet sales are expected to double from 26 million in 2011 to more than 50 million in 2012.  We have also seen predictions that mobile internet use is going to surpass desktop internet use by 2015.  Really, if you aren’t monetizing your mobile app or site by now you are missing out on a great revenue stream. If you’re reading this, I am sure that you already are onto it, and perhaps you’re just revamping your monetization strategies. So, what are the top 3 things to consider when monetizing your mobile properties? 


1. Go “universal” 


Have you read our earlier post about the Mobile Marketing Association’s (MMA) “universal” guidelines? The MMA have produced the universal guidelines with the aim of reducing the effort required to produce creative material and ensure that advertisements display effectively on the majority of mobile phones, regardless of device. Similarly, the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) has established a common Application Programming Interface for mobile rich media ads that will run in mobile apps. This is a standardized set of commands, designed to work with HTML5 and JavaScript that developers creating rich media ads will use.


The concept of the “Universal Creative” and whether it is more valuable to make unique rich media creative, or develop an ad that can run in as many different channels as possible is a concept that is much debated. For publishers, we think you need to consider going universal. Adhering to the MMA or Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) guidelines essentially means opening yourself up to a bigger supply of ads that you are compatible with, and this naturally means higher ad revenue potential. 


2. Discuss app logistics 


Discussions have been going on for the last few years within the publisher and development community about whether apps should be paid or free of charge. Consider what works best for you. Data is increasingly showing though that free apps are the way to go, because most users who are app browsing naturally prefer free ones and as a result, these receive more views and downloads. The ability to monetize the app means you still have a strong revenue stream and get the benefits of having a free app. This is one of the strongest ways to monetize your mobile properties. It is important to discuss your app logistics when considering monetizing your mobile application. As mobile advertising is so successful within apps, it makes sense to consider how a free app might work for you. 


3. Carve out your mobile inventory so it can be sold to advertisers


As a publisher, you should consider carving out your mobile inventory so it can be sold to advertisers. Consider your advertisers in conjunction with your user base; if you section out or file content effectively, you are creating opportunities to create “packages” for advertisers to buy. You should also set up your ad server sites and zones for multiple-property buys, and split test ad unit placements across the site or app, then split test again for specific sections of content to see which perform best. Remember also to follow industry guidelines for ad unit sizes.


Have you considered all these things when planning your mobile monetization strategy?