The Best Mobile Ad Networks: Choose the Right One for Your Small Business

Are you a small business looking for ways to reach more potential customers online? The solution is actually probably in your hands as you read this article, or at least within arm’s reach. I’m talking about your smartphone.

Go Where Your Users Are…Mobile Use is Growing!

Ever thought about how much time you spend on your mobile phone? In 2014, comScore reported that the number of mobile users surpassed the number of desktop users in the US. Market research form GO-Globe indicates that the average consumer spends 52 per cent of their time on digital media engaged with a mobile app.

Mobile advertising, often overlooked by small businesses, is more than just a trend. Forecasting by Gartner in 2013 suggests that mobile app revenues earned an estimated $58 billion (USD) in 2016 globally, and is expected to hit $77 billion in 2017.

How Mobile Advertising Works…

Mobile advertising relies on contextual data to match your ad with the right audience. Contextual data includes information (browser history, emails, instant messaging, bookmarks, etc.) about a user that can be used to establish better, more timely relevance between the ad and the user.

Ads are displayed based on their relevance to a user’s online habits, meaning your ad only appears if it’s relevant to a user’s interests and behaviour online. So, for instance, if you sell sweaters for dogs, your ad will be targeted to users who demonstrate an interest in dog attire, based on their bookmarks, online conversations, browser history, etc.

Choosing the Right Mobile Ad Network…

Whether you want more online exposure, or you’d like to monetize your mobile app, or, you’re about to launch a new app on the market, picking the right mobile ad network can be a bit daunting at first. Your search results are likely to yield a string of attractive offers from industry names you’ve never heard of. And of course, they all promise to deliver the best return on your investment.

Comparing features and benefits takes time, as well as some digital marketing expertise. There are different ad formats to consider (i.e. banners, interstitials, play-ads) as well as campaign options (CPC/CPV/CPM, etc) which will impact your budget.

Ad Campaigns

Campaign options include the following:

CPC- cost-per-click
CPV: cost-per-view
CPI: cost-per-impression
CPM: cost-per-1000-impressions
CPA: cost-per-action (subscription, complete a form, etc)
CPL: cost-per-lead

Ad Formats

Mobile ad networks are also distinguished by the ad formats they support. Some formats are more effective than others, while choosing the wrong format could doom your campaign:

Video Ads: extremely effective for promoting video games, tutorials, entertainment
Reward Ads: can generate user engagement by offering users a reward in exchange for their time
Playable Ads: interactive ads that engage user feedback and
Interstitial Ads: ad copy that appears during site navigation between pages
Banner Ads: display ad that strategically occupies the top or bottom screen

Check out our recommendations for reliable mobile ad networks that deliver results, or get in touch with Paul Teitelman in Toronto, for more great advice on your mobile ad campaign.

Google Ad Exchange

operates on any mobile platform
offers cost-per-mile, cost-per-click, and cost-per-impressions (1000)
utilizes a wide range of ad formats (interstitials, banners, custom search ads)
user-friendly interface and ad customization for creating your ad in minutes
premium version of Google Ad Sense
branded or anonymous inventory designation for desired transparency
offers ‘preferred deals’ option for buyers and publishers
access to a global network of certified publishers

AdColony

offers cost-per-click, cost-per-mile, and cost-per-action
global market reach with major global media brands
targets audience by carrier, device, OS or demographic
supports several ad formats, including video

Applovin

1 billion users
analyzes ad campaigns results across a vast network to target the most promising users
uses marketing automation based on real-time consumer data to improve ad results
supports over 300 brands in major industries (travel, retail, gaming, etc)
1 billion users
offers cost-per-click and cost-per-action campaigns
customized ad formats
customized ad targeting focused in US exclusively

Fyber

global reach for small or large enterprises
access to over 500 million users
direct integration with over 7600 mobile app developers
offers several ad campaigns: cost-per-mile, cost-per-action, cost-per-view, and cost-per-impression
operates on Android or iOS
supports native ads, video, banner ads, and interstitials,
ad targeting by mobile device, carrier, or OS

ClickDealer