Sex, Lies and Mobile

By AdStation | July 13th, 2012 | Categories: Affiliate Marketing
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“Mobile has arrived.”

“Mobile is important.”

“Mobile is taking over.”

We know already. We get it. To the affiliate marketing industry, mobile is like that big asteroid in Armageddon. It’s going to smash into the planet, impact every person on earth and cause us to hate Ben Affleck. (Even more)

Mobile is indeed that powerful.

It’s true, mobile internet usage has doubled every year. (Since 2009, -look it up) And experts say that by 2014 more users are expected to connect to the internet over mobile devices than desktops. As the sales of smartphones and tablets skyrocket, PC sales look positively sickly in comparison. Mobile is already the only topic of conversation worth having on a first date with any supposedly reputable affiliate marketing company. Do you guys have a solid mobile strategy? No? Check, please!

That’s right, if your affiliate marketing company lacks a clear mobile strategy, take my advice and head for the door. Even if they’re really cute, call you on your birthday, and are seriously okay with your leather fetish, you need to start dating other companies.

But therein lies the rub. Everyone is into mobile. Everyone has a strategy. Everyone is an expert. Go ahead, ask them. Every affiliate network will look across that candlelit table and lie right to your face. “We live and breathe mobile.” Which will immediately be followed by “And no, that dress doesn’t make you look fat.”

So how can you tell? How can you possibly sift through the affiliate marketing dating scene to find your one true mobile soul mate?

Answer: The same way you appraise and evaluate any other business partner you’re thinking of engaging in a relationship with. -Track record, longevity and most importantly, technology. Sure selecting a company that has been around for longer than six or seven years is a no-brainer, but more importantly, selecting a company with a current and historical focus on technology is absolutely paramount.

The absolute bottom line in any affiliate marketing program is technology. From laser-guided targeting to sneaky ninja deliverability, technology is what truly makes the ad boat float. Affiliate marketing companies that have the shiniest brochures and the swankiest booths may be jack-zip in the brains department. (See how the dating theme plays throughout?) Certain affiliate marketing companies and I’m not saying any names, have always kept technology at the very tip-top of the importance pedestal.

So talk to your affiliate marketing company. Hear the purr of their marketing engine. Shake hands with their hysterical mascot. Then ask yourself; is this company a technology pioneer in the industry? Are they ahead of the targeting and deliverability curve? Or are they playing a desperate game of follow-the-leader while whispering “we live and breathe mobile” in your ear?