Exploiting the mobile market

[~Ed~]

Like it or not, mobile marketing is becoming a hotbed of advertising potential. Are affiliate marketers anticipating the explosive growth of mobile computing? Are we prepared to exploit the medium? How do you exploit the mobile market?

One way to prepare is to build UPC codes in to your product listings and descriptions. A handy cellphone app that's a boon to shoppers scans bar codes and produces price comparisons with online AND geographically local B&M (Official AT Glossary of Terms & Acronyms) sources for products. So if you're in Target and see an item you want to purchase, pull the phone out and scan the barcode. Up pops a page that tells you to go to Wal-Mart down the street where you can buy it for $5 less. Or online at myaffiliatesite.com for $12 less and free shipping.

At Boomers Supply we list all our products (non-affiliate) on Google-Base. Google is beginning to push the inclusion of UPC cods in listings. The reason is that G is beginning to promote to the mobile market through their G1 phones. It would be smart to watch where G goes and follow.

[msladybug]

I feel completely in the dark about the mobile market. I can tell from server logs that I do get visitors using mobile devices. I would probably be mortified to see what my websites look like on one.

Seriously, I don't even own a cellphone. My husband has one but I rarely even use the thing. That would require ne getting out from in front of the computer and out of the house more.

As you said Ed this market is growing everyday and worth researching and staying watchful of.

[Convergence]

Anyone know of any tutorials or informational websites that can assist a webmaster in converting pages so they are compatible with "mobile devices"? This is on my "To Do" list for 2010.

I know many websites that automatically detect that it is a mobile device (guess based on the browser or perhaps IP) and redirect to a sub-domain like "m.domainname.ext" -

This brings up more issues - like SSL certs - either need a wildcard, multiple domain cert, or just buy another SSL cert for the mobile site/sub-domain.

Any input?

[~Ed~]

If you build the mobile format into your existing site you wouldn't need to worry about certs.
I believe mobile browsers are usually detected in the header. You should probably build in a selectable option for the user to turn off mobile format.

I set up a narrow format for the Affiliate Trust forum. I don't remember if I made it available to everyone. If I did, you can select the mobile format in the dropdown at the very bottom left of this screen. I found that when I access AT with my phone, the setting is remembered, in cookies I suppose, and I never have to re-select it.

[nethratel]

Hi Ed.

What you said is correct, mobile market is going like jet, can you tell me the company who provides white label affiliate program for UK and USA market like wirefly.

Thanks
Maheswaran

[Adarsh]

Wirefly? They have an affiliate program through Linkshare. There is another that I have been researching, I have been collecting some info on this www.Letstalk.com