Kristin Hall of Google: The Significance of Mobile in Affiliate Marketing #AMDays

I’m Kristin Hall, and I work as the head of Google Affiliate Network’s Publisher Development team. I’m excited to be part of the keynote panel at Affiliate Management Days SF 2013 (April 16-17, 2013), where we’ll be discussing the vital role of the affiliate network.

Question: Alright, here’s a question for you: what’s the one area that all affiliate managers should be focusing on more? And why is it so important?

Kristin Hall: Mobile.

Let me tell you, mobile devices are changing the game when it comes to how consumers behave. And this shift is having a huge impact on every aspect of affiliate marketing. More and more people are using their phones and tablets to do their shopping and research, both online and offline.

When I’m shopping on my smartphone, I’ve noticed that it can really affect what I end up buying. It turns out that I’m not alone in this – research has shown that smartphones have a big impact on people’s purchasing decisions. In fact, experts predict that mobile sales in retail e-commerce will increase by 4% this year! That’s a pretty big jump!

But it’s not just consumers who are noticing the power of smartphones. Marketers are catching on too. A whopping 85% of them are planning to increase their mobile advertising budgets in the near future. They know that if they want to connect with customers, they need to be where the action is – on mobile devices.

This means that advertisers and publishers need to change up their strategies. They can’t just rely on traditional methods anymore. To reach today’s always-connected consumer, they need to optimize their affiliate programs for mobile devices. This is a huge opportunity – by reaching people on their smartphones, they can increase conversions and influence people at every step of the buying process.

So, whether you’re a marketer or an affiliate manager, it’s time to take advantage of this mobile revolution. If you want to stay ahead of the game, you need to adapt to the way people are shopping now. And that means going mobile!

In order to make the most of online and affiliate marketing, there are a few things I need to take into consideration. First, it’s important to optimize my website for mobile traffic. This means making sure it’s easy to navigate and looks good on a mobile device. I can also partner with publishers who have mobile-optimized websites to reach a wider audience.

Another strategy is to use mobile creatives. These are advertisements that are specifically designed for mobile devices. They might include things like clickable phone numbers or links that open in mobile apps. By using these types of ads, I can better engage with mobile users and increase conversions.

Finally, I need to make sure any mobile-only conversion pages are tagged for affiliate tracking. This will allow me to see which mobile ads are driving the most conversions and make adjustments as needed.

Now, let’s talk about the main areas of opportunity for online and affiliate marketers in 2013-2014. What do you see as the biggest opportunities for us to grow and succeed?

Kristin Hall: As an affiliate marketer, I see some amazing chances for us to dive into the exciting worlds of mobile, data, and analytics. Let’s tap into the power of data and nifty new ad formats to make our affiliate channel shine. Plus, there’s a golden opportunity for advertisers and affiliates to team up and boost the influence of affiliates right from the very beginning of the buying journey.

Thanks to attribution modeling and data insights, advertisers and publishers can get their hands on valuable information. This data helps us all make smarter choices to maximize and enhance our affiliate programs.

Question: So, where can affiliates truly make a difference for online merchants? How can we add value to the pre-sale process?

Kristin Hall: As a smart marketer, I know the importance of evaluating the affiliate channel in the digital mix. In the past, this channel has been seen as separate from other paid traffic channels. But I believe it’s crucial to consider the full impact of affiliate traffic and recognize its value in the upper funnel. We should be open to measuring impressions and valuing clicks, while acknowledging that the most successful publishers aim to generate more conversions with fewer clicks.

Affiliate publishers are experts at directing customers to advertisers and can greatly assist in closing deals by reaching the right audience who are more likely to make a purchase.

Question: It’s not uncommon to hear that affiliates work alongside other marketing channels like paid search, re-targeting, and social media in this multi-touchpoint ecommerce era. Because of this, the last-click attribution model may no longer be the best choice. What do you suggest?

Kristin Hall: Google thinks affiliate partners are incredibly important in the conversion process. To keep playing a key role in conversions, affiliates should optimize their offerings to align with advertisers’ goals of reaching customers at different stages of the conversion path. This requires working closely with advertisers, who have access to their own data and know the best approach to attribution.

Question: What advice would I give to online advertisers, merchants, and affiliate managers?

Kristin Hall: Affiliate managers, I have one important piece of advice for you: Invest in mobile traffic and don’t be afraid to invest a little more than usual so that you can build a targeted audience. As more and more people start using different screens, you’ll have an advantage.

Advertisers and merchants, here’s my advice for you: Use data to understand which publishers are bringing you the most success.

The upcoming Affiliate Management Days conference is happening on April 16-17, 2013. Follow @AMDays or join the conversation using #AMDays on Twitter. And don’t forget to use the code SBTAM250 when you register to get an extra $250.00 off your two-day pass (or combo pass).