Mobile Billing: The Most Popular Offers’ Flow

Introduction

Offers and landing pages don’t all have the same performance.

Indeed, their performance depends on the offer’s flow, country, operator’s requirements, market niche, and even internet connection.

This means that – even in the same country – conversion rates can vary.

In this article, you’ll check what impacts the conversion of different offers.

Moreover, you’ll get to know the most popular offer’s flows.

When users find strategically placed banner ads on a website, they sometimes click them.

Immediately after, the offer displayed will vary according to the billing option activated.

Direct Billing Flow

Some carriers are able to automatically identify the MSISDN (the mobile number which identifies the mobile user.)

This means the billing is made directly.

The money is taken directly from the cellphone balance of a given user.

This flow is usually associated with the 3G connection.

Even so, you must know that it is always determined by the billing system of the carrier.

Another important factor that affects the performance of a direct billing campaign?

The type of opt-in the operator requires!

Check the types of opt-ins you must become acquainted with in the wonderful realm of affiliate marketing!

Single Opt-in

The user needs to confirm only one time that they accept the subscription service.

Simple.

This means that the user arrives to the landing page, clicks on the confirmation button, and then gets subscribed.

Double Opt-in

The user confirms they agree to subscribe to the service.

Then, they have to confirm again.

What happens in this case?

The user answers affirmatively on the webpage.

Then, they’re asked to confirm the subscription to the service for a second time on the landing page or by clicking on a link sent by SMS.

Only after the second confirmation will the user be effectively subscribed.

As a matter of fact, this flow will have a lower conversion rate than the single opt-in.

Explain why, oh remarkable Mobidea Academy writer?

Because the subscription process has one more step.

SMS Billing Flow

For this flow, the user needs to send or insert their mobile phone number in order for the carrier system to identify the MSISDN, as it’s not recognized automatically.

This flow is commonly associated with the Wi-Fi connection.

In the SMS billing flow, some operators require the user to send a message to a specific number (MO) or to receive a pin code by SMS.

Then, the user has to insert the received pin code on the landing page (MT).

Mobile Originated (MO)

Some countries and/or operators only allow the user to be subscribed if they send an SMS message from their mobile phone number.

This is the MO billing system.

This means the SMS message originates in the user’s mobile phone.

In this case, the user arrives to the landing page.

Then, a box pops up.

It usually contains a number that’s normally called LA (large account) or short code.

Then, what?

The user needs to send an SMS message with a keyword.

After the SMS message is sent, the users gets subscribed.

This type of flow is usually associated with one-shot offers, where the user is charged only at the moment they actually send the SMS.

For some advertisers and/or devices, besides the message appearing on the landing page with all the info needed, it can also open the SMS box of the mobile phone of the user, with the keyword and LA already filled.

This is called the Click-to-SMS flow, where the conversion rate is much higher than the traditional MO flow.

Mobile Terminated (MT)

What’s this flow all about?

Easy!

When the user reaches the landing page, the latter shows an empty box for them to insert their mobile phone number.

If the mobile phone number is correct (based on the confirmation from the offers’ provider) the user will receive a pin code in an SMS message for the number they inserted.

When the pin code is confirmed, the user gets subscribed to the offer.

This is the MT flow, which refers to a message that’s sent to a mobile handset.

For this flow, the conversion rate is higher than for MO.

Why?

Because MO basically means the user has to send an SMS message from their mobile phone number.

This obviously means it is clearer that it’s a costly service.

Moreover, the MT flow’s process is easier than the MO’s flow.

These two flows will have different performances on the campaigns.

While the direct billing flow only requires a confirmation to the service, the SMS billing flow implies the user will actually insert their personal information or send an SMS message.

As it’s more obvious to the user that they’ll be charged, the conversion rate for SMS billing is much lower than for the direct billing flow.

The payment for a conversion can also vary.

In fact, it can be CPA or CPI.

CPA is used for subscription services and it means the cost paid by an acquisition, action or conversion, while CPI is the payout for the installation of each app.

Credit Card Billing

For some mobile offers, namely dating products, the billing option is usually made by credit card.

This means the user needs to insert their credit card information in order to create their profile.

Some dating offers are based on subscription services, where the payment is by CPA and the user gets access to private chats.

For this flow, the payout of an offer usually varies:

It can be either CPL or CPS.

CPL or PPL is the cost per lead, where the payment is made as soon as the profile is created on the offer.

CPS or PPS stands for cost per sale.

It comes to be when the user is effectively charged by the service.

For CPS campaigns, the conversion rate will be lower and the payout normally higher.

Why is that?

Because the user may not be willing to give away their personal data.

I’m referring to private things, such as credit card info.

Another reason for a lower conversion rate?

The fact that it’s clearer that the user will be charged.

Conclusion

In fact, there are a lot of possible combinations for an offer flow.

If the conversion process is shorter, the conversion rate of a campaign will be higher.

The same is true for the opposite:

For conversion submissions that are too long, the conversion rate will be lower.

That’s why you can promote an offer for the same vertical and for the same country with performances which are wildly different.

That’s why it’s normal for media buyers to come across completely different payouts in the SAME COUNTRY for different Operators/Carriers!

And all these elements?

Impossible for you to control!

What to do?

You can only be aware of them at all times and manage your campaigns accordingly.

Cheers, 

3 Important CPA Marketing Tips To Note When Promoting CPA Offers

For the benefit of those of you who do not know what CPA Marketing is, CPA is a short form for “Cost Per Action”.

CPA Marketing is different from affiliate marketing (such as ClickBank) in that, it may not be necessary for someone to buy something in order for you to generate a commission. You can generate commissions whenever someone completes an action (that’s required by the advertiser) such as filling up a short form (which consists of between 1 to 5 fields), signing up for a free service, or getting free trial to products and services.

If you want to be able to generate huge profits from CPA Marketing, there are a few tips that you must follow – And in this post, I will be sharing with you 3 CPA Marketing Tips that, if you follow them closely, you can be guaranteed to be able to generate a huge amount of commissions from CPA Marketing (and not getting into trouble in any way).

 
1. Work Closely With Your Affiliate Manager

Once your access to a CPA Network is approved, you will be assigned a affiliate manager, who is responsible for your CPA marketing success in that particular network.

If you want to generate a huge amount of profit from these networks, you MUST work very closely with your affiliate manager – Telling him/her the marketing methods that you are most familiar and comfortable with. Based on that, he/she will provide suggestions on which offers will convert best for the traffic generation strategies you are most comfortable with.

Your affiliate manager can also help you by providing you with advises on how you should market each individual offer on the CPA networks, which will help you generate even more money from the network.

Therefore, it is very important that you establish a solid relationship with your affiliate manager the moment you are accepted into the network.
 
 
 
2. Check Out The Terms & Conditions For Each CPA Offer

Before you start promoting a particular CPA offer, be sure to check out its terms and conditions – Some of them only allow you to use certain traffic generation strategies.

Let me give you an example – You saw this free trial offer for a weight loss product that you are interested in following. You look into its terms and conditions and discover that you are only allowed to promote this using banner advertising and social networking. Also, you are not allowed to use email marketing, and Pay Per Click Search Engine Marketing.

Make sure you abide to the terms and conditions very closely. Failure to do so will result in the advertiser stopping you from promoting the offer (and whatever commissions you generate will be reversed – meaning they will not pay you a single cent for the commission you have accrued).
 
 
 
3. Use Only White Hat Techniques

White Hat techniques are basically marketing techniques that are correct and proper. Be sure that, whenever you are promoting any offers on the CPA network, you use only white hat marketing techniques.

The reason is because, when the advertiser find out that you are using any sort of unethical or unauthorized techniques to promote their offers, not only will they stop you from promoting their offers anymore, and that all the commissions that you have accumulated will be confiscated, you will also risk getting banned from the network as a result.

If you have just discovered a traffic generation strategy but you are not sure as to whether or not it is permissible to promote a particular CPA offer using this strategy, always ask your affiliate manager – By doing so, you can be sure that everything you do is correct, and as a result, you will be able to get commissions you deserve paid to you on time.
 
 
 
By following the 3 tips on CPA Marketing that I have just shared with you above, I can be certain that you will be able to experience huge successes in CPA Marketing.