Mobile internet access on the rise!

[Christian-IA]

Hey Everyone,

I read an interesting article on watblog.com talking about how mobile internet access is on the rise, and how in couple of years people will be using their mobile phones more often to access the web than from computers. It was found that 65% of Smartphone users use their mobile handset to connect to the internet every day for an average of 37 minutes.

You can read more of this on my blog.

This information is relevant for affiliates because there is a good opportunity to target a profitable and growing niche of the mobile industry. Due to the rise in mobile web usage, more mobile gaming operators, such as mFortune Mobile Casino, have been entering the mobile market by creating sites which are mobile friendly and which offer the chance for players to play games on their mobile phones.

To start promoting mobile casinos, you can join the mFortune affiliate program, or you can contact me directly at Christian@incomeaccess.com

Take care all !

[AdrienneJay]

Taking over of mobile internet is probably true, considering that mobiles are more convenient to carry anywhere than laptops.

[Christian-IA]

true ...i never thought I'd be using my mobile to surf the web as much as i have been doing it nowadays !

[TheGooner]

And as a percentage of online time ... mobile v computer ... would it be 10%/90% ?

I've yet to find an online app that i need on my mobile - other than perhaps a football livescores page when I'm at the football for the halftime break - or at the pub after the game.

[Louis - Income Access]

To me the killer app was Midoma (there's another one called Shizaam which is similar) which listens to a song you are hearing and searches a database to tell you what song it is and provide links to where you can buy it, or listen online. Incredibly useful for anyone who is a music lover, and especially when you live in a foreign country and can't always understand the words of a song in order to look it up.

And Paul, you're a shut in! Get out and see the sun from time to time my friend, you're rich enough already!

[jarvi]

Skype, maps and a few other travel related apps make mobile internet very useful. It's not always easy to fire up the laptop, if you have it with you, and a smartphone makes it quicker.

[Christian-IA]

There are so many interesting useful apps. Having your mobile phone on you and being able to search anything you want anytime you want it, is a lot more practical than having to get back to your desktop or carry your laptop with you everywhere you go. You can check weather, research restaurants, check movie theaters, maps, and so much more, not to mention playing your favorite casino games whenever and wherever you are.
I personally mainly use some news apps (such as CNN) to get updates while on my way to and back from work.

[Gabriel_LCP]

I think this is definitely great news for the gaming industry! All we need is patience for this to work itself out and in no time we'll have applications for us to work with.

[DeannaD_IA]

There are so many interesting useful apps. Having your mobile phone on you and being able to search anything you want anytime you want it, is a lot more practical than having to get back to your desktop or carry your laptop with you everywhere you go. You can check weather, research restaurants, check movie theaters, maps, and so much more, not to mention playing your favorite casino games whenever and wherever you are.
I personally mainly use some news apps (such as CNN) to get updates while on my way to and back from work.

I definitely agree! To me, the appeal of the mobile apps I use the most is that they are designed to be used "on the go". I can check the weather as frequently as the forecast changes, find out if there's a bike rental dock available near me, check my bank balance before deciding whether or not to buy something from INSIDE a store.

Also, I find the smartest app are successful in creating a need you maybe didn't even realize you had (until you DO realize it, and then it's hard to remember how you lived without it!). At the end of the day, the mobile trend is all about convenience, right? I have no doubt that mobile internet will eventually phase out the stationary home PC.

[GCG]

Gooner says : This mobile stuff is a slight side-track ... but I'm still struggling to understand how click-tracking really works correctly across platforms.

Personally, if I saw an interesting mobile site when I was surfing from a PC - I'd be likely to simply type in the site on my phone rather than revisit the affilaite site.

Unless you are using a very memorable bonus-code or some other method of tagging people that does not involve cookies/URLS/ or a platform (what would it be?) then I can't see how players get tagged to the original PC affiliate ever ?

I am with Gooner here : this mobile stuff is bad for affiliates !!

Thanks to Gooner for this warning !!

[Louis - Income Access]

Here's one way to get around the PC to mobile tracking problem (the example is for mFortune):
http://freebiebingo.co.uk/past-bingo...01_index.shtml

We set up a SMS code which, like a bonus code, is linked to the affiliate in the database so when someone uses this SMS code, they are automatically tracked to the affiliate. If you're surfing on your computer, what is easier, opening up your browser on your phone and typing in the link or just sending a quick text to 88080.

Another route is to set up an iframe banner where the user can enter their number into the banner and receive a the game download via SMS, which also tracks to the affiliate the same way if they click through and register. mFortune also has this set up.

If you actually look closer at the mobile affiliate space, you'll see there's a ton of evidence that it does track, convert and ultimately pay out to affiliates. If it did not work, there would be no way for an exclusively mobile casino like mFortune or LadyLucks to continue running their affiliate program over their years, as they have.

[GCG]

I was referring to the microgaming and other casinos that only have the cookie as tracking method ( as far as my knowledge goes).

If the player has to use the code to download and get a freebie that is a good option to avoid this.

[TheGooner]

Here's one way to get around the PC to mobile tracking problem (the example is for mFortune):
http://freebiebingo.co.uk/past-bingo...01_index.shtml

...

If you actually look closer at the mobile affiliate space, you'll see there's a ton of evidence that it does track, convert and ultimately pay out to affiliates. If it did not work, there would be no way for an exclusively mobile casino like mFortune or LadyLucks to continue running their affiliate program over their years, as they have.

Good feedback Louis - and your system is an elegant solution that will work - when it is used.

But as phone screens and browsers grow in detail and keyboards improve then SMS texting to register and link does not happen. People simply type in the name of the target program - sans any affiliate tag.

Unfortunately I have looked VERY closely at the mobile space - and there is a significant disconnect between initial affiliate advertiser on a website and final signup credit - and the link between the two is not efficiently made on most programs.

The level of untagged players at mobile-casinos is far higher than normal online casinos for this very reason.

It's a failure that has been slow to be fixed - because frankly it benefits the providers to leave these holes open - and have an abundance of untagged players come through.

[Louis - Income Access]

Agreed, Paul, the traditional operators have been slow to bring their mobile programs up to the functionality level of the all mobile operators like mFortune LadyLucks, Mbet, etc.

The mobile affiliates with whom I work often express frustration about the online brands with mobile casinos that don't provide tracking, or provide inferior tracking, but many often continue to promote these brands because brand recognition is such a huge factor in gaming. I'm not sure what needs to happen in the industry for mobile to be made a priority for the major brands, but until now it seems like it's still just a non-committed flirtation.

[davenewgates]

Mobile internet is now on its way to phase out computers and laptops. Large gadgets are out. Mini gadgets are now in.

[JoeAdams]

If I were to ask, mobile internet is much convenient to use. You can bring anywhere you want. Actually, more often, I use my ipad for browsing the internet. Very handy.

[andreea]

Just to add some thoughts on this because I too share the affiliates' frustration with the lack of proper tracking on the larger casinos and poker rooms who offer mobile services that don't end up converting to appropriating the cash to the proper party (coughaffiliatescough).

I think that once they catch up to speed and offer the appropriate tracking, bonus codes/sign up codes will be a great solution as well as in conjunction with instant texts.

Let's face it however, the affiliates can play a large part in this as well. This offering is still fairly young and there's a lot of room for coming in to swoop a lot of the mobile market for those affiliates keen enough and savvy enough to come up with a unique offering for mobile gamblers. This is the time to set up some great sites and take advantage of the refining process of the technology by getting these players early. Why not create some quality, properly coded sites that can be used just as well on PC as mobile that not only feature brief listings of sites and some tips, but offer an incentive, a program to attract and retain mobile players. There are many pc-based sites that do this, and it seems like this would be the ultimate way to attract, retain and ensure that the players get tagged to you on the various sites. You could be the ones emailing them codes, sending them texts, offering points for activity on sites of your choice etc.

I'm not saying some haven't already gone this route, but I think this is a prime opportunity for many affiliates and it's a good time to jump into it if you haven't already or haven't taken it as seriously. Once the technology is fine tuned and in place on all the sites, it may be too little too late to be a top affiliates in the market. Just my two cents