Marketing - Why has it Become so Difficult to Earn Top Network Admittance?

Why has it Become so Difficult to Earn Top Network Admittance?

by Lee Aho

Advertisers and publishers with an appetite for maximizing performance based marketing ROI face a make or break question: Which network(s) represent the best opportunity for maximum returns? An ever-growing number of accessible options leave hungry advertisers and publishers comparing networks that differ as drastically as fast-food chains and five star restaurants.

When comparing networks, credibility can be gauged through proper evaluation of the admittance process. For instance, many self-serve networks cater to the performance based drive-thru crowd. With little or no barrier to entry, these networks target low level advertisers and publishers. Although these networks represent easy access for industry beginners, poor campaign approval and unproven publisher performance compromise traffic quality.

Alternatively, elite networks maintain traffic quality and volume through an extremely selective admittance process. Much like five star restaurant goers willing to book reservations and adhere to strict dress codes, advertisers and publishers meeting stringent acceptance requirements dine on correlating "five star" network benefits. Advertisers can entrust the world's best publishers to deliver unmatched traffic quality, and publishers can rely on supreme advertisers to deliver top converting campaigns. With exclusive network demand at an all-time high, acceptance rates as low as ten percent leave many unapproved companies wondering why they can't make the menu.

Navigating the rigorous approval process is difficult but doable. As advertisers and publishers select network partners, the following questions should be considered:

Why is top performance based network admittance so difficult?
Specific requirements weed out ninety percent of advertiser sign ups, but companies demonstrating the following characteristics are positioned for success on exclusive networks:

Commitment to a long-term relationship: Top networks seek partners with a focus on long-term commitment and continued campaign improvement. Unlike easy access self-serve networks, the best networks provide advertisers with round-the-clock consultation to ensure ongoing campaign optimization. “Fly by night” companies and campaigns cease to exist in the industry's top networks.

Performing Campaigns: Ultimately, the performance of an advertiser's campaign is predicated on conversions. At Clickbooth, we utilize a completely objective based system relying on comparative split testing. The top converting offers receive nearly 95 percent of the traffic from our top tier publishers. Offers lacking competitiveness from a creative, landing page (no comma necessary) or payout standpoint are denied access to the network.

Guaranteed Highest CPA Payouts: A good thing to keep in mind is that the best networks require advertisers' highest guaranteed payout on every campaign. Due to the objective based system used in the Clickbooth example, campaigns offering sub-maximum payouts fail to gain traction and network admittance. Although networks rely on advertisers' honest assessments of their campaign payouts, some utilize research and marketing departments to confirm industry competitiveness.

CPA/CPL Prepayment: Due to the significant volume of high quality traffic that top network affiliates are capable of generating, many networks require new advertisers to prepay for their initial transactions. Although converting offers regularly eliminate prepayments very quickly, top networks often view prepayments as an advertiser's sign of good faith that they can handle traffic volumes generated by converting campaigns. Some networks also charge advertisers and publishers an admittance fee. Network admittance fees go against the theory of "no risk" performance based marketing. As a result, it's important that advertising consultants clearly communicate how network fees are assessed and applied.

What's so special about advertising with an exclusive performance based network? Advertisers making it through rigorous approval processes can take advantage of unparalleled traffic volume and quality. The online reach and selective publisher admittance policies of selective networks result in 40 to 50 percent higher backends for advertisers. In addition to previously mentioned 24/7 consulting, advertisers can also capitalize on innovative technology platforms utilized by some of the industry's top networks. In some extreme instances, as is the case with Clickbooth, networks employ cutting edge compliance departments to monitor traffic.

Why is it so difficult to become an approved publisher on a premier performance based network?
Falling in line with advertiser acceptance rates, the top networks approve roughly ten percent of their affiliate sign ups. Although exclusivity with top rated affiliates indicates networks' strengths, acceptance hinges on the following factors:

Phone Verification: Most exclusive networks utilizes phone verification as an information gathering process, but nearly 80 percent of potential email marketing publishers fail to move beyond this opening approval step! Prospective affiliates entering top networks learn in the phone verification process that all email marketers are required to carry full opt-in records for every consumer on their lists. Furthermore, publishers are asked to discuss the sources that they use for information acquisition.

Random and Constant Audits: Top level networks conduct random audits of traffic quality, logs and email practices. In the case of Clickbooth, an added layer of protection is received through in-depth publisher breakdowns that are generated from our comprehensive auditing solutions as well as other industry standard 3rd party auditing solutions. In the rare instances of abuse the system automatically shuts down the publisher.

Ongoing Dialogue: An ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure. In other words, affiliates are expected and required to stay in constant dialogue with their affiliate strategists. In addition to understanding affiliates' actions, the best networks also guide publishers on every facet of their business to ensure maximum quality.

Proven Expertise: Elite performance based networks offer admittance to affiliates who are proven experts in their field. Networks seeking growth in Email, Onsite, Search, Path and Media Buying capitalize on affiliate expertise to maximize traffic volume and quality.

What's so special about gaining affiliate admittance to a top performing network? Publishers making it through the approval process gain access to the top offers in every vertical. In addition to running the best offers, affiliates are also guaranteed industry high payouts. Like advertisers earning admittance to a top ranked network, publishers also capitalize on 24/7 support and unmatched proprietary technology. At Clickbooth, we’ve gone an extra step to help publishers maximize their results with a newly integrated affiliate training program.

Maximum performance based ROI is achieved by partnering with the industry's top exclusive networks. Although admittance is difficult, the best networks' five star service and performance provide advertisers and publishers alike the best opportunity for maximum return and minimum risk. For companies successfully navigating the approval process and earning network admittance, the taste of victory can be so sweet.

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