Ad Server Solutions asked:


Ad Server Solutions http://www.adserversolutions.com has released Enterprise versions of its ad management, ad network, banner exchange, affiliate software and affiliate network software for Windows, Linux and Unix servers. Api’s, source codes, installation services and programming services are available. Hosted solutions are also available for all of our solutions through our sister site Ad Serving Solutions http://www.adservingsolutions.com

This next generation Enterprise platform has been completed from ground up over the last year. Substantial enhancements of our core technology and innovation have also been updated and overhauled. We provide turn key solutions from start to finish which allow you to personally start making money today easily and affordable. If you run a website you must monetize revenue by generating traffic and selling ad space, which are done through ad management and affiliate program solutions.

This release is a major update that enhances our products on many levels. This version includes many customer requested enhancements. Enterprise versions deliver a much more scalable platform that gives the customer the power to maximize revenue, streamline processes, and lower operating costs. The enhanced capabilities provide a robust and scalable architecture designed for performance and reliability. Multi server deployment, connection pooling, load balancing, unique statistic logic, remote concepts, memory based queue and server clustering are just a few of the many enhancements in the Enterprise versions.

Enterprise versions add the tools necessary to manage, integrate and track large scale web sites using ad management and affiliate management programs. Customers love the flexibility in managing affiliates, advertisers, real time sales, tracking and commissions reporting together with integrated email management for communications. Our goal has always been to provide our customers flexible tools to manage their advertising and affiliate relationships in a manner unique to their business model.

Internet advertising is quickly becoming the most common method of marketing. As this shift to marketing online continues, website owners will continue to seek methods to monetize their revenue. Ad Server Solutions Enterprise versions were developed to be highly scalable to provide web site owners a wide variety of tools to inventory, manage, distribute, buy and sell content targeted advertising, contextual advertising and 3rd party ad network advertising on their own. Publishers will be able to create their own niche advertising networks and affiliate networks with revenue sharing agreements that meet both the network’s needs, and those of their publishers and advertisers.

Ad Server Solutions Advertising Integration Opportunities: From websites, blogs, xml feeds, mobile, podcasts to social media and everything in between. Do you have widgets, applications, videos, games or other media driven opportunities you would like to generate ad revenue from? We can work with you to incorporate the ability to serve ads to these mediums using our solutions so you can start generating advertising revenue. Transform applications into hard working revenue generators today.





WALLACE

Carlis Collins asked:


Transparency between advertisers and affiliates has been always an issue, especially for affiliates. Absence of real value delivered by networks seems to be even heavier topic for debates. For money that Commission Junction and other ad monsters charge, the value better be much more obvious for both – publishers and merchants. The variety of products on big networks is overwhelming, interface is to complicated, application to programs within the large network like CJ or PPJ can be exhausting. Moreover, they all look like clones to me.

While browsing advertising news, I run across pretty interesting affiliate network that seems to add a unique flavor to the ad network business all together, as well as address issues mentioned above. These guys provide completely different kind of approach to reporting.

While other ad networks offer you exposure to their affiliates, IdeaMama (http://IdeaMamaAdNetwork.com) also helps merchant to build credibility and develop relationships not only with publishers, but also referral partners and resellers who don’t have an on-line presence. Hey, take into consideration that thousands of laid off executives are very well connected! I think it’s a great move that they can be engaged in affiliate programs without bothering about building web sites. No other network has an ability to manage off-line relationships and properly serve B2B sector, especially companies with long sales cycle 0 they seem to be left out. Nobody seems to want to run their program on CPA.

IdeaMamaAdNetwork.com seems to handle it. They have an automated software system that enables referral partners to upload contact information of prospects and monitor the status of the leads, closely watching how they are moving through pipeline. It means even if the campaign doesn’t generate immediate sales, publishers can see that in 3 months from now there is a percentage of leads that will be closed and generate high payoff.

Basically IdeaMama provides each merchant with a full-blown, proprietary CRM solution to not only manage their channel partners, but also align the business processes of their entire organization.

Overall IdeaMama’s network is not limited by advertisers and affiliates. Their parent company IdeaMamaClub.com connects merchant with thousands of other service providers and contributors that can help them with innovative creative ideas for new marketing campaigns as well as product development.

So, IdeaMamaAdNetwork has developed a solution and bridges the gap to fill in the missing peace in traffic monetization – transparency between affiliates and advertisers. With their technology affiliates’ guessing game is over – they can see the status of each lead converted from their traffic driven to a merchant, it is due to pipeline management features provided to merchants. Now affiliates and referral partners can observe the sales pipeline and predict the probability, volume and time when new deals will be closed in the next one to six months.

The tracking is achieved with dynamic, fully customizable forms that you add to your web site or a landing page. Leads from each campaign are captured right into a CRM system. Merchants get a 1 year license for a 3 user-CRM system. No other CRM solution is as cost-effective when it comes to partner management.

Merchants would never be charged for any partner that has access to the data that advertisers volunteer to provide. Compare this with Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Siebel or other CRM providers that will charge you an additional $40-90 for every added partner account. If a merchant wants to add and manage 1,000 partners, simply being a customer of the network can save them over $700,000 a year! With elite account of IdeaMamaAdNetwork.com advertisers may add an unlimited amount of resellers absolutely free of charge and watch leads bulk-uploaded in the CRM.

In addition, right from this account, merchants can email to all their contacts and acquired opt-in lists and invite them to participate in a particular program as affiliates or referral partners.

So, I really love this new approach to affiliate marketing. It makes a lot of sense, especially in a current economy.

Other networks to consider are XY7, Affiliate.com, but unfortunately they are weak in B2B and don’t offer equal transparency. Alternatively you can run your own affiliate program, but it might end up requiring way more resources then partnering with an ad network to run your CPA campaigns



network ip management

Jeremy Gislason asked:


Discover The Answer To The 10 Most Common Affiliate Marketing Management Questions

1. Is affiliate marketing right for my business?

Affiliate marketing is one of the most powerful and effective means of gaining new customers, regardless of your product or service. Affiliate marketing exposes your business to new customers and can get you out of your marketing rut. Additionally, when you initiate an affiliate marketing campaign, you’re in control. You determine the commission rate you pay and pay only when your affiliates make a sale. It’s a no loss operation for you because you only pay when a sale is made.

2. What are the startup costs?

When you start an affiliate program you have the choice of handling the operations yourself or having it managed by an affiliate network. The costs for either choice are reasonable and generally start around a few hundred dollars. Additionally, as a business owner don’t forget that many of your costs may be tax deductible. To start an affiliate marketing program in house, costs will include:

Affiliate management software

Affiliate marketing support including a website that answers affiliate questions and a means for them to contact you if any issues arise.

Affiliate marketing materials including banner ads, copy, coupons, and promotional content.

An affiliate marketing contract agreement

Tracking software to track cookies, click throughs, payments, etc…

If you choose to hire an affiliate network to handle your program they generally charge a flat fee or a percentage of what you pay out each month.

3. How much time will it take out of my workday/workweek?

Most experts agree that it will take you about an hour and a half each day to manage your affiliate program. They also recommend you to budget more time in the first few months of your program, approximately two to three hours a day. Even the most efficient affiliate managers spend about 45 minutes a day managing their affiliate program.

Professional affiliate managers generally spend an average of 40-80 hours a month dedicated to managing, tracking and promoting your affiliate program.

4. Should I use an affiliate network?

Do you have an extra 3 hours a day for the next two or three months? Do you have an hour a day to devote to managing your program after the initial three month program is complete? An affiliate network, while it may be a bit more expensive on the outset, can help you focus your time on other profit generating tasks. Additionally, an affiliate network can help expose your affiliate program to a wide variety of experience affiliates, which means more money in your bottom line and more exposure overall.

That being said, there are a tremendous number of effective in-house solutions including some you’re likely already familiar with like 1shoppingcart.com and affiliatepro.com. These programs will help you stay 100% in control of your affiliate program and are effective at managing your program.

5. How should I pay affiliates? What type of commission works best?

This is a very important decision because it not only affects your profits, the right commission rate will help you recruit top-notch affiliates. The general rule of thumb is to set your default commission rate at a rate you can afford to pay while leaving room for time limited commission increase offers, promotions, and private offers. For example, if you can afford to pay 50% of your gross profit margin, pay 25% instead and tier it so that after a sales goal is reached they earn 30% or you can bump it up to 50% during the holidays or during typically low sales times.

6. How do I recruit affiliates?

Your customers may be your best affiliates. After all, they already appreciate and enjoy your products or services. A simple link on your website is a good place to start. Here are a few ways to find quality affiliates:

Online forums. These are excellent places to meet and greet and connect with like minded individuals. They’re also a good resource for affiliates who are interested in, motivated, and qualified to sell your products and services. Using a forum, you can announce your affiliate program. Be careful to not ‘sell’ on the forum as most forums look down on this and may kick you off. Additionally, you can include a link to your affiliate site in your signature.

Find websites that link to your competitors and approach them about being an affiliate for you. Likewise, you can find affiliates using your favorite search engine and contact them about joining your program.

One last way is to join an affiliate network or become listed on an affiliate directory. This will ensure that affiliate marketers who are searching for new products and services to promote. However, keep in mind that many beginner marketers also seek products and services to promote via affiliate directories and they may lose interest and motivation before they ever make a sale. This isn’t a strong deterrent because they don’t get paid unless they make a sale, however it should be noted.

7. What is the best way to communicate with my affiliates?

Email is the general tool of choice, which makes an auto responder a fantastic tool for basic emails like the welcome email, introducing promotions, coupons, sending links and banner ads, and answering Frequently Asked Questions. It is also generally advisable to have an email address, fax number, and telephone number available for when affiliates have questions that are not answered by your frequently asked questions web page or when they simply want to speak with you.

8. How do I motivate affiliates?

Money motivates no doubt about it. That being said, affiliates are also motivated by feeling that they’re important to you. This means when they ask for your time, you give it. Additionally, promotions, bonuses, prizes, contests, and commission increases are all tools to motivate and inspire affiliates. Constant communication, like sending a weekly or monthly Ezine, will also help remind your affiliates that you’re out there and invested in their success.

9. Do I need to hire an affiliate manager?

The answer to this question really depends on your needs. How large is your company? Do you have the time to manage your program? Do you have the skills to manage your program? An affiliate manager is the person that:

Recruits affiliates

Communicates with affiliates

Develops, tracks, and reports on promotions

Develops programs to enhance affiliate program

Motivates affiliates

Tracks sales and pays affiliates

Monitors your competition

These are all extremely important functions and if you have the time to handle them yourself, excellent! If you do not, then consider hiring an affiliate manager.

10. How do I find/hire an affiliate manager?

Outsourcing an affiliate manager is fairly easy to do. There are hundreds available with a quick online search. You can ask associates, inquire at online forums, or post an advertisement seeking someone to fill the position. Depending on the complexity of your affiliate program, you could consider a well qualified virtual assistant for the job. The skills your affiliate manager will need are:

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Knowledge of online business, internet marketing, and basic ecommerce operations

Basic html and graphic experience are a plus

Because they’re going to be representing you, you’ll want to make sure they’re personable.



LAMONT