Publishers can employ a variety of different channels to generate traffic, but not all of these have the same potential as mobile traffic. As a matter of fact, mobile has made up more than half of the overall global internet traffic for a few years now, with these devices accounting for 55% of the total web page views worldwide.
In simple terms, mobile traffic has the potential to generate significant revenues, regardless if it’s generated through apps or mobile sites.
Below, we’ll take a look at the characteristics that make mobile traffic a great option and go over the steps publishers can take to monetize this type of visitor.
What Makes Mobile Traffic So Special?
Before going any further, let’s take a look at the features that make mobile traffic a great option for publishers.
Mobile devices have become part of the human identity, so they allow advertisers to connect with their audiences at a personal level. Not only this, but mobile traffic is special because it’s:
- Among the most expensive types of traffic, with iOS visitors sporting the highest CPM rates at the time of writing
- One of the fastest-growing types of traffic because mobile devices are becoming more affordable, which means more people are buying and using smartphones to access the internet around the world
- Powered by 5G technology in certain parts of the world, and this technology results in faster connections with improved range while also reducing energy consumption in the devices themselves
- Directly linked with social media users, which is also the fastest-growing segment of mobile internet users
Best Ways to Monetize Mobile Traffic
Now that we’ve gone over the features that make mobile traffic an ideal choice for most publishers, let’s take a look at the top techniques you can use to monetize this type of visitor.
Website Type and Audience Preferences
Just like any other type of traffic, mobile users can be monetized through ads. And, leading platforms like PropellerAds always develop a mobile version of their formats, so you can work with any type of ad you wish.
Read more: 3 Fail-safe ways to earn with interstitials
This means that instead of focusing on the type of ad, you should really study the type of website and how your audience reacts to different formats. Once you test out a few alternatives, you’ll be able to see which ones produce great results as well as the options you’re better off eliminating.
The Balanced Technique or Max Profit Approach
If you want to make the most money, you can always work with popunder ads. But, keep in mind that these are more direct, which some users don’t necessarily enjoy.
Publishers that want to take a more gentle approach to monetization can opt for push notifications, in-page push (IPP) notifications, and interstitials. Just remember that push notifications don’t work for iOS, so you’re always better off combining these with IPP ads.
Ad Format Combination
You can also combine several ad formats, but remember that you have to choose one main type of monetization option and then build others around it.
For example, if your main bread-earner is OnClick, you can also do IPP ads as well as interstitials as long as you leave a 5-second delay between them.
Mobile Browser Optimization
Mobile traffic usurped desktop as the leading type of global traffic over two years ago, so 2021 is all about mobile-first. So, you should optimize your site for mobile browsers, preferably using a responsive site that adapts the content to each user’s screen size.
To ensure that your content is delivered in an easy-to-digest format every time, remember to test your site out with different browsers.
Chrome is the most popular, but you should also test other browsers and attempt to access your site through apps like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, and messengers (and yes, these platforms have a built-in browser that lets users view web pages without exiting the app interface).
This is the best way to increase your income without necessarily generating more traffic as every impression is super expensive.
GEOs and Country Tiers
In this context, the GEOs are the locations from where your traffic is coming from. Just like desktop traffic, mobile GEOs are divided into different tiers that define how expensive each impression is.
In tier-1 countries, which include the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and similar regions, are the most expensive GEOs. If most of your visitors come from these locations, you can consider yourself an extremely fortunate publisher!
That said, there are also more remote locations like Oceania that, until recently, usually generate low traffic volumes. Likewise, in places like India and other tier-3 countries, the internet speeds are much slower, so you need to consider all of these factors before choosing the best ad format.
Which Are the Most Profitable Mobile Niches of 2021?
According to our observations, the most profitable mobile niches of 2021 will include:
- iGaming
- Finance
- Sweepstakes
What about you? Do you have more mobile or desktop traffic on your website?
