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Why Clowder?
Debbie Willis3/1/18 12:00 AM1 min read

The Power of Mobile Membership App Sponsorship Revenue

Traditional advertising through TV, desktop and print is dwindling. An ever-growing shift towards in-app advertising has officially surpassed TV spend as of last year after beating out desktop spend the year before. Native mobile ads are predicted to drive 74% of total ad revenue by 2021 (Business Insider). That’s a huge percentage for associations to ignore. Sponsors are heightening their awareness of the ROI they’re able to gain through mobile as opposed to what they’ve had access to in the past. Without a native app, associations are increasingly missing out on opportunities for major revenue generation.

Within apps there are different forms of advertising including standard banner ads and promotional videos as well as sponsored content. Because they're on mobile, each offer a greater degree of viewer engagement. More specifically, when in a social network environment, users have the ability to like, comment on and share ads with others instantly. This creates conversations. The same experience cannot be said for TV commercials, web pop-ups or print ads. Typically the experience immediately ends once (or if) they’ve been viewed.

Advertising through associations is ideal for sponsors as they’re made up of highly targeted audiences. With an app of their own, associations can offer sponsors placement in their mobile news feeds, discussion forums, events tab or push notifications. All open up opportunities for sponsor to member interactions. Ads and sponsored content placed in an environment members visit daily earn much higher views than for example those placed on a website members might visit a couple times a month or in a magazine they may skim through once.

In-app advertising doesn’t have to fully replace all previous sponsorship initiatives right away. It’s a forward-thinking and lucrative add-on an association can present in addition to what’s already in place. The add-on serves to excite sponsors with the chance to enhance their reach and engagement with members. It’s a win on both ends.

This is the future of sponsorship and the best method for associations to expand and grow their overall ad revenue. By not utilizing mobile, the gap many associations have created between their current outdated strategies and what's now working in the market continues to strengthen. 
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Debbie Willis
Debbie Willis is the VP of Global Marketing at Advanced Solutions International (ASI), the parent company of iMIS, TopClass, OpenWater, and Clowder. She has more than 20 years of marketing experience in the association and nonprofit technology space. Passionate about all things MarTech, Debbie has led countless website, SEO, content, email, paid ad, and social media marketing strategies and campaigns. Debbie loves creating meaningful content to engage and empower association and nonprofit audiences. Debbie received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing Information Systems from James Madison University and a Masters of Business Administration in Marketing from The George Washington University. Debbie is a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority and the American Society of Association Executives, and dabbles in photography. She also volunteers on the Marketing Committee for the Association Women Technology Champions.

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