This is my first mobile campaign and I'm just trying to figure out what the problem is.
I am direct linking using F5 Media with Decisive (Following The Appetizer).
When I try to go to the link that I got from F5 Media for an offer, it just redirects me to the website "mobile4g-phone.com" which is just a website with ads and other crap on it. The offer is an app install on the Google play store.
Is this an issue on my end, or am I doing something wrong?
Is it redirecting to this blank website because I am not doing it on an android device?
Could this be why I have over 1000 clicks and 0 conversions?
Thanks for the help!
There are two issues/practices you need to be aware of:
1. Geo-redirection
2. Device/user-agent based redirection
In 1 users are redirected based on geographic location, as determined by their IP and a database of IP : Countries.
Almost every affiliate network, annoyingly, puts geo-redirection on all their links so that out-of-geo traffic (not from the accepted countries for that offer) gets redirected to some shitty page that tries to make a few dollars.
Why they still do this I don't know.
I have seen no data on how much revenue this provides, but it always pisses affiliates off. It's a practice that needs to die in a fire.
To avoid being geo-redirected, you should always test your affiliate links through a VPN service like Overplay, HideMyAss Pro, Witopia, Astrill, etc. so that you are not bounced for being from country B not X, Y or Z. I recommend Overplay.
In the case of mobile app, 2 often pops up and redirects you if your browser user-agent is not from a mobile browser, or if your device is detected as being a desktop computer.
The best way around this is to use a user-agent switcher in your browser (many available) or check from your own Android/iOS device.
Ideally you would combine 1 and 2 and use an appropriate user-agent while connected through a VPN, or set up your smartphone to use your VPN service as well.
There's also 3) it's a Google Play link.
Those will appear blank on a browser even if you've got geo-redirects and useragent right, but on an android phone will pop up the Google Play store.
Hence, definitely best to use an Android device to check Android offers.
Thanks for the help, guys! That makes sense now.