Pontiflex, a New York start-up with a mobile sign-up ad platform, allows consumers to pick what kind of ads and offers they want to see. The model, as we wrote about before, is pulling in big money for app developers and publishers, but it was limited to consumers in the U.S. Now, Pontiflex is releasing an international SDK that allows U.S. developers to place country-specific ads in local languages and take advantage of the increasing number of international app users.
The AppLeads International SDK allows developers to initially target Asia, Western Europe, Latin America and Canada, where consumers have already made 1 million requests for localized Pontiflex sign-up ads. Prior to the SDK, Pontiflex wasn’t able to monetize international users for developers because it didn’t have local advertisers and country-specific ads to show them. Now, Pontiflex is turning to its existing 500 advertisers and lining up new international ones to reach those users.
Pontiflex works by letting developers embed an ad in their mobile apps that asks users to sign up to hear more from relevant advertisers. Consumers can choose to hand over their name, email address and zip code to a trusted brand right from the ad without having to leave the application. This simple formula allows consumers to get offers only from brands they like and advertisers are able to start a more meaningful relationship with interested consumers, which translates into higher revenue for publishers who run these ads. Pontiflex ads can run alongside ads from other providers.
Zephrin Lasker, Pontiflex’s CEO and co-founder said apps are increasingly cross-border and are being used by people all around the world. There’s a big opportunity, he said, for developers and companies like Pontiflex that can help them tap the international market for mobile advertising, which is expected to be worth $ 3.3 billion this year. Pontiflex is now working to figure out how to match international users to the right brands and advertisers.
I think this highlights the broader international play for U.S. developers. There’s a lot of opportunity in turning the whole world into a market for apps. And it makes sense to not only sell and distribute apps around the world, but also serve up ads that are relevant to local users. Developers who localize their apps and take advantage of these advertising opportunities stand to make some good money.
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