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Downloadable applications

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Take a minute to think about downloadable applications

by Platrium

Downloadable applications are commonplace on the Internet today. After all, downloading a game, an instant messaging client, search toolbar, social media widget and a variety of other tools and applications is not an experimental or ground breaking idea to offer free services and content in exchange for ad delivery. In fact, it’s probably what most of us experienced last night at home when we plopped down on the couch in front of our TV’s. Maybe people just don’t stop to realize all the different things on the web that are considered downloadable apps? Things that have become mainstream to the public and are being used by most individuals on a daily basis. Things such as (MSN, AOL or Yahoo!) Instant Messenger, (Google’s) search toolbars and more.

Best Practices

In addition to providing great services and content, a key to downloadable applications offered by an array of companies is to operate responsibly and ethically, abiding by best practices that protect both consumers and business partners. The industry, especially over the past few years, has built this protection plan around the following standards:

a plain language notice
consumer consent to download prior to installation
privacy practices
an easy uninstallation process
and, even ad labeling

Downloadable application companies that don’t follow these simple rules are not legitimate and operating illegally.

Advertising Supported

Ad supported downloadable applications are not new and they represent a growing channel for advertisers. Because of the pinpoint (yet privacy-respected) consumer targeting that is capable with downloadable applications, advertisers are finding greater efficiencies for their ad spend in places like (Facebook) social media applications, instant messaging clients and Internet toolbars. Advertisers may decide to promote their products and services through downloadable applications because they offer additional reach and access to inventory that is not tied specifically to one publisher or source of traffic. And, as Search and Ad Networks become more saturated, these downloadable applications simply offer another option and traffic source for advertisers.

In fact, downloadable applications and their popularity has never been higher as consumers become more and more comfortable downloading tools and services over the web. For instance, after the summer (2008) release of Firefox 3, installation rates peaked at 14,000 per minute according to CNET. Widget downloading is so widespread that comScore found more than 239 million were used on the Web in the month of August 2008 alone.

In Summary

With this increased popularity it’s vital that companies practice responsibility to ensure protection of their consumers and business partners alike. Organizations like TRUSTe, the leading privacy certification program in the U.S., help monitor and develop accepted protection standards for the online industry. The growing downloadable application popularity also means companies need to work harder than ever at providing consumers real value in exchange for the ad delivery. Valuable applications such as Instant Messenger to better communicate with friends and family, or fun and entertaining online gaming downloads, are just a few of the examples.

Consumers will receive more valued services and content for free. Advertisers will gain direct access to additional online consumers. Finally, the creators and providers of the downloadable applications will be able to actually monetize their applications. Everyone wins.