Self-service platform lets SMBs advertise within mobile apps

If your small business has been flirting with the idea of sending mobile advertisements to iPhone, iPad and Android devices, you might want to check out a new service called AdLeads.

The platform was created by Pontiflex, mobile development and service company in Brooklyn, N.Y. The technology allows SMBs to run mobile advertisements within free mobile applications. That in itself might not be all that unusual; what is a twist, however, is the fact that your company only has to pay for an AdLeads lead when someone actually signs up and shares his or her contact information. So, your company pays for conscious leads, not for when someone accidentally clicks on the link.

People can sign up to be on your company's mailing list without having to leave the application they are in.

Pontiflex offers examples of several beta customers who were able to generate a return on their advertising investment within a matter of weeks. "Being able to reach people in the area while they're out on the town or making plans for the night really helps promote specials and our events," said Sam DiStefano, owner of Brooklyn restaurant Nita Nita. "Now we can also invite them to be part of our social community through AdLeads."

AdLeads targets ads to specific mobile devices based on geolocation features. The platform comes with templates for targeting the content at a range of smartphones and tables (Apple iOS and Android); the sign-up fields are customizable. The platform also comes with a service that allows ads to be translated into the native language of the device.

The cost per sign-up address is from 50 cents to $15, depending on the variables chosen by the advertiser.