buy.at and Coull Launch Coull Activator to Increase Impact & Value of Online Video to Affiliates

Jan. 15, 2010 - PRLog -- buy.at, the affiliate marketing network, has announced the launch of Coull Activator – a new video affiliate platform developed in conjunction with Coull, the interactive video technology company.

As online video usage soars to its highest ever level*, Coull Activator will launch at the Affiliate Summit West in Las Vegas 17-19 January 2010.  

The Coull Activator launch secures buy.at’s position as the first ever global affiliate network to offer online interactive video functionality across its entire affiliate marketing channel.

Available as a free member benefit to the many thousands of buy.at’s merchants and affiliate partners worldwide, including the likes of Ticketmaster and Sky, all videos used through the service will be managed by Coull http://www.coull.com.  This ensures that affiliate links stay with videos when they are passed around social networks and blogs.

The launch of Coull Activator means that all buy.at affiliates will be able to include interactive video footage on their sites – to further engage and retain customers online, and increase sales.

Key Coull Activator http://coull.com/how_it_works/coull_activator features will enable affiliates to:  

•   Make any video content interactive on their sites, including their own video footage and approved videos taken directly from YouTube
•   Tag individual products and items within videos clips enabling visitors to click through to a dedicated affiliate page
•   Generate increased sales and earn commission every time someone clicks on their links within a video
•   Access detailed analytics to measure the effectiveness of their videos and affiliate campaigns
•   Promote video content across marketing channels, including websites, email forwarding, ad-serving sites and social networks to drive increased visitors, commissions and sales.

To support merchants and affiliates once they start using Coull Activator, buy.at will also be making a library of pre-approved video content available for affiliates to access and upload.  This content will include its advertising back catalogue and sponsored sport interviews.  

Paul Fellows, MD of buy.at, said: “In rolling out Coull’s interactive video technology across LittlewoodsDirect.com’s affiliate campaign last year, we saw first hand the impact it can have on product placement and sales.

“Online video directly influences website visibility, encouraging visitors to stay longer, engage and convert.  By teaming up with Coull we are taking the very best in online interactive video right to our affiliates front door.”

Irfon Watkins, CEO of Coull concludes: “Engaging content, especially interactive video is an essential element in generating income for affiliate programmes.  By making sites more interactive, Coull Activator delivers real SEO benefits and will ensure that buy.at’s affiliates are far better placed to increase the visibility of their sites and convert more sales.

“Online video usage is at an all time high around the world.  In the UK alone, the number of online videos viewed in the UK is up 47% compared to last year**.  As a result, it’s great to team up, yet again, with such a great player in the affiliate market to help their affiliate partners capitalise on the growth and increasing importance of online video, especially when it comes to the bottomline.”

but.at merchants and affiliate partners can sign-up to beta test Coull Activator up until the end of January 2010 by visiting http://www.coull.com/affiliate/register

Coull CEO, Irfon Watkins @Irfonw will be available for interview at Affiliate Summit West in Las Vegas where demonstrations of Coull Activator will also be taking place.  Irfon will also be available on Skipe, tweeting and blogging from the event.

Affiliate Summit West http://affiliatesummit.com is the premier affiliate marketing conference.  Taking place January 17-19, 2010 in Las Vegas, the three day conference includes an exhibit hall with affiliate merchants, vendors, and networks, as well as multiple tracks of educational sessions covering the latest trends and information from affiliate marketing experts.

Notes to Editors
*comScore Video Matrix (January 2010) November sees number of U.S. videos viewed online surpass 30b for first time on record.

**conScore Video Matrix (July 2009) 4.7b videos viewed online in the U.K. in April 2009 up 47 percent versus a year ago.

About buy.at http://www.buy.at
buy.at specialises in driving growth for the world's leading brands through expertise and innovation across our global affiliate network. Although we are a global network, we offer one platform, with local expertise and support.

We are committed to producing campaigns that add value to their client's current marketing strategy and drive maximum online results. Each client benefits from a bespoke package of industry leading commercial and technical innovations, supported by a responsive account management team of marketing and technical experts. Having pioneered the idea of an ‘open network’, buy.at ensures that its clients build strong relationships with the UK's leading affiliates, managing their brand more effectively and driving market leading volumes.

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About Coull http://www.coull.com
Coull offer a self serve interactive video advertising platform, free to use and paid for based on engagement rates or share of ecommerce revenues. All user engagements are tracked and we work with all major ad serving technology partners to help deliver targeted campaigns.