If the majority of your business comes from paid desktop traffic, there’s something you should know… you are very vulnerable.

The reason is that you’re paying the highest rates to reach a shrinking pool of users. And according to Keith Teare, co-founder of TechCrunch and CEO of just.me, the state of online advertising will only get more volatile this year, as desperate marketers flock to mobile like a bunch of single pickup artists at closing time.

Here are the facts that Teare points to:

• Mobile CPMs are (Cost per impressions) are 80% cheaper than desktop CPMs
• Mobile click-through rates are growing
• Ad prices won’t catch up in 2013

What does it all mean? That’s the billion dollar question…

I agree with Teare that mobile is going to get real crowded, and that lots of marketers are going to use tactics that hurt the user’s experience. It may reach epidemic levels.

Why? Because mobile impressions are so cheap, we’re going to see a mobile ad buying bonanza. And, yes, some advertisers will behave badly.

There is a new law emerging in cyberspace. As desktop traffic growth declines, and mobile adoption explodes, predatory marketers need to monetize mobile traffic or die trying.

The question then becomes: How will users react? One theory that Teare throws out there is the idea that mobile users will flock to apps for a more ad-free experience.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been more than a little put out by some of the apps I’ve downloaded, because the entire app was an upsell into a more expensive app or subscription. I don’t know if I think that’s the way forward.

It’s taken some time, but the rules of engagement have been set on desktops. Annoying pop-ups, malicious ads, etc… were once so prevalent it was hard to do ANYTHING online.

Now, things have gotten a lot more civil. Google slapped advertisers, users fled to better browsers, and site owners started policing their advertisers…

Takeaway

I have the feeling that the platforms that do the best job protecting their customers will continue to grow. Those that allow themselves to become a pipeline of obnoxious mobile ads will be deserted.

To put it plain: Those who think long-term will benefit. Pushy mobile marketers will eventually get a bad reputation, lose traffic, or even get banned from ad networks.

As a marketer, your best bet is to welcome mobile users. Create a good users experience.  Focus on increasing your mobile traffic to critical mass… become a mobile destination. Don’t fall into the trap of allowing ads to hurt your user experience.