QuinStreet

What is QuinStreet

QuinStreet is a performance marketing and digital media company founded in 1999. Its headquarters are in Foster City, California. The company's main purpose is to connect online consumers who are researching products and services with relevant brands. QuinStreet operates decentralized online marketplaces in various industries, including financial services, education, and home services. Using advanced segmentation and AI-driven matching technologies, they help businesses find high-intent customer prospects. Instead of charging for ad impressions, their business model is based on performance, meaning clients pay for specific, measurable results like clicks, leads, calls, or sales.

QuinStreet Features

QuinStreet offers a range of products and technologies designed to deliver measurable marketing results.

• Performance Marketing Products: Clients can choose the type of result they want to pay for. This includes clicks to their website, inquiries from interested consumers, direct calls to their sales centers, completed applications for services, or confirmed sales.
• QuinStreet Media Platform (QMP): This is their proprietary channel management platform. It is used to manage and optimize marketing campaigns across various digital channels to achieve the best possible performance.
• QuinStreet Rating Platform (QRP): A specialized platform for the insurance industry. It allows consumers to receive real-time quotes from different providers, helping insurance companies generate high-quality leads.
• AI-Powered Matching: The company uses artificial intelligence and sophisticated algorithms to match consumers with the most suitable product or service provider. This increases the quality of leads and improves conversion rates for clients.
• Targeted Customer Acquisition: QuinStreet's technology allows brands to target customer prospects with high precision based on demographics, intent, and other specific segments.

QuinStreet Pricing Plans

QuinStreet does not offer standard tiered pricing plans like a typical SaaS product. Instead, their pricing is entirely performance-based and customized for each client. The cost depends on the client's specific goals, industry, and the type of results they want to achieve. Businesses work with QuinStreet to create a custom campaign and budget. The model is flexible and can be adapted for small businesses looking for local leads as well as large enterprises needing high-volume customer acquisition at a national scale. Payment models include Cost-Per-Click (CPC), Cost-Per-Lead (CPL), Cost-Per-Call, and Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA).

QuinStreet Free Plan

There is no free plan or free trial available for QuinStreet's services. Their model is based on partnership and paid campaigns. However, interested businesses can contact QuinStreet for a free consultation. During the consultation, their team will discuss your business needs, marketing goals, and explain how their services can help. They will then provide a custom proposal with a recommended strategy and budget.

How to use QuinStreet

For a business wanting to use QuinStreet for customer acquisition, the process is straightforward.

1. Contact QuinStreet: The first step is to reach out to their sales or business development team through their website to schedule an initial consultation.
2. Define Campaign Goals: During the consultation, you will discuss your target audience, business objectives (e.g., generate 500 qualified leads per month), and budget.
3. Develop a Strategy: The QuinStreet team will work with you to create a custom marketing strategy, deciding on the best channels and performance metrics (e.g., pay-per-lead or pay-per-call).
4. Campaign Launch: Once the strategy is approved, QuinStreet will launch the campaign across its network of websites and marketing channels.
5. Optimization and Reporting: QuinStreet's platforms and account managers continuously monitor and optimize the campaign to improve performance. Clients receive regular reports detailing key metrics and results.

Pros and Cons of QuinStreet

Pros:

• Pay-for-Performance Model: You only pay for actual results, which lowers the financial risk compared to traditional advertising.
• Access to High-Intent Customers: QuinStreet specializes in reaching consumers who are actively researching and comparing products, leading to higher quality leads.
• Industry Expertise: They have deep experience in specific verticals like insurance, financial services, and education.
• Advanced Technology: Their AI-driven platforms help optimize campaigns for better results.

Cons:

• Cost: Acquiring leads in competitive industries can be expensive.
• Less Direct Control: QuinStreet manages the campaigns, so you have less direct control over ad creatives and placement compared to running your own ads on Google or Facebook.
• Requires Budget: To see significant results, a substantial marketing budget is often required.
• Variable Lead Quality: While they aim for high-quality leads, the quality can sometimes vary depending on the campaign and channel.

QuinStreet Integrations

QuinStreet's platforms are designed to integrate with common business systems to ensure a smooth transfer of leads and data. They offer integration capabilities with many popular tools.

• Salesforce: Leads generated by QuinStreet can be automatically sent to your Salesforce CRM for your sales team to follow up.
• HubSpot: Integration allows for seamless lead delivery into the HubSpot marketing and sales platform.
• Marketo: Connect QuinStreet campaigns to Marketo for advanced lead nurturing and marketing automation.
• Custom CRM/Lead Management Systems: They provide options for integration with proprietary or other third-party systems, often through APIs or webhook-based lead posting.

QuinStreet Alternatives

• Criteo: A global technology company that specializes in commerce media and retargeting. It is a strong alternative for businesses focused on e-commerce and driving online sales.
• Taboola: A leading content discovery and native advertising platform. It is a good alternative for brands that want to drive traffic and generate leads through content marketing on publisher websites.
• Digital Turbine: Focuses on mobile marketing and advertising. It is an ideal alternative for companies looking to acquire users for their mobile apps.
• Bankrate (owned by Red Ventures): A direct competitor in the financial services vertical, connecting consumers with financial products and generating leads for banks and lenders.

QuinStreet API

Yes, QuinStreet provides an API for its clients and partners. The API is primarily used for real-time lead delivery and data reporting. It allows a client's system (like a CRM) to automatically receive lead information as soon as it is captured by a QuinStreet web property.

To get access to the API, you must be an active client or partner. You would typically contact your QuinStreet account manager, who will provide you with the API documentation, credentials, and an API key. There is no public, self-service developer portal for API key generation.

Example API Code (Conceptual - for lead submission):

{
  "apiKey": "YOUR_API_KEY",
  "campaignId": "12345",
  "leadData": {
    "firstName": "John",
    "lastName": "Doe",
    "email": "john.doe@example.com",
    "phone": "555-123-4567",
    "productInterest": "Home Insurance"
  }
}

QuinStreet Affiliate Program

QuinStreet's core business model functions like a large-scale affiliate or partner program. They refer to it as their Publisher Network. Website owners, content creators, and media buyers can partner with QuinStreet to monetize their traffic.

• How it works: Publishers integrate QuinStreet's offers or ad units on their websites. When a visitor clicks an ad, fills out a form, or completes another desired action, the publisher earns a commission.
• Commission Rates: Payouts are performance-based and vary widely depending on the industry, the quality of the traffic, and the action required (e.g., CPL, CPA, CPC). Rates in competitive sectors like insurance and loans are typically higher.
• How to Join: To become a publisher, you need to apply through the 'Publishers' section of the QuinStreet website. The application will be reviewed, and if approved, you will get access to their platform and offers.
• Payments: Publishers are typically paid on a regular schedule, such as monthly, once their earnings reach a certain payment threshold.