The Chief Product Officer @ Trialpay: Terry Angelos

- Hi Terry, Can you tell us something about the function you currently have at TrialPay? What does your typical day at work look like?

As the Chief Product Officer, I oversee TrialPay’s e-commerce platform including our social monetization platform and virtual currency solutions. Along with a fantastic product and engineering team, I help to develop our most innovative and disruptive ideas – many of them originating from our publisher and advertising partners. Since our “company DNA” is innovation centric, this usually involves rapid prototyping and fast release cycles to quickly test new concepts. If you were ask a TrialPay employee, they’d probably tell you that all I do is run from conference room to conference room all day long.

- What is TrialPay’s unique selling proposition? Why do you think people should pick TrialPay as their main virtual currency platform?

TrialPay continues to lead the industry with the deepest advertiser relationships and the most robust monetization platform and our track record working with the largest customers in social gaming industry proves it.

- I hope you don’t mind us asking, but did TrialPay ever consider buying smaller companies operating in the industry?

Ha! Since you’ve asked this question to every other company, I assume this is your “Lake Wobegon” question and everyone is above average :). If we found a company with complementary technology and direct advertiser relationships we might consider this.

- Will TrialPay launch new products or functions in the near future that could benefit users? If so, could you tell us something about them?

If you’ve followed the industry since inception, you will notice that TrialPay has been first-to-market with many important innovations, such as offer controls, direct payment solutions and user-level quality scores. For 2010, publishers can continue to expect innovation around advertising formats and payment types.

- Can you give us your 3 best tips for monetizing games or content on social networks?

1) Game Mechanics – There has to be a compelling reason why people want to pay real money for a game that is free-to-play. Allowing players to skip ahead or purchase rare items is often a great way to monetize and also improve the user-experience.

2) First Time Buyer – Focus on converting more first time buyers. Our analysis shows that first-time offer completions result in direct payments later on.

3) Repeat Purchases – Good social games are built for longevity. Keep players engaged through self-expression and more interesting tasks.

- If there’s one thing you’d like to see different about the virtual goods industry; what would it be?

Foresight. The criticism and skepticism that this industry has received is due to shortsighted goals and strategies. As an industry, more companies should understand that we serve the needs of consumers, publishers and advertisers and that we should focus on creating and preserving value for each party in this ecosystem.

- Where do you see the industry going from here? What do you think will change (for the better or for the worse)?

Facebook will play a significant role in game monetization and distribution through Game Dashboards and FB Credits.

Established game companies with existing IP will migrate to social platforms.

Advertisers will more closely scrutinize the quality of the customers and leads they receive from the industry.

Visit: http://www.trialpay.com