A new report from Adjust and AppLovin reveals that mobile gaming is not stagnating but evolving. Key findings: innovation thrives with hybrid casual genres; generative AI transforms creative development, saving time and enhancing efficiency; CTV becomes a prime channel for mobile game ads due to live-action elements. Hybrid monetization combining in-app purchases, ads, and subscriptions is crucial for long-term success, improving player lifetime value.
Despite challenges like slower growth and rising user acquisition costs, the report emphasizes adaptation: leveraging AI tools, diversifying monetization, and expanding into CTV. Data-driven strategies and expert insights provide a roadmap for marketers to acquire and retain users effectively in a competitive landscape.
A creative strategy is essential for mobile app marketing success. It combines compelling content with strategic planning to increase app installs and engagement. Key steps include defining objectives, understanding your audience, and setting KPIs. Best practices emphasize consistency, agility, and leveraging AI for optimization.
Mobile in-game advertising balances revenue and player experience using formats like banners, interstitials, playables, videos, rewarded, and native ads. Each format varies in cost, engagement, and ROI across platforms, with no single best option—success depends on goals, budget, and platform-specific performance.
India's mobile app market hit record revenue of $345M in Q2 2026, with non-gaming up 50% YoY. For ad ops, key opportunities lie in short drama apps (Story TV tripled ad spend), AI subscriptions, and ad-supported games like arrow puzzles, which generate over 11% of global ad revenue from India. Gaming revenue grew 10% YoY, outperforming global decline. Hypercasual game ad revenue rose 180% QoQ. India is transitioning from an acquisition market to a monetization powerhouse, offering scalable ad inventory across entertainment, local commerce, and casual gaming.
Mobile market rebounded in 2023 with record $171B consumer spend. Apps drove growth at 11% YoY to $64B. Generative AI exploded 7x. Travel apps surged 13%. Mobile ad spend reached $362B.
CTV has become performance-ready for app marketers. Recent acquisitions (Fox/Roku, Walmart/Vibe) signal a shift to self-serve, measurable channels. Marketers can reuse existing UA creative instead of producing TV ads. QR codes drive direct response, but halo effects often matter more. Start with small, additive test budgets and measure assists/incrementality to understand true impact. CTV offers a way to find incremental users and diversify beyond paid social.
Adjust now supports ChatGPT Ads measurement, enabling advertisers to attribute installs and post-install events from campaigns within ChatGPT. The integration provides URL templates for clicks and impressions, and uses the Conversions API to report conversions back to OpenAI. Advertisers can configure the module in Adjust by entering API credentials and mapping events. This allows tracking of key metrics like impressions, clicks, spend, CTR, CPC, and CPM, making ChatGPT Ads a measurable, data-driven channel for user acquisition.
Global app installs rose 13% YoY and sessions 5% in H1 2026, signaling sustained growth despite market saturation concerns. Casual gaming saw a 55% surge in sessions, while e-commerce install day engagement improved across all regions, with North America reaching 1.34 and LATAM 1.4. Finance apps saw installs up 5% but sessions up 29%, underscoring the importance of retention. Ad ops teams should prioritize casual gaming, optimize install day experiences, and prepare for a strong H2 holiday peak, leveraging accurate measurement to allocate budgets effectively.
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