This article highlights the rapid growth of mobile gaming and shopping apps as key drivers of the mobile industry. Key data: mobile game revenues are projected to reach $98.74 billion in 2024, growing to $119 billion by 2027; mobile commerce will account for 60% of all e-commerce by 2028. Consumer behavior shifts post-COVID favor online shopping, with apps like Temu and Shein gaining share.
For user acquisition (UA) marketers, the article recommends three strategies: 1) Use playable ads to boost engagement—even non-gaming apps like retail can leverage gamified ads to showcase value. 2) Include CTV in the media mix to reach audiences who stream on smartphones, enabling one-tap app downloads while watching TV. 3) Leverage AI-powered UA platforms like AppDiscovery that focus on user habits over demographics, reaching 1.4 billion daily active users.
Success requires deep analysis of high-LTV user profiles, ongoing campaign optimization, and creative testing to maximize ROI.
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) and user acquisition (UA) marketing both aim for engagement and revenue but differ in focus. UA targets large-scale app installs and high-value users, optimizing for CPI, LTV, and ROAS via in-app ads and ASO. D2C drives traffic to owned websites, using channels like email and social, measuring conversion rate, AOV, and CAC. Understanding these differences helps marketers tailor strategies for mobile app success.
Four apps (Enerjoy, Experian, Rollic, Upside) leveraged AppDiscovery’s AI-driven UA strategies to achieve scalable growth. Key insights: running complementary campaigns (CPP & ROAS), using engaging ad formats like 30-second videos, automating global budget management, and optimizing for specific KPIs like CPA. Results include 14x installs, 85% lower CPE, and becoming top UA channels.
Unity trademarks are owned by Unity Technologies. Other names and brands are trademarks of their respective owners. This notice clarifies trademark rights in advertising.
Cross-platform measurement resolves the common problem of fragmented, device-level reporting that inflates ROAS and misallocates budgets. By unifying customer identity across web, mobile, CTV, and other surfaces, marketers gain a single view of LTV and attribution. AppsFlyer provides this via CUID stitching and Product Line grouping, enabling real-time, deduplicated insights without manual BI work. Key benefits include accurate cross-platform ROAS, elimination of duplicate attribution, and reliable data for AI-driven optimization.
Non-gaming apps are driving ad spend growth, with a 23% YoY increase. Key strategies include using interactive ads like playables, targeting gaming app inventory for lower CAC, and exploring alternative app stores (e.g., Amazon, Samsung) for cost savings. Top markets vary by category: US for AI and mini-series, India for finance, Latin America for shopping.
E-commerce app installs grew 25% YoY globally in H1 2024, with LATAM and MENAT surging. Day 1 retention averaged 18%. Global IPM increased to 2.25, eCPM to $1.87. Marketers diversify partners and channels.
One person built, shipped, and marketed a mobile game in 14 days using AI tools, achieving 5,563 installs at $0.39 eCPI on $2,200 spend. MCPs (Model Context Protocol) were critical for agentic workflows. The AI agent CLAW managed ad campaigns via AppsFlyer MCP and BigQuery. Data Locker streamed raw data for analysis. Key takeaway: vendors must offer MCPs for fast, agentic data access; measurement stack (Data Locker, ROI 360, Creative Optimization) is essential for solo teams; human+AI beats AI alone.
Chinese game developers should expand globally using cost-effective UA campaigns in LATAM/APAC, engaging video ads with gameplay focus, and hyperlocalized aesthetics/monetization trends like social features and trial characters.
The blog highlights the strategic rationale for a TikTok merger, emphasizing the performance advertising gap where TikTo...
The article examines how identifiers like those from Google and Facebook flow across e-commerce sites via standard integ...
AppLovin explains its AI-driven advertising platform, Axon 2, which has quadrupled ad spend to a ~$10B run rate. The eng...
AppLovin CEO Adam Foroughi refutes a short report questioning its e-commerce ad business and pixel practices. He highlig...
User acquisition on a budget is achievable through a mix of organic and low-cost paid strategies. Key tactics include op...
Performance issues like crashes and slow load times directly reduce user retention and LTV. With 60% of users uninstalli...