Mobile users today have literally millions of apps available from which to choose.
This means app marketers are facing a two-fold challenge: Make users aware of the existence of their app in a crowded marketplace and convey the unique value it can provide users before a competitor manages to do the same.
Where there’s fierce competition, there’s innovation. The mobile app advertising industry is no exception here; savvy marketers are harnessing emerging technology to drive high-quality installs that lead to further engagement.
Here are four trends that continue to define advertising for mobile apps.
People Are Seeking Productivity & Convenience
The most successful marketers are able to keep their fingers on the pulse of what mobile users want from the apps they install. In other words, it’s important to understand how users approach mobile app discovery so marketers can hone in on their target users—and truly understand these users’ wants and needs.
According to year-over-year growth trends from Google, people’s searches indicate they’re increasingly seeking to:
- Boost productivity and discover new ways to insert convenience into their lives.
- Learn new skills and refine existing ones.
- Improve mentally and physically using apps.
- Manage money and find ways to save more.
Understanding these trends help marketers craft more relevant ads with value propositions and calls to action that resonate with users.
Media Buying Is Going Programmatic
Artificial intelligence (AI) is altering the very way media buying occurs. As Mobile Marketer writes, “AI’s benefits for automating and optimizing data-heavy media buying processes will make it a staple for those who want to remain competitive.”
Programmatic, or automatic, ad buying frees up human marketers to focus on tasks beyond bid rate optimization and ad spend allocation. Marketers can utilize a Demand Side Platform (DSP) to decide which impressions to buy and for how much. On the flip side, publishers utilize a Supply Side Platform (SSP) to sell this ad space. This alleviates the need for humans to perform these processes manually.
Mobile Ads Are Becoming Increasingly Personalized
Simply put, mobile app advertising is becoming more personalized is becoming more personalized over time, and for good reason. Mobile users see so many ads on a regular basis, it’s no longer sufficient to expect an ad with one-size-fits-all copy and imagery to catch people’s attention—much less drive them to install and engage with an app.
This explains why more marketers are harnessing the power of programmatically assembled dynamic mobile ads in their campaigns. Each creative element within a dynamic ad has been personalized and inserted into a template based on users’ demographic and behavioral data. The end result is that mobile users see ads that reflect their lifestyles and mobile usage habits.
App Monetization Is Increasingly the End Goal
Some apps charge an up-front fee for installation, but many now operate on a “freemium” model. This means app monetization is a matter of driving users to engage in post-install conversions like making an in-app purchase, completing a transaction via an app, subscribing, upgrading to a premium membership, etc. The exact nature of these post-install events depends on the specifics of any given app, but the principle remains the same.
Because monetization makes or breaks revenue for “freemium” apps, acquisition has thus shifted toward driving crucial post-install events rather than installs alone. It’s important to identify potentially high-value users early on so you can focus your efforts on people most likely to find your app useful and genuinely engage. This trend exemplifies a “quality over quantity” approach to mobile app marketing.
Staying on top of these four trends that continue to define mobile app marketing—and more—will help you differentiate your app in a crowded marketplace in the most efficient way possible.
