What is mobile game advertising
Nowadays, mobile games are an integral part of everyone’s smartphone. Starting from the one we play during every break in school or at work, to the one that pop-up in one of the many ads we incur using other apps. And the question we may ask ourselves is: how do mobile games gain such a prominent part in our world? Why do they affect everyday life?
The reason for that is mobile game advertising, the whole process of user acquisition targeted to promote your mobile game to the world.
Mobile games advertisers can use different channels for their user acquisition strategy (paid or organic UA, influencers, app store optimization, etc) and rely on different platforms (ad networks, affiliate or programmatic partners, DSP, etc).
- What are mobile game advertising platforms?
- How to choose a mobile game advertising platform?
- What are the costs of mobile game advertising platforms?
- Mobile game monetization and advertising
- Conclusion
Platforms for mobile game advertising help you in your user acquisition process, they are networks which you entrust or use to run install campaigns. There are various kinds of ad platforms, and each of them has its own features in terms of user acquisition for mobile games.
Mobile game advertisers can decide to entrust either an affiliate or a programmatic company, based on the goals they want to achieve through advertising campaigns; they can also co-operate with rewarded ad networks which drive post install engagement through pricing models and product features; we are also obliged to mention social media as a platform for mobile game advertising, a crucial step in your user acquisition strategy in 2024.
So you naturally wonder how to choose the perfect mobile game advertising platform for your own mobile game. That's where the cost-effectiveness for your user advertising campaign is built on and it’s very important to receive value for the money you are investing. The aim is to maximize the effectiveness of user acquisition by generating the highest possible return from the expenditure you made.
Before choosing an advertising platform, it’s important to define your goals: are you looking to increase downloads, boost engagement, or drive revenue? Different platforms may be better suited for different goals and for your own. Think about who your target user is and where they spend their time online. This will help you choose a mobile game advertising platform that can effectively reach your users.
Every advertising platform has different pricing models; some may charge per Install (CPI) or per Action (CPA), while others may charge per click (CPC); so make sure you understand the pricing model before choosing an advertising platform that suits your mobile game perfectly.
In terms of the app’s growth stage, it’s important to consider your budget and the size of your user base: if you are in the very beginning of your business’ mobile game, your attention may be on generating large volume of downloads to build a strong user base, growing your mobile game thanks to word of mouth.
Instead, if you’ve already made popular your game, you can focus your user acquisition on increasing revenue, so paying attention on data and metrics such as ROI and ROAS; in this case, with your established user base you will look forward to scale your app, you would want to consider an advertising platforms that offer more advanced targeting features.
The costs of mobile game advertising platforms vary depending mainly on the pricing model. Here are some of the most common pricing models:
- Cost per install (CPI): This pricing model charges advertisers for each app install generated by the ad. According to Business of Apps, the average CPI for mobile apps $0.93 in APAC, $2.03 in EMEA, $0.34 in Latin America and $5.28 in North America. Source: Business of Apps
- Cost per action (CPA): This pricing model charges advertisers for specific actions taken by users, such as making a purchase or filling out a form to create an account in the game’s app. The CPA rates vary depending on the type of action and the platform. According to Business of Apps, the report shows that the average CPA rate for mobile advertising is $18.82. Source: Business of Apps
- Cost per click (CPC): This pricing model charges advertisers for each click generated by the ad. This specific pricing model is used for example by platforms such as Google and Facebook. According to Business of Apps, the average CPC rate for mobile ads is $0.05. Source: Business of Apps
Mobile game monetization and advertising are two important aspects of the mobile gaming industry. Monetization refers to the process of making money off a mobile game, while advertising is a way to promote your game using a mobile game advertising platform to potential users.
There are several ways to monetize a mobile game, including in-app purchases, subscriptions and advertising. In-app purchases allow users to buy virtual goods or services within the game, while subscriptions provide access to premium content or features.
Advertising, on the other hand, allows you to generate revenue by displaying ads to users, increasing the users’ community and so also subscriptions and in-app purchase: it is therefore decisive to choose your mobile game advertising platform.
Searching for the more suitable ad format for your app makes the difference. A particular ad format works better for a particular type of games, but not for another: to give you an idea of the difference between ad formats, specifically in mobile games video, advertisements that work the best are video, playable and rewarded.
When your mobile game’s monetization is strongly based on advertising, it’s crucial to acquire as many users as possible to expose them to ads; whenever instead you base your monetization on in-app purchase, the importance shifts from the quantity of the users to the quality of them: high quality users are more likely to play, buy premium features etc.
Mobile game advertising is a crucial aspect of this industry, and so it is choosing a mobile game advertising platform. It allows game developers to promote their games to potential users and generate revenue by displaying ads.
Overall, mobile game advertising and monetization are complex topics that require careful consideration. By defining your goals, understanding your target audience, and researching different mobile game advertising platforms, you can make an important decision that will help you achieve success in the mobile gaming industry.
Go visit Mapendo’s web site to have an insight of an affiliate mobile game advertising platform and how we can help you in your user acquisition!
