The Role of Mobile User Acquisition in 2026: Trends and Strategies

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Today’s marketplace has become more and more dynamic and competitive, leading to the need for effective mobile user acquisition strategies and optimised app marketing campaigns. Mobile user acquisition, which already plays a crucial role in digital marketing, is expected to be more and more relevant in app developers’ ad spending. A strong mobile user acquisition strategy is essential, especially in 2026’s vast and competitive landscape, in order for app developers to stand out in the marketplace.

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What is user acquisition?

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First things first, let’s start with providing a clear explanation of what user acquisition is. When we talk about user acquisition, we refer to an advertising activity with the ultimate goal of acquiring new app users and consequently increasing developers’ revenue. 

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App developers partner with tech companies in order to target and acquire users through a structured marketing and advertising campaign on multiple platforms. But not everyone is a suitable target: an effective user acquisition strategy needs to target users who are not only likely to install the app, but also that are going to make in-app purchases (IAP), such as extra features, subscriptions or virtual currency, and that are more likely to become high-lifetime value customers.

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What are the most common user acquisition channels?

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Tech companies employ several acquisition channels for mobile user acquisition, adapting to the type of marketing campaign they lead.

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Social media platforms are considered to be undoubtedly the most popular user acquisition channel, engaging the audience in a dynamic way. TikTok and Instagram are powerful and interactive platforms that come in touch with thousands of users every day, creating strategic connections with them. 

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Within the same context, influencers also are key in the expansion of a company’s reach and reinforcing its credibility. In fact, in many campaign strategies companies choose the figures that best align with their values in order to deliver a trustworthy and authentic message. Thanks to the trust they have built with their followers, influencers can create an authentic connection between the company and potential users.

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Additionally, rewarded channels deserve special mention. Rewarded channels are essentially monetary rewards offered to users in case of an action, such as the download of another app or watching an ad in exchange for virtual currency, thus generating revenue for the app developers. 

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What has always been feared about this strategy is that users would download the app only for the reward, meaning that it wouldn’t bring quality app users. Surprisingly, however, this type of channel is actually bringing in high engaged users. As a matter of fact, a standard ad can be perceived as interrupting the user experience, which has been revealed to be less effective than the reward, which is a more aware and conscious choice.

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If users download an app that offers only rewarded ads, they initially take an action driven by the incentive. However, should they be interested in a subsequent event or benefit, the likelihood that they will continue using the app increases. This creates the possibility that the experience will be perceived positively and that the user will choose to keep using the app even beyond the initial reward. 

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User acquisition trends in 2026 (AI)

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Despite the fact that the application of AI to marketing purposes is not so recent, the use of AI for mobile user acquisition marked a significant shift in the industry. In fact, in 2025 the use of AI powered insight led to a substantial growth in multiple fields, doubling from 2024, with the top AI publishers (OpenAI and DeepSeek) accounting for nearly 50% of global downloads.

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By 2026, AI has become a core driver of user acquisition strategies, enabling more sophisticated marketing research and audience segmentation for highly accurate targeting. Generative AI supports hyper-personalization, predictive analytics and AI-driven targeting, allowing brands to optimize campaigns in real time.

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As a result, AI enhances personalization and marketing outcomes, delivering clearer value propositions and a superior user experience. Moreover, AI-generated creative ideas and content have shown strong performance, reinforcing AI’s role as an efficient and data-driven user acquisition tool.

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Conclusion

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To conclude, mobile user acquisition involves several effective strategies and channels in order to expand a company’s customer base, ranging from AI to social media platforms. Investing in effective mobile user acquisition is key for business growth and to elevate app marketing, and our company is here to support this process. 

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Click here to see how our company will help you with your user acquisition campaigns.