15 mobile #growthgems π from "Mobile Marketing for Card Games" with Josh Chandley (Wildcard Games) @eniac, Jonathan Lau (Weee!) and @jokim1
Watch this 52:14 discussion directly...Or start by reading the main #mobilegrowth#UA#creatives insights in the twitter thread below π
A way to test creatives at a lower cost is to start in India with a small budget to filter them out first, then move to Canada and deploying the best-performing onesΒ in the US.
π #2:
For games that have a strong organic demand, it makes sense to pay attention to ASO and also to potentially try preloads on devices as well as try low cost/quality channels. Examples: Gin, Rummy, Solitaire, Tetris.
π #3:
For games like card games that have organic interest it make sense to work with interests and keyword targeting because there is an actual "card games interest" that you can target.
For ad-monetized game the LTV curve of AEO/VO is really different from the LTV curve of MAI/rewarded video players. So you need to spend enough money to understand how that LTV curve looks like for each then if it hits your DX payback target you invest as much money as you can.
π #5
Showing more interstitials to users might not result in a higher net LTV long term but if it changes the shape of your ARPU curve and reduces your payback window it allows you to spend more aggressively.
π #6 (1/2)
User-level ad revenue allows to understand what the value of each user is and the overall impact on returns (not just campaigns) because you are able to monetize better the users you get through AEO/VO via higher ad CPMs. You have to know to which extent you can...
π #6 (2/2)
...monetize them better and if it offsets the higher acquisition costs and decide where to invest (between AEO/VO/MAI). It's risky to bet on acquiring "whales" through AEO/VO because you might not be able to retain these high-value users which can make your CPM drop.
π #7
Diversify if you're scaling up because there is a hidden risk in relying on AEO/VO campaigns, especially if it's optimized for purchase (however it could work well for ad views or engagement). You have ways to get the same user through other mediums.
π #8
It's important to have ad LTV curve and IAP LTV curve separate to understand the impact of each on payback. Then you want granularity by campaign, optimization model (AEO/VO, AEO for ad views, rewarded videos, etc.).
π #9
If your LTV curves are jumping around, one thing you might want to consider is testing your scale of spend against your ROAS target. Example: looking at D7 ROAS against daily spend to see if you have a knee bend. If you're unsure about spend you can "sit below the bend".
π #10
Although it can depend on the game, one creative format (static, video, etc.) does not necessarily drive higher ROAS or bring you a better user than another. But the lifetime of a creative format can change, with video performance lasting longer for example.
π #11
Focus on diversifying your creative mix so you can elongate the overall lifetime of your creatives. Try to maintain a higher average IPM of your overall creative mix rather than chasing finding one or two creatives that are going to be hits.
π #12
Focus on creating "micro-videos". Shoot and create multiple 3-5 seconds videos (product features, why it's fun, "group play", etc.) and create 15 different combinations from these videos. It allows you to do very little video production and have a bigger outcome.
π #13
If a game like Cribbage is relevant to specific geos it might be interesting to group campaigns together to maintain the cost and make it easier for Facebook to learn. Sometimes when companies scale they create a lot of campaigns that end up stuck in the learning phase.
π #14
Because AEO and VO are optimizing for different purchasing behaviors, you might be able to target ("naturally" since you can't control that) different audiences for each type of campaign and leverage this to either go hard on pushing IAP/pricing vs. monetizing.
π #15
Creatives is the biggest lever. Never fall in love with your idea or your hypothesis, let the data speak. Trust the process, not a specific ad tech.
π In yesterday's #growthgems newsletter I shared insights from the recent "Understanding, Optimizing and Predicting LTV in Mobile Gaming" GameCamp webinar
Read the 15 #LTV π from this 100 min video in the twitter thread below π
π 1/15
Chart your creatives on a X axis and check your D3/D7/D28 ROAS to quickly spot outlier creatives (both good and bad) so you can act on that (by reallocating spend for example).
π 2/15
A benchmark comparing ROAS (e.g. D7/D28) for each week (X axis) with success thresholds allows you to evaluate your UA strategies.
Read the #ASO#ASA insights from the 56 min video in the twitter thread below π
π #1
Apple will tell you "do not use search ads data for ASO" because the timeframe of the trend they are reporting is short term. You can not use a short timeframe for ASO because it takes 2-3 weeks to get your keywords fully indexed.
π #2
Apple will still index you for 2 to 3 weeks after an update. If you have good rankings already, you can do keyword metadata optimization every 30 days and have a solid view of how an optimization performed.
Read the #UA#creatives insights in the twitter thread below π
π #1
HopSkipDrive uses the same brand feeling and emotional value across channels but what might differ is the goal of each campaign. Example: Twitter for retargeting/re-engagement and Facebook for conversion.
π #2
Try to take a portfolio-based approach to creative testing and understand that you're adding something new to the mix. Some channels do not have a "clean" way to A/B test (e.g. TikTok) but even if there is it might not give you results of what will happen "live".
π #1
Tag the ids within each ad creative: not one id per creative but an id for each "element": light/dark background, team id, player offer, CTA, etc. Add granularity of tagging for each concept so you can really understand what drives results. [DraftKings]
π #2
Yousician did a live op with paid content unlocked (e.g. Jimmy Hendrix songs) and people playing these songs for free for a limited time ended up converting (subscribing) at a 40-50% higher conversion rate. [Yousician]
10 mobile #growthgems π from "How We Scaled from 80k to 6m Users" by Jordan Gladstone (Director of Marketing at Dave - Banking App) at @apppromotion APS WFH USA
ππ Twitter thread below
π #2
Then start filming other people to be able to show the app more. It helps figuring out which messaging works as well as test different thumbnails (e.g. empty gas), showing or not the app (showing the app works better), actors, locations, etc.
π #3
Something that has worked well for Dave is responding to Facebook comments on their ads "as Dave" (they now have a style guide with what Dave likes). It allows for ads to look more organic and creates more engagement, leading to lower CPMs.
π #1
There are very different kinds of subscriptions, and the retention tactics/levers are entirely different for each subcategory:
- Content - music, books, video, comics, news, etc.
- Motivation - health & fitness, dating, education
- Utilities - video editors, dropbox etc.
π #2
Subscriptions align users and developers' interests. People will keep paying if you keep providing them value.
Example of Evernote: as you use it more, it becomes even more valuable and that's when the subscription model makes the most sense.