In today’s economy, increasing costs and inflation are not only impacting mobile purchasing trends but also tightening advertising budgets. Brands can no longer solely focus on growth as app abandonment and user churn continue to rise. Nearly half of all apps are uninstalled within 30 days. This is where paid media retargeting campaigns come into play. These campaigns help keep your brand at the forefront of users’ minds who have previously engaged with your app, generating considerable value.
In this blog post, we will discuss effective growth strategies for executing successful mobile retargeting campaigns and offering support to your marketing team. And we will give you more in-depth advice for retargeting in gaming apps.
For gaming, retargeting is a widely recognized strategy for achieving higher retention rates and stable revenue streams. It effectively generates long-term engagement, providing incremental value from both non-paying and paying users, as well as all those in between.
Here are some important factors to consider when developing a retargeting strategy that aims to drive revenue.
Segmentation plays a pivotal role in mobile retargeting strategies, significantly boosting the effectiveness of growth campaigns. By categorizing users based on their behavior, preferences, and app interaction history, marketers can create highly targeted campaigns.
For instance, retargeted users can be segmented into specific groups such as those who have abandoned a shopping cart, those who haven’t opened the app within a specific timeframe, or those who have previously made a purchase. This approach ensures that marketing efforts are focused on engaged users, maximizing resources, and minimizing waste.
Here are some recommendations for reevaluating your strategy once you have established your segments:
For users who have recently installed the app, consider offering them a unique “new sign-up” incentive to create a favorable first impression and encourage immediate engagement. This approach enhances new user retention while providing a memorable onboarding experience.
Here is a great in-depth article on segmentation.
Personalizing your mobile ads is closely tied to segmenting your audience and is an essential strategy for effective retargeting campaigns, particularly in the era of data privacy. In fact, according to research, 88% of users are comfortable sharing their personal data with a brand if it enhances the overall user experience.
To maximize the potential of your retargeting campaigns:
· Identify high-potential segments within your acquired audience and customize your messaging to meet the specific needs and preferences of each group.
· Develop personalized content for each segment, such as tailored offers, product recommendations based on previous behavior, or reminders about unused app features.
· Consider utilizing dynamic creative optimization (DCO) with product feeds to deliver the right message to the right user at the right time, based on their intent.
· Users who consistently play the game but haven’t converted yet may be more inclined to convert with a special offer to level up in the game or receive additional perks such as extra points, coins, or a higher-level character. This strategy aims to entice users to return to the game more frequently and engage in longer sessions.
· Retarget users who have previously converted but haven’t made any additional purchases within the last 14 or 30 days. Offer them a new game deal or a discounted bundle that motivates them to make a purchase again and continue playing.
· Show appreciation for your most loyal users and those who spend more time in-app by rewarding them with exclusive content or a higher status within the game
· This tactic fosters continued engagement, leading to increased retention and overall gameplay time.
Understanding user behavior is crucial. Familiarize yourself with the flow of each user segment in your game. Track all relevant in-game events and identify moments of churn and patterns of player actions. Test and optimize user loops to create a seamless and engaging player experience.
Different game genres have a unique appeal. Discover what keeps players hooked and leverage these insights through paid channel communication.
Consider these scenarios:
· If users show reduced activity or drop off after reaching a specific level or chapter, intervene earlier in the game journey. Retarget them with reminders that they are close to unlocking a new challenge and offer incentives to keep them engaged (such as free lives or the option to purchase a new level) before losing interest.
· If you only monetize users after a certain game level, guide them towards that level using retargeting. Highlight the benefits of reaching that point, such as more engaging challenges or additional credits to unlock features.
· A seamless journey from ad to app is crucial for successful retargeting campaigns and revenue generation. Ensure users land in the right place to perform their intended actions (such as downloading, purchasing, or signing up) by using deep links or iOS universal links. For example, LINE Music significantly increased their conversion rates (by 63 to 99%) by implementing deep linking in their retargeting ads.
Deep linking plays a significant role in a comprehensive mobile retargeting strategy. With deep linking, users can directly access specific in-app content related to retargeted ads, avoiding the need to visit the app store or general home screen. By tapping on a retargeted ad, users are instantly directed to the relevant page within the app, whether it’s a product page, a specific feature, a special offer, or even the home page. This eliminates unnecessary navigation, enhances the user journey, and boosts loyalty and conversions without any plagiarism concerns.
A successful retargeting campaign heavily relies on hyper-relevant messaging, which is aimed at each user segment, as well as engaging creatives. Once you have identified your user segments, and defined your goals and KPIs, it is time to craft your targeted communications and consider trigger events.
For instance, if you have new levels or storylines in your game, you can retarget your regular users with appealing updates. Users who have progressed through all levels will be strongly incentivized to return and engage with the fresh content.
Focus on creating messages that offer instant gratification, such as promotions and rewards, to deliver an irresistible game experience. Such messaging establishes a sense of urgency and curiosity among players, encouraging them to visit the app regularly.
Creatives play a significant role in improving click-through rates and retention, ultimately resulting in higher user LTV and revenue. It is crucial to diversify your messaging, personalize it extensively, and utilize the various available creative formats.
One recommended best practice when it comes to creatives is to conduct A/B tests to identify the best-performing elements and optimize accordingly. Implementing insights from regular A/B testing will enable you to refine your creative strategy and witness a significant increase in engagement rates.
Since the introduction of Apple’s ATT framework and the growing complexities of precision targeting, creative ads, and strategy have become a vital component of campaign optimization. Advertisers now have only a few seconds to capture the attention of potential customers, making the development and testing of captivating and engaging ads crucial. This is especially true as the deprecation of the IDFA intensifies competition within the mobile marketplace.
To create high-performing mobile ads, we advise advertisers to consider the following:
· Ensure that the ads are in line with the app environment.
· Include concise and on-brand copy.
· Incorporate video and seasonal elements.
· Conduct thorough testing to ensure that all ad elements resonate with users. A/B test different ad creatives, messaging, and audience segments to determine what works best with your target users.
Here is a great article on personalizing creatives.
Mobile retargeting campaigns drive conversions, optimize return on investment (ROI), and enhance brand recognition. To ensure the success of your mobile advertising strategy, consider implementing the following growth hacks:
· Offer personalized recommendations, content, and promotions to enhance the user experience.
· Segment your target audience based on their behavior, preferences, or level of engagement.
· Utilize deep links to direct users to relevant in-app content associated with retargeted advertisements.
· Create visually appealing and brand-aligned ads that seamlessly blend into the app’s environment. It is also crucial to conduct thorough testing to optimize ad performance.
For gaming apps, enhancing user engagement and retention within the game significantly increases the likelihood of conversion and customer loyalty. App retargeting plays a vital role in elevating the player’s lifetime value, resulting in long-term revenue growth. A great example of that is Bigabid’s Case Study with Papaya Gaming.
It is prudent to consider the enduring advantages offered by a well-executed retargeting strategy. Avoid oversimplifying your approach and neglecting the value of your existing player base. Thoroughly analyze your data, regularly measure your performance, and identify the factors that contribute to incremental uplift.
Embrace the challenge and gear up for success. If you wish to gain further insights into building an effective retargeting strategy for your app reach out!
