2015-04-25

Facebook can’t think of a life beyond them. Even Twitter is drooling over them. While Google is seriously courting them, Tumblr and Pinterest also seem wholeheartedly interested. In fact, many more social media networks are making a beeline for them.

Admit it.  As an app developer and marketer, you too are hugely hooked. Aint’ you?

Yup! The awesome App-install Ads have taken the social media networks by storm. And interestingly, it’s not just revving up the revenue engines of social media networks and the ad networks alike, given the exorbitant prices they command; even app creators and marketers have been totally swept off their feet by their corking click-through rates and massive measurable returns.

Nope, we ain’t air talking or got a wind of it. In fact, Businessinsider’s Mobile App-Install Advertising Revenue graph offers a rock-solid evidence of this tool’s unparalleled support in driving the Mobile Ad Spends.

App-install ad revenues would witness a growth of $4.6 billion this year and reach a dramatic figure of $6.8 billion by 2019. This means a compound annual growth rate of 14% from 2014.

There is no denying that app-install ad is a rising wave that’s lifting all boats. With millions of apps crowding the app store spaces, the App-install Ads, on the one hand, is the saving grace for app creators; on the other hand, it’s helping social media and app ad platforms accelerate their earnings.

Though the power of App Store Optimization strategies at driving organic traffic to your app is beyond doubt, what paid advertisements such as app-Install ads could accomplish, conventional ASO’s methods, to a greater extent, might fail.

First things first – What are Mobile App-install Ads?

Simply put: Ads That Drive Instant App Downloads. Boiled down tighter: App-install Ads, Downloads, Skyrocketing ROI. You can easily find these ads leaping out of your social media pages, specifically on Facebook and Twitter pages, and also you can find them while opening or launching other popular apps.

And since they are directly linked to the Play Store and App Store, you can download them instantly in a couple of clicks. These app ads mainly consist of the app name, description, image and a call to action button. It may, or may not, include the overall store ratings.

Why App Creators and App Marketers Are Obsessing Over App-install Ads?

Simply because Play Store and App Store do not market your apps. (And why on earth should they? Isn’t it the app creator’s job after all?)

So, the app builders should look for ways to promote their apps; ways that would not only drive downloads, reviews and ratings of their apps, but also help them break into the top 10, or top 50 list.

That’s fine, if your app is viral enough, downloads and all will happen automatically. But what if it’s not? This is where Mobile App-installAds can pitch in. Developers or marketers just need to make use of the ready-made tools available on the social media and ad networks, and your ad will be up and running in next to no time across them. And the biggest incentive of such ads is that it offers the most measurable return on investment.

What’s more, the App-installAds help users in easy buying of apps, besides ensuring impulse buying. Easy buying given that the iOS and Android users already have their credit card information stored in the respective app stores, so this saves their precious time and energy from re-entering the info again, thereby ensuring quick purchases. Impulse buying because the users can operate their apps as soon they download them, in comparison to physical objects that might sometimes take weeks to ship.

All said and done, it’s imperative to design separate ads or campaigns for iOS and Android apps, as these apps are basically linked to separate stores. Aside from designing ads for separate stores, app developers should also focus on promoting and publishing their apps on both the app stores. Says Jerry Dischler, Vice President of Product Management of Google Ad words – apps witness 9% increased downloads if found in both Google Play and Apple store.

HERE WE THUMB THROUGH THOSE 10 TOP POWERHOUSE PLATFORMS THAT’S DRIVING DRAMATIC APP DOWNLOADS

1] Mobile App-install Ads on Facebook

How do you do it on Facebook?

If you haven’t have any clue as to how to develop mobile app ads for Facebook, take it easy. Just go to Ads create tool and simply copy paste your app’s Google Play or Apple App store URL in the Ads Create tool box. Once that’s done, connect your ad to your existing Facebook page, or you can create a new page for the app.

Once you’ve created a page for you app, customize it by adding messages, images, icons, titles and more. If you wish to add a video or something you can do that as well. Now add a ‘call to action’ button. There are seven options available when it comes to ‘call to action’ buttons. So, take your pick. It can be “Shop Now” or “Play Game,” whatever you think will give your app those dreamy downloads. However, make sure to choose something that’s in sync with your creative and something that inspires action post-installation. That’s it.

Facebook Advantage for app-install ads

Why favor Facebook for App-Install Ads when they are mighty costlier in comparison to other app-install ad platforms? Simple: Because it’s got all the trappings an app developer or marketer is eyeing at. As in, it ensures performance and targeted reach. Not surprisingly, most of the top grossing apps are using Facebook’s App-Install Ads. And it’s given that Facebook allows marketers to target users on the basis of their locations, profiles, and actions. Consequently, it’s not only the best platform to attract new users, but you can even improve the app user retention rate, re-engage users and add to the app’s lifetime value. So, if your are planning to come up with shorter campaigns or something for targeted users, better bet on Facebook.

Pricing Model – CPA

Ad format: 6 images, Headline of 25 characters, Text of 90 characters, Facebook will add reviews and ratings, CTA – 7 options.

2] Mobile App-install Ads on Twitter

How do you do it on Twitter

Twitter has set-up a spiffing suite that’s sure to draw the eyeballs of the app advertisers and marketers. On top of it,  advertisers can run marketing campaigns targeting no fewer than 288 million monthly active Twitter users directly from ads.twitter.com, via its special Twitter cards and Promoted tweets. Added to that, Twitter’s engagement with MoPub Advertising Exchange will give the advertisers a golden opportunity to touch base with over 1 billion mobile devices off-Twitter, again through Twitter’s ads.twitter.com interface.

The MoPub Marketplace is among the largest mobile ad exchanges in the world. The platform reaches out to more than 1 billion unique devices and manages over 130 billion ad requests every 30 days.

Twitter Card

Twitter advantage for app-install ads

Just like Facebook, Twitter is yet another great platform that helps you zero down on specific locations and then find a tailored audience for all your app-install ad campaigns. Also, you can re-engage users, thereby increasing the lifetime value of apps. Its mobile-first ad units offer attention-grabbing user experiences. No platform is as good as Twitter’s for real-time campaigns targeting specific users.

Pricing Model - CPA

Ad Format: 1 Image, Text of 140 characters, Twitter will add review and ratings, CTA- 2 options.

3] Mobile App-Install Ads – Google Ad Words and Admob

How do you do it on Google Adwords?

Through the use of icons and reviews, Google Ad words help you create app-install ads. The ads being directly linked to the app stores make downloading easier for the users.

The best part is that depending on the mobile operating system you choose, Google Ad words will help you find potential customers who still haven’t downloaded your app.

Ad words offer three network types to promote your app.

Display Network – Here your app-install ads help you touch base with those users that are already using apps that are akin to yours. The campaigns attract new app users who may not be really looking for your app, but may get interested in your app.

Search Network – This is the best network to connect with those users who are actively seeking to download an app with attributes that are similar to your app.

YouTube – If you don’t mind shelling out a little, YouTube campaigns are the best. It’s the best platform for boosting app awareness through engaging content that grabs customers’ attention.

Google Ad words Advantage for app-install ads

With 1.17 billion people using Google monthly, it’s touted to be the biggest channel to reach potential app users. Marketers and developers can place ads in Google’s Search Network, Display Network or Video Network (i.e. YouTube) in keeping with their needs.

However, despite its reach, it’s not possible to target users on the basis of their location. So keyword based research is crucial for Adword ads. And for app engagement campaigns on Search Network, re-targeting is confined to Android apps. The platform is perfect for longer campaigns targeting masses.

Search network – Pricing Model:  CPC

Ad Format: Headline of 25 characters, Description of 60 characters, Adwords will add store ratings and review counts.

Display Network – Pricing Model:  CPC or CPA

Ad Format – In-app Interstitial, Banners

How do you do it on AdMob?

The SDK (Software Development Kit) setup of AdMob ensures cross-platform connections, which includes iOS, Android, and the Windows Phone platform. It also helps mobile app developers maximize monetization in native mobile apps.

The biggest plus point of this platform, thanks to Google’s strong coding nature, is its sizable range of ads formats – banners, interstitial and even video ads – that could be easily integrated into your apps for cross promotion. The icing on the cake, of course, is its easy integration process.

AdMob Advantage for app-install ads

The platform is currently leveraged by 1,00,000 Google marketers, advertising no fewer than 650,000 apps.  And, in fact, the platform has received a whopping 200 % increase in CPMs since 2013.

The biggest pluses

Backed by Google Analytics app advertisers could get a real-time account of user acquisition, engagement, and monetization and that too at one particular place with AdMob. On the top of it, marketers can segment the audience as well, according to age, location and the amount spent. This helps the app advertisers or marketers make informed decisions. Most importantly, its powerhouse audience builder tool helps generate an active list of audiences based on their app experiences, which’ll help marketers create customized experiences for users and consequently fast track the app downloads.

You can even earn via AdMob’s native ads. As in, you will have access to millions of Google Advertisers desiring to display their ads on your app. The best part is that you can even customize these ads to synchronize with your app’s form and function.

Pricing Model – CPC

Ad Format: Banner, Smart Banner, Interstitial, Search, Table

4] Mobile App-install Ads on MoPub

How do you do it on MoPub?

It’s a platform that’s exclusively optimized for mobile application publishers. MoPub’s SDK helps publishers set up ads in different formats using static images, HTML5 ads, banners, landing ads, expand ads, interstitial ads, video and media ads. The app publishers can let their imaginations run riot while creating ads on MoPub.

MoPub Advantage for app-Install ads

MoPub ad format is just one thing; the platform is more popular for its marketplace: yes the MoPub Marketplace. It’s the world’s largest real-time bidding exchange for in-app ads. On the one hand, the marketplace gives bidders the liberty to bid for your ad impressions or ad spaces and, on the other hand, the bidders can even optimize their bids in real-time. This leads to precise ad targeting and improved revenues for both parties – the advertisers and the publishers.

The other promising feature of this platform is that publishers have instant access to hundreds of advertisers. In fact, the platforms’ dashboard is such that it gives you a blow-by-blow account of your app performance that helps marketers make informed decisions.

Pricing Model – CPC, CPM

Ad Formats: Banner, Expandable, Interstitial, Video, Rich Media Ads, Landing Page

5] Mobile App-install Ads on Appn20

How do you do it on Appn2o?

The brainchild of OpenXcell Technolabs, Appn2o offers specialized App-install Ad services in two different forms – Cost Per Install and Cost Per Click. The cost per install service is fully performance-based. As in, the developer is supposed to pay only when the app gets downloaded.

The Cost Per Install category is further split into two: Incentivized CPI and Non-Incentivized CPI. As the name suggests, the incentivized CPI offers virtual rewards to the downloader, which is not the case with non- incentivized CPI.

Cost-per-click is reckoned to be self-explanatory. The moment any visitor clicks the ad, the app developer has to shell out a said figure.

Appn2o Advantage for app-Install ads

The company’s offers the best consultation and technical support as users have access to their specialized engineering arm that helps them integrate the platform of their choice within the app; and that too swiftly and seamlessly. Plus, a dedicated account manager is assigned, to give them a complete walk-through of the app ad installation process. Simply put, the users get all the hand-holding as and when required.

What’s more, Appn2o has on board, a broad network of popular app publishers who’d give your apps the requisite exposure, and downloads. The company by far has a proven track record of helping potential apps achieve their targeted installs/downloads.

Pricing Model – CPI, CPC

Ad Formats: Banner, Interstitial, Rich Media

6] Mobile App-install Ads on Chartboost

How do you do it on Chartboost?

If you are a game developer, then look no further than Chartboost. You just need to set up one SDK and you can run your campaigns across multiple channels. It delivers interstitial and mobile video ads for cross promotion promotions, ad networks and also direct deals with other developers.

Chartboost Advantage for app-Install ads

Yes, this ad-network is exclusively meant for mobile game developers. No other advertising platform can be as good as Chartboost for the game developers given that the platform is exclusively dedicated to advertising gaming apps. Backed by top-of-the-line integration and analytics technology, the game developers, and advertisers can get Chartboost working for them only with 5 lines of code.

Since the ads are always about games, it drives the audience, busy playing games, to download yet another game app. And it’s one of the best platforms to optimize your eCPM, for one. Plus it’s a direct deal marketplace that helps developers buy and sell ads directly with their counterparts.

Pricing Model: CPC, CPI

Ad Format: Interstitial

7] Mobile App-install Ads on Tapjoy

How do you do it on Tapjoy?

Tapjoy recently launched its new SDK 11.3.0 exclusively for app developers. The new SDK works across channels. As for the app advertisers, the network has set up Tapjoy Rich Media and Tapjoy Video Plus. The former helps create ads that match your app objectives while the latter builds brand awareness by creating instant play and distinct HD video ads. The platform has also introduced direct response strategies, in addition to a slew of app engagement strategies such as Pay-Per-Install, Pay-Per-Engagement and also audience targeting solutions.

Tapjoy Advantage for app-Install ads

In-app purchasing do not go down well with mobile gamers as they really mind spending money, time and again, just to complete a game. But now they wouldn’t mind doing so. Why? Because from now on they can gather some in-game coins, by way of which they can download another free game using the virtual money.

Yes, Tapjoy is encouraging gamers earn virtual currency by driving them to perform real-actions in-apps. The model is called incentivized download.

So, the next time if a games gets download, via the ads, make sure it’s yours through the Tapjoy’s app-install ad network. Besides, the platform offers consultations services, technical support, and a self-service dashboard to make ad placements, customized messages and more.

Pricing Model: CPI

Ad Format: Banner, Interstitial, Video, Offer Wall

8] Mobile App-install Ads on Flurry

How do you do it on Flurry?

Flurry supports videos, banners, and interstitial ads by making use of the most advanced technology in mobile today, which not only helps accelerate your app installs but also ROI campaigns and app retention rates. Most importantly, the developers can even promote their apps for free on Flurry.

Flurry Advantage for app-Install ads

Flurry attracts high-quality audience because it’s the only company that generates so much of behavioral data from mobile apps. Armed with app data set of no fewer than 700 million smartphone users, the Flurry Marketplace offers marketers and developers such valuable insights that they know beforehand who they are bidding at. The app marketers are free to leverage Flurry data to fire up their ROI, improvise yield and reach wider target audiences.

Pricing Model: CPC, CPM, CPI

Ad Formats: Banner, Interstitial, Video, Takeover

9] Mobile App-install Ads on Smaato

How do you do it on Smaato?

Smaato is one real-time-bidding platform that helps you create literally any type of advertisement you want to. You just name it and the platform will support you. In fact, it helps you set up vast video ads, native ads, expandable banners, interative banners, and standard ad units across platforms such as iOS, Android, Windows, Blackberry, Samsung Bada, and Symbian.

Smaato Advantage for app-Install ads

Smaato Ad Exchange platform help advertisers connect with 80,000+ publishers who ensure no fewer than 150+ billion monthly impressions across the globe. The platform ensures massive reach and fast, easy, and most importantly, free integration. For the publisher, it means a free server that yield higher eCPMs and billions of impressions.

Pricing Model: CPC, CPM

Ad Formats: Banner, Expandable, Interactive Banner, Floating Banner, Video, Text

10] Mobile App-install Ads on inMobi

How do you do it on inMobi?

inMobi offers native ads platform, SDK, app-install program and studio to develop your app-install ads. In fact, publishers can set up ads just by using three lines of code and start receiving ads in less than three minutes.

inMobi Advantage for app-Install ads

There are plenty of reasons why inMobi – an Indian enterprise – is one of the choicest platforms for app marketers and publishers. First, the platform helps you target audience on the basis of their app interest. Second, inMobi data and decision sciences help you foresee the Moment of Maximum Opportunity (MOMO) for your brand. In other words, the best moments of the day when the user seems to be in a jolly good mood. So, displaying ads during such times ensures better app downloads. Plus, inMobi’s Mobile Tracking & Attribution Partners offer advanced tracking and targeting capabilities, besides improved conversions. And the best of it all: the platforms offers guaranteed outcomes on your campaigns.

Pricing Model: CPC, CPM

Ad Formats: Banner, Expandable, Interstitial, Video, Text, Rich Media

Final Thoughts:

Come to think of it, if done right, all social media and ad network platforms are good in their own right. Compare their ABCs, see what suits the best for your app and… get off the fence: now. No looking back… Eh! Only if you are desperate for downloads!

OpenXcell is a market leader in app development and app marketing. So, if in case you are pursuing any serious app development and marketing plans for your organization, OpenXcell will be happy to help. We have the experience and wherewithal to make your app a super success.

The post 10 Top Powerhouse App-Install Ad Platforms appeared first on Openxcell.

Show more