The mobile gaming industry has evolved into a global phenomenon, drawing players from a wide variety of cultures and regions. Localization plays an essential role in the success of mobile game developers who strive to conquer international markets. There is more to game localization than merely translating the words; cultural nuances, player preferences, and regional differences must also be considered. Let’s explore the best practices for game localization and the fascinating realm of game localization!

What’s game localization?

Before we delve into the nitty-gritty, let’s understand what game localization entails. A game’s localization refers to adjusting it to different international markets based on language, culture, and regional preferences. In addition to translation, it involves tweaking graphics, audio, and gameplay mechanics so that they resonate with players around the world.

The Rising Demand for Localized Content

The more a game speaks the language, includes cultural elements, and caters to the preferences of the players, the more likely they are to connect with it. The localization process allows game developers to remove language and cultural barriers, making the game more accessible and enjoyable for players around the world.

Through effective localization strategies, game developers can tap into international markets and significantly boost their revenue.

More countries are embracing mobile gaming as a form of entertainment, resulting in a boom in mobile gaming popularity. As a result, localized content is becoming increasingly popular and players seek games that resonate with their cultural background and offer experiences tailored to their preferences.

Thriving Market in Asia and MENA

Asia has emerged as a dominant force in the mobile gaming market, with countries like China, Japan, and South Korea leading the way. These countries boast large populations of enthusiastic gamers who are willing to spend on in-app purchases and microtransactions. Report from Statista shows that Asia has more than 1.29 billion mobile gamers, with Europe in second place and North America the third. 

The Asian mobile gaming market is also projected to surpass $50 billion in revenue by 2023. This staggering figure highlights the immense potential for game developers who focus on localization and tailor their games to suit the preferences of Asian gamers.

In addition, MENA-3 countries; Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt reached 67.4 million gamers in 2022 and the revenue was recorded at $1.79.

Right-to-left languages, Asian alphabets, date & time formats, measurement of weight and distance all matter in this process. So beware of these aspects if your mobile game includes such content.

Effective Examples of Localization

A case study from data.ai shows the localization success of the RPG game HonorBound:

Two weeks after the localized release, HonorBound’s ranking at almost all localized stores increased. Among these, Turkey and Spain saw the greatest peak- the game wasn’t even on the chart in Turkey. Also, HonorBaund was featured 14x times more on the iOS App Store in just two months after the new releases.

Pokémon GO- Niantic’s AR phenomenon embraced localization by incorporating real-world landmarks, regional Pokémon spawns, and culturally significant events. This attention to detail fostered a sense of exploration and excitement, resulting in a massive international player base.

MiHoYo’s action RPG Genshin Impact is a premiere example of meticulous localization. It features a fully voice-acted storyline, a diverse set of characters, and localized events that resonate with players around the world.

Translating Game Text and Assets

The translation of languages is a fundamental component of game localization. Having a well-translated game ensures that players can easily understand and engage with the storyline, dialogues, instructions, and in-game texts. Working with native, professional translators who are also gamers themselves can help maintain the essence of the game while ensuring accuracy and consistency.

As well as translating text, game assets, such as images, animations, and icons, need to be adapted to fit different cultural contexts. One region’s appropriateness and humor might be offensive to another. Incorporating localized visuals into a game helps players connect deeper with it by creating a sense of familiarity.

Adapting to Local Culture and Preferences

Successful game localization relies heavily on cultural adaptation. It is important to recognize that every culture has its own values, symbols, and references, which can greatly affect the player’s experience. An example could be a dragon that may seem dangerous to a Western audience but it indicates luck for the Chinese audience. To avoid unintended misunderstandings or negative reactions, game developers should be sensitive to cultural nuances.

Character customization options need to be diverse, inclusive, and adjusted to specific holidays and festivals. Embracing these is crucial to ensure players from all backgrounds feel represented and valued.

Optimizing for Different Languages and Regions

Languages can vary greatly in terms of grammar, sentence structure, and character count. Designing a flexible interface that accommodates varying text lengths ensures that translations fit seamlessly into the game’s layout. Different languages may take up more space than others which would require necessary adjustments to the UI. Having a flexible layout helps you avoid frequent adjustments.

There’s more to regional optimization than just text. In-game mechanics and difficulty levels get tweaked too. Some cultures might prefer challenging gameplay, while others might prefer relaxing and casual games.

Case Studies of Successful Mobile Games

Let’s examine a few case studies of mobile games that mastered the art of localization, catapulting them to global success:

1. “Pokémon GO” – Niantic’s AR phenomenon embraced localization by incorporating real-world landmarks, regional Pokémon spawns, and culturally significant events. This attention to detail fostered a sense of exploration and excitement, resulting in a massive international player base.
2.  “Honor of Kings” (known as “Arena of Valor” in Western markets) – Developed by Tencent, this multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game achieved phenomenal success by adapting its characters, designs, and gameplay mechanics to suit each region’s preferences.
3.  “Genshin Impact” – MiHoYo’s action RPG took the world by storm through its meticulous localization, featuring a fully voice-acted storyline, culturally diverse character designs, and localized events that resonate with players worldwide.

Strategies for Localizing a Mobile Game

Market Research and Player Insights

Research into the market and player insights are the cornerstones of any successful localization strategy. It is imperative that game developers conduct extensive research before diving into the localization process. Demographic and gaming habits of specific target markets are collected during this research.

Understanding Demographics:

The game’s content and visuals can be tailored to resonate with the target audience by knowing its age, gender, and other demographic factors. For example, a game targeting teenagers in one country may require different character designs and themes compared to a game aimed at adult players in another region.

There can be a wide variation in preferences for graphics, storytelling, and gameplay mechanics between regions. Analyzing player reviews and game analytics can provide valuable insights into what aspects of the game resonate positively or negatively with the target audience.

Collaborate with Local Experts:

The importance of consulting native speakers and cultural experts in the target regions cannot be overstated when it comes to ensuring accurate and culturally appropriate localization. As a result of their in-depth knowledge of local languages, cultural norms, and sensitivities, these experts can help to avoid any misunderstandings or unintended offenses.

Language Accuracy: Working with a native speaker guarantees both grammatically correct and culturally appropriate translations. Certain phrases, jokes, or slang might not have a direct equivalent in another language, and local experts can offer insights into how to adapt such elements appropriately.

Maintaining Authenticity: Having local experts collaborate on a game enhances its authenticity so that players feel as if it was created with their preferences and culture in mind. As a result, the connection between players and the game is strengthened.

Beta Testing and Iterative Feedback

Beta testing with players from different regions is an invaluable step in the game localization process. Beta testing allows developers to gather real-time feedback from players from the target markets and identify localization issues that may have gone unnoticed.

Localized Content Evaluation: Localized content can be reviewed by beta testers from different regions, ensuring accurate translations and cultural adaptations.

Cultural Sensitivity Check: The beta test allows developers to gauge the cultural sensitivity of the game’s content. Players’ feedback allows developers to identify elements that might inadvertently offend or alienate their audience.

Continuous Improvement: Throughout the localization process, beta testers provide iterative feedback that aids in continuous improvement. Feedback from players helps create an enjoyable and polished gaming experience for players worldwide by fine-tuning the game.

Game localization is undoubtedly the bridge that connects mobile games with a diverse global audience. It is possible for developers to create immersive experiences that resonate with players from different cultures and regions by mastering the art of adaptation. Authenticity, inclusivity, and accuracy in game localization will not only lead to commercial success but also foster a deeper connection between players and virtual worlds. Take advantage of the power of game localization and achieve international success!

The post Game Localization Unleashed: Mastering the Art of Adapting Mobile Games first appeared on AppSamurai.

With millions of apps in app stores, creating an app that stands out and attracts users is increasingly challenging. Understanding user behavior in your mobile app is crucial to improving its performance and user experience. In-app events are a valuable tool for tracking user behavior in your app. This blog post will explore what in-app events are, how to implement them, and their importance in mobile app development.

Understanding user behavior is essential to improve app performance, engagement, and retention. In-app events are user actions and behaviors that can be tracked and analyzed within a mobile app. In-app events can range from basic activities such as app opens, clicks, and time spent in-app, to more complex actions, such as in-app purchases, social media sharing, and completing levels in a game. In-app events provide developers with data on how users interact with their apps, enabling them to optimize features and personalize user experiences.

Understanding In-App Events

In-app events are categorized into two types: predefined and custom. Predefined events are standardized events set by app development platforms, such as:

• App opens
• Clicks
• Purchases
• Registration

Custom events, on the other hand, are specific to an app and are designed to track specific user behavior, such as:

•  Completing a tutorial
•  Subscribing to a newsletter
• Reaching a certain level

In-app events are tracked using an SDK (Software Development Kit) integrated into the app. The SDK collects data on user behavior and sends it to an analytics platform for analysis. The analytics platform then gives developers insights into how users interact with their app.

Benefits of Tracking In-App Events

In-app events offer several benefits to mobile app developers, including:

1. Measuring user engagement and retention: In-app events provide valuable data on user behavior, enabling developers to measure user engagement and retention. This data can be used to optimize popular features with users and identify areas of the app that need improvement.
2. Optimization of app features and user experience: In-app events can help developers identify which app components are used the most and which features are not. This data can be used to optimize features and improve the user experience.
3. Ability to target specific user segments and personalize user experience: In-app events can help developers identify specific user segments and personalize the user experience. For example, if users frequently purchase in-app products, the developer can provide them with customized offers and promotions. 

Common In-App Events to Track

Developers can track several common in-app events to improve app performance and user experience. These events include:

1. Time spent in-app
   • It helps developers see if the users have a positive experience. For example, if session time drops after a change in the UI, this might indicate that the users negatively perceive the change.
2. In-app purchases
   • Purchase events show the patterns of paying users and help developers determine monetizing users and calculate ROAS. 
3. App opens
   • App developers can track retention by creating the app oven event, which means comparing the total number of app opens to the total number of users acquired during that period.
4. Completing levels in games
   • In mobile games, level completion events are a great source of insights to see whether a level is performing well. 

Developers can use these in-app events to improve app performance by optimizing popular features with users and identifying areas that need improvement.

Implementing In-App Events

Implementing in-app events requires several steps, including:

1. Identifying the in-app events you want to track
2. Integrating an SDK into your app
3. Defining the data you want to collect
4. Setting up an analytics platform
5. Analyzing and interpreting the data

When implementing in-app events, it is essential to follow best practices for tracking and analyzing data. These practices include:

Determining the insights you want to extract from the data

It’s important to know what insights you need to improve your app before analyzing the data. For example, for a gaming app, insights about which level is the hardest to pass or how long it takes for users to make a purchase are crucial insights to know about. 

Choosing the right metrics to track

After deciding what insights you need, start specifying the events that will provide you with those insights. For example, to answer the questions above, you must look at in-app events such as ‘’Level Completed’’ and ‘’Session Length’’.

Analyzing data regularly to identify trends and patterns & test your event data

Now that you’ve decided on your insights and event properties, start analyzing your data regularly and identify the patterns of your users. Let’s say your users’ playtime and engagement begin to decrease after a certain level- meaning that the level is too hard or causes a loss of interest. Then, you can adjust the level and test it to see if it made any improvements. 

Find the right analytics tool

There are several tools and platforms for tracking in-app events, and it’s a process to find the one that works best for you. Here’re some tools to check out: 

• Firebase (backed by Google) 
• Smartlook
• GameAnalytics (specifically for mobile games)
• UXCam
• Mixpanel
• Heap

 Conclusion

In-app events are valuable for understanding how users engage with your app. They enable developers to optimize features, improve user experience, and increase user engagement and retention. 

Implementing in-app events requires several steps, including identifying the events to track, integrating an SDK, defining the data to collect, setting up an analytics platform, and analyzing and interpreting the data. 

By following best practices and tracking common in-app events, developers can use this data to create better mobile apps and improve user experiences.

The post In-App Events: Understanding How to Track User Behavior in Your Mobile App first appeared on AppSamurai.

In today’s world, industries are becoming more reliant on the need for data between parties. Consequently, data clean rooms are quickly becoming increasingly popular, especially in the app marketing space. By utilizing a data clean room, app marketers can, both, ensure that their data is secure and easily shareable with advertisers or publishers for collaboration. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how to implement a data clean room in your app marketing strategy.

What is a Data Clean Room?

Unlike its traditional counterpart, a data clean room is an online framework service that does not require any physical space. Through a data clean room, a marketer can confidently share his or her data with multiple parties, whilst ensuring its privacy, and still providing recipients with the necessary information to draw their conclusions. It is an online cloud service provided by ‘data warehouse as-a-service’ companies like Snowflake or AWS.

How does a Data Clean Room Differ from Other Data Sharing Services?

Data clean rooms are different from other data-sharing programs because of the fact that they give data admin’s ability to set rules on the types of queries that data recipients can run on the data. This essentially removes the need for data encryption methods like customer ID, device ID and/or cookie ID; a data clean room can allow app advertisers to unveil first-party data to other stakeholders without revealing any sensitive information. All information within a data clean room is fully encrypted, however, it can be shared with intended audiences without encryption if the data owner wishes to share information.

How Does a Data Clean Room Work?

Data Collection

The ad campaign data is funneled into the data clean room via an attribution tool, the app itself, or a third party ad network’s CRM tool (to name a few) via a pull API function.

Data Collation

The data is passed through the admin’s ruleset in order to censor sensitive information. If the data is being input into the clean room from multiple sources it is matched at the user level to present enriched and collated data.

Data Analytics

Once all the data is presented in fully enriched and censored form, the third operation of the data clean room is the analysis stage. The data is studied for any intersections or overlaps and analyzed for attribution purposes and propensity scoring. There are multiple use cases for data from a clean room that can differ based on the needs of its users.

Data Applications

After the full analysis of the data, marketers are able to make use of the output in order to launch deeper campaign examinations, build more relevant audiences (often through means of a co-marketing partnership) via better targeting, optimize their campaigns and execute cross-platform marketing strategies.

What are the Benefits of Data Clean Rooms to App Marketers?

Adhering to Privacy Regulations

Nowadays, app marketers have to take a new approach to sharing data especially given the state of GDPR and strict regulations on sharing the personally identifiable information (PII) of their app users. In instances where an app marketer needs to share information with a publisher in order to optimize campaigns, the data often needs to be aggregated or simply not shared in order to not breach privacy regulations. Data clean rooms allow advertisers to overcome this issue and give end users the necessary peace of mind that their data is fully private and secure.

Enhancing Publisher’s Data Analysis

In addition to complying with privacy regulations, data clean rooms allow app advertisers to share their unadulterated data streams with their intended recipients (publishers like DSPs for example) for examination. In instances when publishers require a deep dive in order to optimize campaigns on sub-source levels, data clean rooms will allow them to do so without running into the issue of data encryption. Encrypted data (or the overall lack of it) tends to hamper room for analysis and can cause long term problems in the advertiser-publisher relationship. Data clean rooms have essentially solved this gaping issue in the martech industry by allowing advertisers to share data with their publishers to make their analyses, whilst censoring the sensitive PII of their end users.

Improving Campaign Optimization and Targeting

As app publishers will have access to first-party data via data clean rooms, they will have more information to work with directly from the source itself. App marketers will gain the benefit of being able to optimize their campaigns better and target particular audiences as they will grant their publishers the necessary information to do so.

Time-Efficient Sharing Method

As an app marketer, you will certainly be able to shave off the great deal of time that it takes to collate data into a CSV to be shared with your stakeholders due to the enormous amount of sensitive information it contains. Data clean rooms only require you to initially set up a certain set of rules as to what information you wish to display to censor and to which viewing party; the app campaign data will continue to be displayed in real-time via a pull API afterward so you do not need to keep adding your ruleset. Time saved is time earned.

Co-Marketing Partnership Opportunities

App marketers do not necessarily need to use data clean rooms just with their publishers; given that the sensitive data of the end users is secure, you can also share it with companies that share your target market and create a value-added partnership. As a result of this partnership, companies sharing a data clean room can create better-detailed profiles of their target market in order to service and market to them better all the while keeping their user’s PII private.

How Should an App Marketer Maintain a Data Clean Room?

After having created a data clean room, your next biggest challenge is maintaining it. A data clean room is only as valuable as the effort you put into it; it should be kept up to date and organized to ensure the accuracy of the data and the success of the app.

Here are some tips for maintaining a clean data room:

Organize your Data

It’s important to keep your data organized in a way that makes sense for your team. This includes sorting and labeling data, as well as ensuring that the data is up to date.

Use a Database

A measurement database like an attribution tool is a great way to store and organize your data and sort your marketing channels. It will help you keep track of all the data you have, and make it easier to access and analyze it when you need to.

Use Data Analysis Tools

Simply adding data to a clean room won’t make much sense alone; data analysis tools can help you study important figures and trends from the data you have, and determine which data is most useful based on your purpose.

Keep your Data Secure

Data security is key, so make sure you have the necessary measures in place via the rulesets to ensure that the sensitive information in your dataset is censored from other parties that have access to your clean room.

Conclusion

Data clean rooms are definitely a game changer in the mobile marketing industry. With industry-shaking updates like GDPR, Intelligent Tracking 2.0, and Apple’s ‘opt-in’ requirements there is a clear trend towards enhancing user PII privacy, and app marketers will soon be flocking towards data clean rooms in order to maintain their operations as martech depends on the sharing of information between advertisers and publishers. 

The post Implementing a Data Clean Room in Your App Marketing Strategy first appeared on AppSamurai.

CPM stands for cost per mille, wherein ‘mille’ is the Latin word for thousand. Verily, CPM is a pricing model based on ad impressions where an advertiser pays a certain amount for each thousandth impression of their ad. This cost is usually based on a CPM rate, which outlines the cost of each CPM ad placement.

How Does CPM Work?

CPM rates can vary depending on the placement of the mobile ad, the type of ad, and the target audience. For example, an app that gets a lot of traffic from a certain demographic may charge more for CPM ads that target that specific demographic.

The CPM model is a popular pricing model for online advertising because it is a simple way to price ad space. However, in recent years it has lost some popularity in favor of models such as CPI (Cost per Install) and CPE (Cost per Event) due to their ability to guarantee results per investment. CPM is used when the advertising intent is focused on brand awareness more than post-install engagements.

That being said, millions of advertisers are still paying for their ads using the CPM model as it is mainly adopted by the largest publishers in the world, namely Google Ads and Meta Ads(Facebook&Instagram).

How is CPM Calculated?

As a measurement tool, CPM can be used to calculate the effectiveness of a mobile marketing campaign in terms of volume. Essentially, it calculates the cost of reaching 1000 viewing engagements for advertisers. CPM is a useful metric for companies to use when planning their advertising budget as it allows them to see how much they are paying for each impression their ad receives. It is also a good metric for comparing the cost of advertising on different platforms.

The CPM formula is as follows: [(Cost to Advertiser / Total impressions gained) x 1000]

CPM calculators are often used to assess how effective or efficient ad campaigns have been. For instance, an ad that has cost an advertiser $100 and brought in 50,000 impressions will have a CPM of $2. Meaning the advertiser will have paid $2 for every 1000 ad views. The lower the CPM, the more efficiently the advertiser is in achieving 1000 impressions.

Normally, 3rd party ad sources, such as AppSamurai, offer the option to set a fixed CPM rate to app owners so that the former will know how much they will need to spend to achieve 1000 impressions. The rate is calculated based on historical data regarding the app’s vertical and the campaign’s intended geo(s).

Why Use a CPM Pricing Model?

There are a few reasons why a CPM model can be beneficial for advertisers:

It’s a great way to reach a large audience.

With CPM advertising, you’re not paying for clicks or conversions, you’re simply paying for exposure. This means that you can reach a large number of people with your ad, even if they don’t all click on it.

It’s a cost-effective way to advertise.

CPM advertising is usually cheaper than other forms of online advertising pricing models, such as CPIs, also known as Pay-Per-Click (PPC) or CPAs. The reason for this is that the objective of CPM advertising is to promote awareness, rather than the aims of other models which are further along the customer journey.

It’s a flexible pricing model.

With CPM advertising, you can set your own budget and only pay for the impressions you need. There’s no need to worry about overspending or under-delivering.

It’s a predictable pricing model.

With CPM advertising, you know exactly how much you’ll be spending on your ad campaign upfront. There are no surprises or hidden costs. 

If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to reach a large audience, then a CPM model is definitely worth considering.

Drawbacks of CPM Advertising

Despite being one of the most common methods of mobile advertising, there are a few potential drawbacks to using a CPM model when advertising. They are as follows:

CPM models can Reduce ROI.

If you’re not careful, you can easily spend more money than you intended on your advertising campaign. This is because you’re paying for each impression, regardless of whether or not it leads to an in-app purchase. Hence overspending can lead to a reduction in your return on investment (ROI).

CPM models can be slow to produce results.

Since you’re paying for each 1000th impression, it can take a while to see results from your campaign. This is especially true if you’re targeting a particularly large audience.

CPM models do not measure clicks or actions.

This model does not measure the in-app events that really count, like subscriptions and purchases. CPM targeting simply values efficient volume over all else and hence, does not give any weightage to placements that bring revenue-generating traffic to your app.

A CPM model’s success depends on the app’s industry.

Some industries are better suited for other advertising models. For example, businesses that sell products or services with a long sales cycle might not see as much success with a CPM model.

Other Important Metrics for Mobile User Acquisition

CPM advertising focuses mainly on impressions and metrics that have to do with the consumer awareness stage; however, in terms of user acquisition there are other metrics vital to ensuring campaign optimization and success. Even if you decide to run a CPM campaign, it is important that you constantly monitor these metrics as well:

Conversion rate:

This is the percentage of people who download your app and then use it; it is calculated by dividing the total number of installs by the total number of clicks or impressions, depending on the intention of the conversion rate. This metric is important because it will give you an idea of how effective your acquisition strategy is.

Retention rate:

This is the percentage of people who continue to use your app after they have downloaded it. It is commonly calculated based on the retention rate after 7-15 days and used as a key performance metric (KPI) to judge the quality of an ad source’s traffic. This metric is important because it will give you an idea of how well your app is retaining users and the quality of the traffic sources used.

Engagement rate:

This is the percentage of people who use your app on a daily basis. This metric is important because it will paint a picture of how optimized your app’s user experience (UX) is and will thus give you an idea of how engaged your users are with your app. A low engagement rate can mean many things, perhaps the advertisement is not communicating the app’s intended experience or the UX has technical bugs.

Referral rate:

This is the percentage of people who download your app after being referred, whether by a separate media channel or through word of mouth from family or friends. This metric is important because it will give you an understanding of how viral your app is.

Keep track of these metrics and adjust your mobile user acquisition strategy accordingly to ensure that you are getting the most bang for your buck.

Conclusion

CPM advertising can be a great way to get your message in front of a large audience, and it can be a cost-effective way to reach your target market. However, it is important to understand how CPM advertising works before you launch a campaign. This guide should help you get started with your CPM advertising campaign and make the most of your investment.

AppSamurai is a multi-award-winning mobile advertising platform that can help guide app owners to achieve their user acquisition goals regardless of the campaign model, whether CPM, CPI, or CPA. Sign up now and a dedicated account manager will reach out to you and assist you in realizing your mobile marketing goals.

The post The Ultimate Guide for CPM in Mobile Marketing first appeared on AppSamurai.

When advertising an app of any kind, one of the most effective marketing tools available is influencer marketing. This channel is becoming increasingly popular among app owners and developers, along with many other types of businesses that want to expand their reach. According to one survey of 5,000 professionals, 90% of respondents found influencer marketing to be effective. It’s only going to increase in its effectiveness over time. 

At AppSamurai, we now offer influencer marketing as a solution through our innovative app marketing platform. Using this tool, you can fully manage your influencer marketing campaigns and get the most from them to assist with app advertising. 

To give you a better understanding of influencer marketing and how it can help app advertisers, the following is a complete guide to this channel and its advantages.

What Exactly Is Influencer Marketing for App Advertising?

Influencer marketing involves connecting with social media influencers to advertise or market a particular product, service, or brand. There are influencers of nearly every level, including smaller influencers known as micro-influencers to celebrity influencers with millions of followers. The fact is that every influencer with any kind of following can bring real value to a brand, including a mobile app brand.

Influencers often fall under specific niches that attract particular audiences. For instance, some influencers are known for live-streaming video gaming sessions that appeal to audiences into gaming. Meanwhile, another influencer might review food items that resonate with foodies. There’s a niche for just about every type of business and app to benefit from when it comes to influencer marketing.

You can communicate and build relationships with influencers on many channels, depending on your audience and the type of app you want to promote. Some popular platforms include YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. It all depends on who you’re trying to convert to loyal users.

How Does Mobile App Influencer Marketing Work?

When engaging in influencer marketing, the process is relatively simple. While it can require some work to find and connect with the right influencer, the results will be rewarding when you have a strong strategy in place.

Generally, the process of influencer marketing is as follows:

1. App owners and advertisers look for influencers in their niche.
2. The brand connects with these influencers and establishes a partnership with them.
3. The influencer then uses their channel to promote the app.
4. The influencer’s audience may then click on a corresponding link to download the app.
5. For eCommerce apps, influencers could offer a unique promo code that links back to them.
6. The influencer receives a portion of every purchase a user makes.
7. Based on the unique link or the promo code, app owners can then gauge the success of these campaigns based on the traffic they receive.
8. If successful, apps benefit from increased downloads and sales, along with loyal users.

Ultimately, influencer marketing has the chance to drive both downloads and user retention, with the chance to see high ROI. 

The Benefits of Influencer Marketing for App Advertisers

Compared to other forms of app advertising, influencer marketing is more effective in a number of ways. Your app can benefit from influencer marketing with the following advantages.

Advertise Through People Your Audience Trusts

While broad advertising campaigns can still yield results, people prefer recommendations from the people they trust. As such, data from Shopify shows that 61% of consumers are more likely to trust recommendations from influencers. People often turn to their favorite influencers for everything from advice to recommendations, and apps are no exception. 

Influencers, as their title would suggest, are often good at gaining people’s confidence and convincing them to use certain products or services. They do so in a way that feels more organic than a typical ad from the brand itself.

Influencer Marketing Tells a More Personal Story

Narratives are among the most powerful marketing tools for all types of brands. People love a good story, and influencers can give it to them as it relates to your app. For example, an influencer may download and use your app. When promoting the app to their audiences, the influencer can detail their personal experience, including all of the benefits of using the app. This will be in their own voice and using their familiar storytelling technique. Because of this, your app is more likely to connect with audiences as they relate to the story that the influencer tells.

Keep in mind that not all influencers are great at storytelling, which means you’ll want to look around for one that’s known for crafting compelling narratives.

Connect With Audiences of All Types

Today, there’s an influencer in just about every niche, which allows app owners to target nearly any audience or audience segment imaginable. Regardless of the type of audience you want to target, there’s an influencer for every business. While your instincts may be to target well-established influencers with large followings to maximize exposure, you can get even better results and save more money by targeting micro-influencers.

Micro-influencers often have smaller but loyal followings. By connecting with multiple micro-influencers in one or more relevant niches, you can make the most of your budget while reaching wider audiences. 

How Influencer Marketing Can Complement an App Ad Strategy

As mentioned, you still need other forms of app advertising to experience long-term success with your app. However, influencer marketing can play a key role in boosting brand awareness, increasing download and install rates, and retaining users. There are a few ways in which influencer marketing can complement your ad strategy, including:

Build Brand Awareness

Other mobile marketing methods can get your brand in front of many audiences, but you can appear in front of even more with influencer marketing. When you reach out to the right influencer in your niche, you’ll have the chance to gain and hold the attention of people who might not find you otherwise. 

Even smaller influencers can expose your brand to hundreds or thousands of potential users. These users are also likely to be more interested in your app than general audiences. This is because influencers in your niche will share the same interests as their audience, encouraging them to try apps that they themselves would use.

If the influencer doesn’t manage to get audiences to download your app based solely on their recommendation and promotion, they’ll at least become aware of you. They’ll also look at you in a more positive light if they encounter your brand and app in the future. For example, a prospective user might not be interested in downloading your app when watching an influencer’s recommendation, but they may recognize you later if they see an ad on social media or another website. Based on this exposure and recognition, they may wind up trying the app when it’s convenient for them.

Increase Traffic Volume

People often don’t pay attention to generic ads or other marketing methods that don’t establish a more personal connection. On the other hand, if they hear and see a personality they like and trust to make a recommendation, audiences are much more inclined to give brand attention. As a result, they’re also more likely to take action based on this recommendation.

This is why influencer marketing often leads to more traffic for your app store page and the app itself. People will see that their favorite personalities are engaged with your app, which will get them to give it a try or at least investigate it further. This can go much farther than simply bombarding audiences with ads or attempting to reach out on social media on your own.

These advantages make influencer mobile marketing so critical for apps if you want to dramatically increase your app’s overall exposure and volume. 

Harness the Power of Influencer Marketing With AppSamurai

Your mobile marketing strategies can benefit tremendously from an effective influencer marketing strategy. However, you need to be able to locate the right influencer for your brand. Not every influencer is ideal for every brand, and you need to find one that’s going to serve as the best possible representative based on their reputation and relevance. The problem is that the competition among influencers is increasing to the point where there are thousands to choose from across nearly every niche. This is why you need the right tool to help you narrow down your selection and make the right choice.

If you want some help with finding the best influencer to build a relationship with and promote your brand, AppSamurai is here. AppSamurai is a mobile marketing platform that has many features to help you get the results you want from your efforts. One recently added feature that can assist with these campaigns is our influencer marketing capability. Using AppSamurai’s platform, you can now gain access to influencer marketing through our own inventory. We make it easier than ever for app advertisers to sign up, locate the ideal influencer, and reach out to begin reaping the rewards of influencer marketing. 

To get started with influencer marketing through AppSamurai, sign up with us today.

The post A Guide to Influencer Marketing and Its Role in App Advertising first appeared on AppSamurai.

If you’re looking for ways to keep users consistently engaged with your app and maximize retention, rewarded video ads are a great way to do so. Rewarded videos enable users to receive certain in-app rewards by viewing a short video ad for a set amount of time. Depending on the reward and the types of ads used, users may eagerly jump into rewarded campaigns and continue using apps for long periods, making these campaigns ideal for increasing loyalty.

However, you might already be using rewarded videos and not seeing the results you anticipated. In these cases, there are some strategies to implement that can help you optimize rewarded campaigns to yield better results. Here we’ll go over some of the best practices that will help you get the most from your efforts.

1. Allow Users to Opt-in to View Ads

The most important aspect to consider with rewarded videos is the ability for users to opt into them. If you force users to watch rewarded videos, they won’t be as receptive to them and may find them to be a mere annoyance. Make sure your app gives users the choice to view ads or continue using the app without them. With the right incentive, you’ll be able to encourage more users to opt-in and voluntarily view more ads.

2. Make Ads Easy to Access and Optimize Placement

If you offer rewards through rewarded videos, make sure you include ad buttons that are clear and make it easy for users to access them. People shouldn’t be confused when they encounter a chance to earn a reward, as this can quickly deter them from using your app again. You can use certain motion effects, text displays, and strategic color schemes to ensure ad buttons are easy to locate.

Additionally, make sure the placement of your ads is ideal to make sure they’re easily found and unobtrusive. When selecting the right placement for your ads, think about what your users want to see and experience when using your app. For example, in a gaming app, it’s best to avoid placing ads before a crucial moment in the middle of a gaming session. Instead, use interstitial ads or give users the option to view an ad to add another life or obtain a similar last-minute reward. 

A couple of the best places for rewarded videos include your app’s home screen and a dedicated offerwall in your app store. 

3. Don’t Compromise the User Experience

Rewarded ads should enhance the user experience, not detract from it. Make sure your rewarded videos supplement the core experience and make the UX your primary focus. People should enjoy the main features that your app has to offer them, which will then make them want to engage with your rewarded campaign to benefit even more from those features. Placing ads in the right spot and offering the right balance of rewards can then enable users to get the most from the free experience you offer, potentially leading them to make in-app purchases or buy a premium version of your app.

4. Be Clear About the Rewards Given

You can allow a degree of mystery with rewards, but don’t conceal them entirely. If people don’t at least have an idea of what they’re going to get when viewing rewarded videos, they’ll be less inclined to opt-in. You can use text or images to establish what rewarded videos will provide. For example, you can use messages such as “view to add another life,” “watch a video to multiply [currency],” or other similar messages. In some cases, you can simply use icons and numbers to indicate what a reward will be, such as “[coin icon] x 2” to indicate the doubling of currency. If you want to leave the reward a mystery, you can at least indicate that it’s an unpredictable reward by using a question mark icon or something similar, which could entice users if those mystery rewards are worth the ad view.

5. Test Different Rewards

When pinpointing the right reward to get people to view rewarded videos, you need to perform some tests. By testing different types of incentives, you can figure out what people want to see from these campaigns, which will help maximize the ROI of these campaigns. 

Be sure to test both the type of reward you offer and the quantity. You can do so by using A/B split testing to try different types or amounts. For instance, you can run one test using two different types of rewards, such as 2,000 vs 2,500 of your in-game currency. You may also want to test two types of free items that people can earn. Based on which item or quantity performs best while still keeping your app profitable, you can determine which rewards to keep in place. Through repeated testing, you can optimize your campaigns to maximize engagement and ROI. 

6. Choose the Best Frequency for Ads

The right frequency of ads will also make a big difference in engagement levels. People should be able to view ads frequently to keep them engaged, but you also need to set a frequency cap to make sure that people aren’t exploiting ads to gain an infinite number of free rewards. 

For example, you might allow people to receive a reward five times by viewing an ad five times per day, with the button locked out after the user has reached this limit. However, you can get users excited to re-engage with the app the next day by putting a timer in place that counts down to the next day when people will be able to access this reward again. This will make it clear what users can expect and help increase retention with the promise of repeat rewards.

7. Be Strategic With Rewards

Make sure your ads are consistently satisfying to get users to continue using your app. This means giving real value to your users with rewards that they can actually put to use to continue enjoying the app for free. On the other hand, you need to be strategic enough to reward users satisfactorily without compromising your app’s monetization.

The best practice here is to offer items in your store that are somewhat difficult to obtain, but which users can acquire with sufficient in-app currency. As an example, you could reward players with a certain amount of currency that users can save to spend on a larger item later, which serves as an even bigger reward. 

To figure out which rewards to offer while maintaining profitability, calculate your rewards’ cost per thousand/Mille (CPM) and the total cost. This will help you determine which rewards help your bottom line while increasing retention, making them worth offering.

8. Offer Unexpected Rewards

As discussed, it’s sometimes good to offer unexpected rewards, but ensure that users know they’re intentionally mysterious. One of the most effective ways to provide users with mystery rewards is to present them with the option to view a video to open a treasure chest containing multiple small rewards together. This offers some variety and is often enticing if your app features multiple types of items. You can also offer different tiers of treasure chests, with each tier requiring users to watch more ads before opening them.

Your bottom tier, for example, might include a few different types of key items in small quantities, requiring viewers to watch a single ad to open them. Meanwhile, the second tier offers a wider variety of mystery items in larger quantities, requiring three ad views. Finally, the most valuable treasure chest could require even more views to unlock larger quantities or an even larger selection of items.

For particularly large mystery rewards, you can also tie them into ad engagement frequency by only giving users a limited number of ads they can watch per day to contribute toward the reward. An example of this would be a large treasure chest full of valuable items that users need to watch as many as 20 ads or more to open. You can then set a limit of five ad views per day, which will encourage users to come back each day to view more ads until they’ve finally unlocked this reward. Just remember to make it worthwhile to encourage users to repeat this experience.

9. Offer In-Game Hints as Rewards

If users can benefit from hints that you give them in a game, this can be a great incentive for a rewarded campaign. These hints could include parts of an answer or clues for puzzle games, or you can offer certain tips and tricks for other types of games if users experience certain challenges while playing. For the latter example, it may be best to offer assistance only after a player has lost a level a certain number of times, which can help them progress without making them feel like the app is holding their hand through the game.

10. Segment App Users

To help further optimize your rewarded ads, you should segment your users. This entails dividing your main audience into multiple target audiences with unique wants and needs. You can use this strategy for rewarded campaigns just as you would for mobile marketing efforts.

When segmenting for rewarded ads, segment users according to how often they access your app. If users frequently use your app on a weekly or daily basis, you may want to offer them rewards that are of lower value due to the likelihood that they’ll continue using your app regardless. You can offer these audiences certain boosts that improve upon what they currently possess in the game, which you could use to enhance purchased items in an attempt to encourage them to make more purchases.

Meanwhile, you can offer larger rewards to users who don’t spend as much time on your app to help bring them back and increase engagement. These rewards could also entice these users and give them an incentive to make more in-app purchases.

11. Keep Ads Consistently Relevant

Great and frequent rewards can get many people to watch all the way through an ad, but another key to your campaigns’ success is ad relevance. If your ads are in a completely unrelated app category that your users don’t care about, they’ll likely have far less patience to actually watch ads to completion. To make sure your ads are as interesting as the rewards received after watching them, keep your ads relevant to your app. You can easily achieve this without including ads for direct competitors.

For example, if your app is a puzzle game, you might use ads that advertise other types of puzzle games that use different mechanics from yours. You can also display ads that are in an adjacent category, such as travel ads for an educational app with audiences who might be interested in studying abroad. As a result, your audiences will find more value in your ads that make viewing them less of a hassle that might otherwise make them reluctant to view them.

Develop Winning Rewarded Campaigns With the Right Strategy

By taking all of these steps, you can make sure that your rewarded campaign is ready to succeed. If you find that your campaigns are struggling to get the kind of results you need to see from them, going back to these points and touching on them can help identify the specific issue affecting your app. You’ll then be able to continue optimizing these campaigns until they perform the way they should. Combined with other strategies that enhance your app’s user experience, you’ll be able to attract more users and keep them engaged on a regular basis. In the end, you’ll drive more retention as users find your app valuable and worth using.

For additional help with your mobile marketing efforts, turn to the platform available at App Samurai. This tool will serve as your mobile growth hub that fuels your app’s long-term success. Reach out to us for more details about our platform and its many capabilities.

The post 11 Ways to Make Rewarded Videos for In-App Revenue More Appealing to Users first appeared on AppSamurai.