Introducing new horizons in app marketing: beyond app campaigns

The challenge: expanding beyond app-only campaigns

The digital ecosystem is vast, with users interacting across a multitude of channels and devices; however, app marketers may often find themselves constrained by the limitations of app-only campaigns, particularly when the web is significantly larger (200+ million active websites, vs. 9 million apps). 

The dual-click process—from mobile web to app store—poses significant challenges in maintaining accurate attribution and deep linking, potentially misattributing users or losing them altogether.

Mobile marketers have expressed a need to:

• Broaden their reach beyond app-only campaigns.
• Market their apps outside of the app store while ensuring correct attribution.
• Distribute their gaming apps on additional platforms.
• Gain better control over acquisition efforts beyond the limitations of restricted app campaign tools such as SKAN attribution.

The solution: web campaign to app measurement

Why the web?

Web campaigns are generally more cost-effective and offer a wider reach due to cheaper ad spaces across various platforms. Marketeers can enjoy much more creative freedom without strict app store regulations and can quickly update and iterate marketing materials. 

They benefit from straightforward tracking for enhanced attribution and can engage users directly on their sites, reducing friction and other limitations. Such direct web access simplifies conversion paths, potentially leading to higher conversion rates and a more efficient user acquisition process.

To take advantage of such opportunities, we’re now offering mobile marketers new ways to market their apps through web campaigns:

#1: Web campaign to app attribution

With web campaigns to app attribution, marketers can run web-oriented campaigns that can direct visitors either straight to the App Store, or (more commonly) via a landing page and then to the App Store, while maintaining accurate measurement and attribution. 

This allows marketers to leverage different types of campaigns to market their apps, breaking free from the app-campaign constraints such as complexity in attribution, app store limitations, potentially higher costs, and technical considerations that are less of an issue with web campaigns.

The solution offers additional creative opportunities and the flexibility to run joint campaigns with other products or offerings. For example, instead of being limited in space, format, or design of an app’s page in the store, advertisers can enhance visibility through a broader, flashier, and informational landing page by including other apps, games, or platforms within a much larger scope or campaign.

This direction enables marketers to optimize beyond app-only campaigns and also cover bidding, targeting, measurement, and more.

Value proposition:
Convert mobile web visitors into app users to tap into a wider audience and enhance visibility, as well as user comprehension — leveraging the strengths of web landing pages.

#2: Google Play games for PC

Expanding reach for app developers beyond apps allows users to enjoy their favorite mobile games on PCs, keeping them active and synced across devices. It offers a seamless experience across devices and taps into the increased engagement and retention that comes with multi-platform accessibility.

This not only opens a new channel for distributing gaming apps but also increases stickiness, enhances retention, ups reengagement, and propels upselling efforts.

Value proposition: 

Publish Android apps optimized for PC (desktop or laptop) to enable a seamless cross-device experience for players, while syncing promotion and attribution.

#3: APK not hosted in Google Play

For the first time, app developers can promote the APK versions of their apps outside of official app stores while maintaining accurate measurement and attribution. 

Developers can now optimize their marketing strategies and achieve better outcomes, even outside of the app stores.

Value proposition:

Run mobile campaigns outside the store, promoting apps that are ‘listing-challenged’ because of licensing, regulations, and other issues, while introducing APK promotion optimization thanks to newly-available APK attribution.

What’s Next: Embracing the new opportunities of app marketing

As we usher in this new era of app marketing, we invite you to explore the added possibilities these features offer. Whether you’re looking to expand your reach, enhance user engagement, or optimize your marketing strategies, our latest solutions are here to support your journey.

Ready to take your app marketing to the next level? Learn more and Contact us to see how these new capabilities can transform your marketing efforts and drive success for your app.