User acquisition requires focusing on more than just paid channels. Free and earned media should also be prioritized for most companies. Measurement is critical for proper segmentation and return on ad spend analysis by user type. Creative testing is an important way to generate learnings and optimize user acquisition efforts. The key is to understand target users, test hypotheses about what works best for each segment, and analyze results to improve user acquisition strategies over time.
6. Rewarded Ads - The Magic Ad Unit
Great
eCPMs
(= efficient revenue source)
Great
UX
7. Rewarded Ads - The Magic Ad Unit
Definitely doesn’t hurt
retention
Definitely doesn’t hurt
session length
Important to make
sure it doesn’t
cannibalize IAP
Can actually
improve it by
~10% - 25%
Can actually
improve it by
10% - 30%
Can actually
improve it by
0 - 8%
16. Rewarded Video Strategy
● Reward
○ Valuable and interesting
○ Dynamic, diversified
● Timing
○ Clean environment (e.g. end of session)
○ Convenient time for installing an app
● Ads from Day 1 - part of your game design
17. Rewarded Video Strategy
● Visibility and Awareness
○ Engagement effects twice!
● Clarity
○ Does the user understand?
● Capping and pacing
○ To avoid risk
○ Segmentation
18. ● The goal is to maximize the total user LTV (ads, retention, IAP)
● You can only know by Testing
Rewarded Video Strategy
Testing, Testing, Testing - Data-driven decisions
21. Offerwall
Longer process
for the user
(> 90% CPE)
Not part of
the game flow
Average revenue and
reward per completion -
$3 (unlike 2c in RV)
Alternative payment
method!
(your 2nd store)
● Store, main screen
● Hard currency
● Awareness - pop ups, DCP
22. OW - Benchmark & Target
Engagement Rate
At least 5%
aim for 10%
Usage Rate
At least 1.2
aim for 2
OW/RV revenue
(ARPDAU) rate
At least 40%
aim for 80%
24. System Initiated Ads
50% of users won’t
pay, and won’t engage
with rewarded ads
Display ads – the only
way to monetize them
(+ incremental revenue for the rest)
25. System Initiated Ads
With no strong virtual
economy (= weak IAP & Rewarded) -
System Initiated becomes
the main monetization
option
Can hurt UX, impact
retention & session
length, and affect
probability to purchase
Potential risks
26. ● Timing - when users finish playing, breaks
● Frequency / capping - average session length / 3.
● Segmentation - non-paying, non-rewarded?
● Format - rewarded interstitial? X button? # of clicks? User’s Feedback?
● ARPDAU vs. Retention Decision - data driven decision!
How to effectively use system initiated ads
28. RV - 3 placements
Free Reward
Main screen, reward is changing
(Time Warp, MegaBucks), pace -
every 2 hours
Free Reward
Main screen, fixed with a timer,
reward is 4 hrs Boost, cap to 6
impressions a day
Speed boost
Main screen, timer clock, reward
is speed boost, cap to 3
impressions a day
30. OW - 2 Placements Gold - Hard Currency
Main Screen Free gold Store Free gold
31. What works in this implementation?
● Place - approachable and visible - Helps ER
● Simplicity - clear call-to-action, explanation page - Helps ER
● Reward - interesting and valuable - Helps ER + UR
● Available in high quantity - (10-12 imp a day) – Helps UR
● Dynamic rewarding - keeps the ER + UR in good values
● User flow - a convenient time to make an install (end of session) -
Helps IPM
● Reward type - soft currency for RV, hard for OW
Make it fun, don’t apologize!
32. Summary
● Ads are more than a revenue tool -
They improve many of your game’s KPIs
● Requires attention and professionalism
● Know what KPIs to monitor, what GOALS to set,
and HOW to get there
47. Basic In-App Events
Click /
View
Multiple
Channels
Instal
l
App Stores
App Launches
-> Retention
Connecting value back to acquiring channel &
optimizing
Specific
App Activity
48. Rich In-App Events
Basic In-App Event Rich In-App Event
Purchase Purchase
Level (3)
Content ID (433)
Price (299)
Currency (USD)
Customer User ID
(123456)
Date (2/12)
49. 1) Meet specific business goals
Acquire target audience; e.g. users who
unlocked level 2
2) Pinpoint top media sources to
pinpoint future investment
Network 3
Campaign 1
Publisher 12
Creative 6
delivered to beginners
The 1-2-3 Punch of
Rich In-App Events
76. Best practices in UA
Cuong Nguyen (Silver)
Co-founder, Head of Product
Amanotes Pte. Ltd
77. ● Dec 2014:
Cofounded Amanotes – a music & game start-up & publisher
with over 120.000.000 installs worldwide after 3+ years
● 2014:
Graduated from University of Amsterdam
(MSc in Innovation & Entrepreneurship )
95. ROAS = VALUE A USER BRINGS TO YOU/ COST YOU PAY TO GET THEM
96. ROAS SEGMENT 1
ROAS = VALUE A USER BRINGS TO YOU/ COST YOU PAY TO GET THEM
ROAS SEGMENT 2 ROAS SEGMENT 3
97. ROAS SEGMENT 1
ROAS = VALUE A USER BRINGS TO YOU/ COST YOU PAY TO GET THEM
ROAS SEGMENT 2 ROAS SEGMENT 3
“A lot of my users stay in the game even after 30 or 60 days”
98. ROAS SEGMENT 1
ROAS = VALUE A USER BRINGS TO YOU/ COST YOU PAY TO GET THEM
ROAS SEGMENT 2 ROAS SEGMENT 3
PREDICTED ROAS
SEGMENT 1
PREDICTED ROAS
SEGMENT 2
PREDICTED ROAS
SEGMENT 3
99. ROAS SEGMENT 1
ROAS = VALUE A USER BRINGS TO YOU/ COST YOU PAY TO GET THEM
ROAS SEGMENT 2 ROAS SEGMENT 3
PREDICTED ROAS
SEGMENT 1
PREDICTED ROAS
SEGMENT 2
PREDICTED ROAS
SEGMENT 3
LTV PREDICTION 1 LTV PREDICTION 2 LTV PREDICTION 3
105. I need to test this hypothesis …..and it needs 4 videos
106. To sum up…
● Paid UA is not everything! Segment your (prospective)
user sources and spend the right focus
● Before scaling your paid UA, make sure you have the capacities to
segment your users, and measure your ROAS by segments
● Invest in your creative capacities to be able to generate learnings
that can be reapplied