If 2021 was the year of GDPR privacy protection, 2022 is the year for ad creative optimisation. With Apple taking way access to IDFA and Google promising to make similar privacy-first statements on Android, app organisations need better creatives to reach and keep their new audiences.
Playable adverts are the clear winner for mobile organisation needs. Looking at a “split-by-platform” filter, CPI on the Android platform comes in at $1.41 (v.s. $3.66 on iOS). These playable adverts are also a boost to key audience engagement, ultimately driving new user acquisition. Not only do these new users cost 2x less on Android than on iOS, but playable adverts, along with banners and interstitials, fall well below the most expensive native advert, which shows very high costs on both Android ($4.82) and Apple iOS ($7.38).
For 2021, playable adverts remained the most cost-effective advert format month-to-month, other than in September 2021, where they tied with online banner adverts. This makes playable adverts ($1.98), followed by banner adverts ($2.82), an alternative format for mobile gaming organisations looking to unlock the full potential of the mobile experience without shelling out to accommodate high costs.
Even if you’re not promoting a gaming app, playable adverts have a lot to offer the public. Introducing an interactive element to an e-commerce advert drives real-time engagement without compromising the brand’s values. Interactive adverts allow the public to play before they purchase. Those who view the advert can interact with it as a preview of what they could do in the mobile app, and, according to Liftoff, data mining is the most cost-effective advert format.
“Understanding what motivates your ideal customer is key for organisations to get ahead of the curve. The data shows that playable adverts are where it’s at,” says Liftoff CEO and co-founder Mark Ellis. “As mobile marketers look at the big picture this year, it’s important to factor in platform needs when it comes to engaging, interactive ads to pique the interest of your custom industry audience.”
Android Holds Onto Affordable Reign as 2022 report Highlights 2x iOS Costs
Confirming the year-over-year (YoY) predictions first reported in the 2021 report, Android continues to win ad creative with cheaper costs and higher value across ad formats. Specifically, in gaming, Android devices are less expensive across all ad formats.
As a takeaway, it’s wise for mobile marketers to continue to target Android to pique the interest of potential audiences for value. Additionally, CPI rates are higher across the board on iOS than on Android—but nearly every ad format saw a CPI increase within the year. Video ads nearly doubled from $3.44 to $6.09.
Level Up: Player Motivations Are The Future of Performance Marketing
As marketers adapt to ad preferences, they must think of the motivating factors that drive engagement for users. Marketers who can match player motivations match advert creative types can unlock real potential.
While looking at gaming ads, the report found that only 4% of casual game video ads successfully tap into the top player motivation in that category, “completing milestones,” meaning 96% don’t reach their motivation potential. As gaming marketers look toward successful practices, they should begin to lean into ads that reach above the 3.38 average for users.
For the “excitement and thrill” category, over 99% failed to hit this specific player motivation score across mid-core game ads. This statistic can lead ad creatives to deliver fast-paced and suspenseful actions to thrill-seeking audiences.
For more information on Liftoff and to download the full report, visit here