Performance Marketing for Apps & Gaming
We scale installs and in-app revenue with Apple Search Ads, Google App Campaigns, and event optimization built for SKAN and privacy-first measurement.
User acquisition for apps and games is brutal. Installs are cheap to buy but most of them never convert, and SKAN delays and aggregation hide which campaigns actually drive paying users. Teams chase install volume, blow through budget, and only learn weeks later that retention and ROAS never showed up.
We optimize for paying users, not vanity installs.
What We Do for App & Game Studios
Apple Search Ads (ASA)
Brand defense plus discovery and competitor keywords on the App Store, structured so you capture high-intent searches and protect against rivals bidding on your name.
Google App Campaigns (UAC)
Asset-driven campaigns optimized for in-app events, not just installs, with creative variety and bidding tuned toward purchases, subscriptions, or key activation events.
Event & ROAS Optimization
We define the in-app events that predict revenue, feed them to the networks, and bid toward tROAS or target CPA on real value signals instead of raw install counts.
SKAN & MMP Measurement
Conversion value schema design, SKAdNetwork setup, and clean MMP configuration (AppsFlyer, Adjust) so attribution holds up under iOS privacy limits.
App & Gaming Challenges We Solve
Installs That Never Pay
Cheap installs flatter the dashboard and starve the P&L. We bid toward purchase and activation events so spend flows to users who actually retain and monetize, not one-tap drop-offs.
SKAN Blindness
SKAdNetwork delays and coarse data make iOS campaigns hard to read. We design conversion value schemas and blend SKAN with MMP and modeled data so you can still steer toward ROAS.
ASA vs Google App Campaigns
Each platform behaves differently: ASA rewards keyword intent, UAC rewards creative and event signals. We split budget by role and stop the two from cannibalizing each other.
Creative Burnout
Ad fatigue hits fast in gaming and apps. We run a steady testing pipeline of hooks, playables, and video angles so CPI stays controlled as you scale spend.
Frequently Asked Questions
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It depends on where your users are and how mature your event tracking is. ASA captures high-intent App Store searches with quick feedback, while UAC scales volume across Google's network. Most studios run both, with budget split by their distinct roles rather than treating them as interchangeable.
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We define the in-app events that predict lifetime value, such as first purchase, subscription start, or a key activation milestone, then feed those to the networks and bid toward tROAS or target CPA on them. Install count becomes a secondary metric, not the goal.
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We design a conversion value schema that captures the most decision-relevant signals within SKAdNetwork's constraints, then combine SKAN postbacks with MMP data and modeled conversions. That gives a usable read on iOS performance despite delays and aggregation.
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Yes. We work with AppsFlyer, Adjust, and similar MMPs, and we align their event definitions with your in-app analytics and BI so campaign decisions rest on consistent numbers across tools.
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It varies widely by genre, geo, and platform. Casual game CPIs can sit under a euro in some markets, while subscription and fintech apps often see install costs of several euros and far higher cost per paying user. We optimize to cost per paying user and ROAS, not headline CPI.
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We scale in controlled steps, watching event-level performance and retention as budgets rise, and we keep a creative pipeline ready so fatigue does not spike CPI. Typically the first weeks are learning and schema validation, then we ramp where ROAS holds.
Ready to scale paying users, not just installs?
Book a free strategy call and we will review your UA setup, event tracking, and SKAN schema to find profitable growth.