Mumbai: In today's digital age, mobile advertising has emerged as a dominant force in the marketing landscape. Growing at a CAGR of 22 per cent, the 931 million current smartphone users in India are expected to reach 1.1 billion by 2025. In fact the smartphone penetration rate in India will be close to 71 per cent by the end of 2023 (Source: Statista). With over 1.5 billion daily active users, 10 million monthly installs, and leading our mobile OEM market players such as Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, OnePlus, Realme Transsion and Vivo had shipped over 228 million phones in the first half of 2023 alone.
Mobile OEM advertising is certainly operating at the industry’s frontier -
Brands are rightfully harnessing the power of mobile OEM advertising to reach their target audience effectively. For marketers and advertisers at this point of time, the best means of accessing mobile OEM advertising is via one of their trusted partners to reach the end destination- a growth market of exponential opportunities.
However, an essential aspect of mobile OEM advertising that any advertiser or marketer should consider before entering this sphere is media buying.
Where does media buying stand in the world of mobile OEM advertising in 2024, what does it entail, and how is data and technology playing a huge role when it comes to successful media buying? In light of brands aiming to succeed in the competitive digital arena, marketers must understand its significance at the outset of this new year.
The importance and relevance of media buying in the world of mobile OEM advertising -
In mobile OEM advertising, media buying specifically refers to the process of securing ad placements on mobile OEM devices, apps, or in-app advertisements targeting a desired audience. As such, in order to optimise return on ad spends (ROAS) and achieve desired marketing objectives, careful consideration and meticulous planning are required.
It’s time to leverage the power of technology, Smart KPI’s and campaign optimisations but not without the right partnership….
A major pain point for mobile marketers continues to be the limitation of individually buying OEM advertising inventory from different OEMs- a process which is cumbersome and doesn’t offer complete views of their marketing campaign performance. Additionally, optimising the campaigns across multiple OEM platforms without being able to consolidate them into one tool is also a challenge.
Leading global app growth companies have innovated to offer a first of its kind tool which processes immense amounts of data from multiple OEMs and mobile measurement partners (MMPs), bridging the gap between media buyers and data and providing invaluable insights and analysis for making real- time data-driven decisions. Not just that, these next gen tools can optimize the best OEM advertising inventory, measuring them against app-specific KPIs and desired engagement levels. Mobile marketers can now access an in-depth understanding of how each ad placement behaves and whether it aligns with their objectives or not.
While many companies insist on a cost per install (CPI) model, these dynamic app-growth companies leverage both its people and technology to optimise for down funnel events. This means that such companies focus on the outcomes beyond the initial install, such as in-app purchases, sign-ups, and/or subscriptions. And by accepting down funnel events, they also demonstrate a deeper understanding of the user journey, thereby helping cultivate campaigns that are optimised for meaningful, long-term results.
Brands should strive to partner with such players as it is this sort of strategic difference which sets these OEM centric app growth companies apart thereby driving unparalleled performance for brands. Simply having the right tech and people isn’t enough; which is why these tech companies also help to build their client’s campaign’s success by adhering to smart KPIs designated for media buying and campaign optimisations. In 2024, marketers must know what all to consider….
Comprehensive market research -
Before delving into media buying, conducting in-depth market research is crucial. Identifying the target audience's preferences, behavior, and media consumption habits will lay the foundation for a successful media buying strategy.
Defined aims and outcomes-
Establishing clear campaign objectives is an essential component of the media buying process. Whether the goal is to drive website traffic, increase app downloads, or boost sales, having well-defined aims will make selecting appropriate advertising channels easier. This is why brands must define their objectives together with their app growth marketing companies so that they can plan and optimize the campaign, including for down funnel events.
Choose the right Ad formats -
Mobile OEM advertising offers various ad formats, such as banners, interstitials, videos, native ads, and more. As such, selecting the most suitable format according to a brand’s target audience’s preferences (along with their campaign's other objectives) is the most effective way of capturing their attention. Understanding the behavior and success of these ad types and placements for different verticals is also paramount.
A/B Testing and experimentation
Constantly experimenting and A/B testing different ad creatives, copy, ad types, placements and targeting parameters can significantly improve campaign performance. These tests provide invaluable insight into what resonates best with an audience, and can inform future media buying decisions too.
Understanding macro factors and performance -
Several macro factors come into play when it comes to the success of media buying. One such macro factor is that of seasonality and the knock-on effect it has on media buying and the campaign's success as a whole. Identifying high-peak times like Diwali or Christmas is key to crafting a successful marketing campaign for your mobile apps.
A strong media buying team excels in adjusting bids on original equipment manufacturer (OEM) platforms based on seasonality, ensuring optimal ad placements. This includes predicting peak periods and striking early deals with mobile OEMs before the seasonal surge - a proactive approach that secures the best price for your ad campaigns and makes that ad dollar stretch further. The importance of having a skilled media buying team that understands these nuanced macro factors in multiple regions around the world, cannot be overstated.
Media buying + tech + smart KPIs = winning Formula -
Media buying is a pivotal component of mobile advertising that equips brands with the power to connect with their target audience effectively. By understanding the significance of media buying, and by implementing strategic approaches, advertisers can accordingly optimise their campaigns, enhance brand visibility, and drive measurable results. Leading app growth marketing companies specialising in mobile OEM advertising offer cutting edge innovative proprietary tools which act as true trailblazers allowing them to analyse and react to data in real time, optimise campaigns, and focus on down funnel events. Their knowledge, skills, and unique tools empowers them to drive exceptional performance and achieve tangible results for mobile advertisers.
Mobile advertisers must look at partnering with app growth marketing companies who cannot just optimize campaigns, minimise risk, but also capitalise on platform differences, to offer their campaigns a strategic edge. Smart KPI’s are reshaping the future of mobile OEM advertising, so there’s never been a better time to find out what they can do for your business.
( The author is Co-founder and CRO of AVOW)
