3 Best Practices: Creative Optimization for Playable Ads

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1 3 Best Practices: Creative Optimization for Playable Ads 1

2 Table of Contents 1. Glossary How Do Playable Ads Stack Up? Key Elements of High Performing Playable Ads The Right Number of Levels The Right Difficulty Level The Right Outcome Key Takeaways

3 Glossary CTR Click Through Rate Percentage of users who click through to the app store CVR Conversion Rate Percentage of users who install the app IPM Installs Per Mille Number of installs per 1000 ad impressions ecpm Effective Cost Per Mille Cost for 1000 ad impressions 3

4 How Do Playable Ads Stack Up? 4

5 Performance comparison: playable ads vs. video ads Playable ads outperform video ads across almost all KPIs, which as we see in the graph above, is nearly twice the CTR, IPM, and ecpm of video ads. 2.75x 2x 2.3x -26% Playable vs. Video CTR Playable vs. Video IPM Playable vs. Video ecpm Playable vs. Video CVR* *Why is CVR lower? Playable ads are highly engaging and as a result drive more people the app stores. With so many people clicking through to the app stores, the percentage of people who install the app (CVR) seems low in comparison. 5

6 3 Key Elements of High-Performing Playable Ads 6

7 How in-ad behavioral data impacts performance For the first time ever, in-app creatives can give us insight into who our users are and what their likes and interests are. In contrast to interstitial ads, or even video ads, which only tell us whether users clicked or viewed, playable ads tell us how long they interacted for, why they dropped off, where they d prefer to be, and more. By collecting in-ad behavioral data, not only can advertisers optimize their campaigns without the usual guesswork, but they can learn what makes their users tick. 7

8 Which in-ad experiences drive conversions? Today, marketing campaigns are made up of multiple touch points, from an ad that first caught the user s attention, to a retargeting campaign, to the final conversion. But a playable ad isn t just another touchpoint within a larger marketing funnel, it s a funnel in and of itself, giving users multiple opportunities to engage - the first tap to begin, the gameplay, the call to action, etc. The wealth of in-ad data that these touchpoints produce gives game marketers unique insight into how users interact with their ads, which can then be used to optimize the playable ad to get the best results, and give users what they actually want. In this report, we go through 3 in-ad experiences which, through creative optimization, we ve learned drive high conversions and engagement. 1. The right number of levels 2. The right difficulty level 3. The right outcome 8

9 #1. The Right Number of Levels 9

10 1. The right number of levels The ad unit is just 30 seconds. To make the most of this short time, creators need to determine two things: How much time it takes a player to win How much time it takes for them to decide if they want to install the game Gameplay that is too short might decrease conversion rate (CVR), and therefore damage performance. This is why it s important to find a balance between sufficient gameplay time and the constraint of the 30 second window. In the end, it comes down to the number of levels, which we can best determine through creative optimization and in-ad behavioral data. 10

11 1. The right number of levels (cont d) For example, a playable ad we created for a leading strategy game had high engagement rates but relatively low CVR. To find out why, we A/B tested 3 different versions of the ad: one with 1 level, one with 2 levels, and one with 3. The 3-level playable ad was too long. Though a large number of users initially engaged, most dropped off early and didn t click through to the app store. The 1-level playable ad was too short. Users didn t feel compelled to convert after a few seconds of gameplay. The 2-level playable ad was just right, balancing drop-off to maximize CVR. 58% 89% 75% 27% Impression Tutorial Level 1 Level 2 Click to install 11

12 #2. The Right Difficulty Level 12

13 2. The right difficulty level Users don t like working too hard - or too little. We ve learned that making the gameplay too difficult turns users off, but making the gameplay too easy lowers their investment and engagement. In other words, difficulty level matters. We see users convert most when the gameplay is set to medium. Interestingly, CTR is high for easy, but CVR is very low. It s likely that users initially click through to the app store because they enjoyed winning, but don t end up converting because after second thought, they didn t find the gameplay challenging enough. CTR CVR Easy 18% 2% Medium 2% 14% Hard 2% 11% 13

14 #3. The Right Outcome 14

15 3. The right outcome: win or lose Players may not like working too hard, but everyone likes winning. WIN 32.3% CTR Our in-ad data has shown that providing users with a positive experience notably improves ad performance. Today, consumers expect instant gratification. They want Instagram likes seconds after they post a photo. And they want to win seconds after playing a game. This is why we aim to have a high win rate. How do we do this? Frequent hints (every 2 seconds) Pulsating arrows Glowing clues LOSE 5.8% CTR By nudging users with obvious clues every few seconds, we can more or less control our win rate. The more helpful or noticeable the clue, the more likely the user will win. 15

16 Key Takeaways 16

17 Key takeaways By leveraging granular in-ad behavioral data, marketers can optimize playable ads so that they deliver the best results and give users what they really want. There are are many variables to focus on and tweak - the number of levels, difficulty, and outcome are just a few. The important part is understanding that playable ads are the first mobile ad unit that enable marketers to truly optimize their creatives based on hard data. Like with any gameplay, it takes multiple iterations and dozens of A/B tests to find the right outcome. And, each app is different - what works for one app s playable ad might not work for another s. The three variables we ve presented here are based on data gathered from over 100 playable ads, ranging from strategy games to word games. 17

18 Want to learn more about how to turn your app into a successful business? Join 20K other happy developers and contact us here to learn more about how we can help you maximize your app marketing and monetization. For more helpful information like this, check out our Resources Page. Or if you re looking for actionable data on the app economy, take a look at our data resources: Fastest Growing Apps ecpm Index About ironsource ironsource is committed to helping create a sustainable digital content economy. We provide tailored solutions for clients as diverse as app developers, device manufacturers, mobile carriers, and advertisers. Our comprehensive solutions help industry leading companies achieve greater business success, enabling them to find, understand, engage with and monetize their target audiences more effectively. Founded in 2010, ironsource is a truly global company, with offices in Tel Aviv, London, New York, San Francisco, Beijing, and Bangalore. Read more at