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2025 App Marketer Survey

By Shani Rosenfelder·Feb 17, 2025·4 min read

Summary

The mobile app marketing landscape is evolving rapidly, with 2024 showing strong growth in non-gaming apps (12% YoY download increase) and steady gaming revenue. Marketer sentiment is positive: 80% expect 2025 to be as good or better, and nearly half report larger budgets. Key trends include a shift toward profitability and retention, with 78% of marketers prioritizing revenue growth.

ROAS remains the top KPI, especially for gaming, while CPA is more important for non-gaming categories like finance and e-commerce. Generative AI is already making an impact, with 52% seeing benefits in creative production and optimization. iOS re-engagement is an underutilized opportunity, as only 31% run such campaigns.

SKAN adoption is mixed: 32% report no impact, 30% still face challenges. GAID deprecation preparedness is low, with only 32% having done some preparation. Marketers are collaborating more with data teams and focusing on sustainable revenue strategies.

Ad networks and self-attributing networks remain top spend priorities, while DSPs are secondary. Overall, the industry is investing in advanced analytics, AI, and cross-team collaboration to navigate competition and privacy changes.

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