Liftoff(Vungle)The Results Are In! Findings From Our 2025 App Marketer Survey
Summary
Over the past year, generative AI tools have become integral to mobile advertising, revolutionizing creative production, campaign optimization, and operations, though implementation complexities remain. Macroeconomic improvements fuel consumer app growth, especially in social media and video streaming, despite regulatory pressures on giants like Meta and TikTok. Mobile gaming remains dominant but faces saturation concerns.
Industry reports from Sensor Tower, AppsFlyer, and Liftoff combine macro data with marketer sentiment to outline 2024 trends, campaign benchmarks, and expectations for 2025, highlighting both opportunities and challenges in this evolving landscape.
You Might Also Like
AppsFlyer2025 App Marketer Survey
The mobile advertising industry is optimistic heading into 2025, with 80% of marketers expecting the year to be as strong or stronger than 2024. Non-gaming apps are driving growth, with downloads up 12% YoY and IAP revenue increasing 20%+. Marketers are prioritizing profitability and ROAS, with over half reporting more aggressive KPIs. Generative AI is already benefiting creative production and optimization. iOS re-engagement remains underleveraged, and most marketers are still adapting to SKAN. Budgets are increasing, with a focus on ad networks and self-attributing networks.
AppsFlyerThe marketer’s guide to buying an MMP
This guide helps app marketers select a Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) by covering essential features like privacy-first measurement, unified attribution, fraud protection, and advanced analytics. It emphasizes choosing an MMP that integrates easily, scales with business growth, and provides reliable data for optimizing marketing ROI across teams.
AppsFlyerUnlock the value of web-to-app
Web-to-app strategies boost conversions by 77% and achieve 13.6% average paying user rate. Brands like adidas saw 2.4x higher ROAS from deep-linked users, while AirAsia improved bookings by 19%. Key challenges include measurement gaps, siloed teams, and onboarding friction. Solutions involve Google Ads Web-to-App Install and Web to App Connect with AppsFlyer Smart Banners and deep linking. Actionable steps: set tracking, import conversions, activate smart bidding, and deep link users.
AppsFlyerCross-platform measurement: the complete guide for 2026
Cross-platform measurement resolves the common problem of fragmented, device-level reporting that inflates ROAS and misallocates budgets. By unifying customer identity across web, mobile, CTV, and other surfaces, marketers gain a single view of LTV and attribution. AppsFlyer provides this via CUID stitching and Product Line grouping, enabling real-time, deduplicated insights without manual BI work. Key benefits include accurate cross-platform ROAS, elimination of duplicate attribution, and reliable data for AI-driven optimization.
AppsFlyerMarketing attribution: what it is and how to measure it
Marketing attribution is critical for connecting spend to revenue, but platform self-reporting and last-click bias distort budget decisions. Single-touch models (first/last-click) are simple but miss the full journey; multi-touch models (position-based, data-driven) are more accurate but require robust data. Mobile attribution is particularly challenging due to ATT, SKAdNetwork, and cross-platform gaps, necessitating a mobile measurement partner (MMP) for independent, deduplicated measurement. Clean attribution data is essential for AI-driven optimization—bad signals lead to bad decisions. Starting with position-based attribution and incrementality testing provides a practical foundation.
AppsFlyerBoosting your user acquisition strategy with preload campaigns
Preload campaigns are critical for UA in 2025, offering early brand presence, higher trust, and cost-efficient growth. Key benefits include increased visibility, engagement, and LTV. Practitioners should leverage advanced segmentation, automated recommendations, predictive analytics, extended attribution windows, and incrementality testing. Partnerships with OEMs and platforms like Appnext, Aura, AVOW, Digital Turbine, and InMobi can drive significant results, as seen with Magalu's 100k+ monthly installs and 4x ROAS.
UnityUnity’s Perspective on 2025 Mobile Gaming Trends | Unity
Unity's 2025 mobile gaming report highlights key trends including expansion of rewarded marketplaces beyond games and mobile, increased adoption of ad-supported models by subscription apps, resurgence of midmarket titles, hybrid-casual game dominance reshaping ad strategies, APAC developers expanding globally, and long-format playables for scaling. Ad ops decision-makers should focus on diversifying ad formats, leveraging rewarded video, and optimizing for user engagement with longer creatives.
AppsFlyerWinning big with influencers: A comprehensive guide for app marketers
Influencer marketing drives app growth by building trust and authenticity beyond traditional UA. Budgeting should start with target markets, CPM benchmarks, and a 25% uplift in daily organic installs. Choose creators based on data: audience demographics, recent views, and content alignment. Measure performance with granular attribution links (e.g., AppsFlyer OneLink) to track installs, conversions, and ROI. Avoid vanity metrics; focus on CVR, retention, and long-tail effects. Start with small campaigns to gather benchmarks before scaling.
More from Liftoff(Vungle)
The World Cup audience doesn’t disappear during halftime. It picks up a phone.
World Cup data from Liftoff's SSP shows ad impressions in sports scoring apps nearly doubled (+90%) and unique audience ...
Madison Avenue is missing out on in-app advertising
In-app mobile advertising is held back by three myths: low-quality inventory, intrusive ad formats, and reliance on Big ...
Is All Supply Created Equal? The Case for Choosing DSPs Based on Model Intelligence vs Inventory
Treating DSPs as interchangeable commoditizes ad buying. In reality, models differ sharply: two DSPs can view the same i...
In the Age of AI, Creative Taste Is the Last True Moat
Mobile marketing teams are scrutinizing whether AI improves creative output or just increases volume. Key insights: inad...
A Year of Spend Shifts: Inside the 2026 Finance & Crypto App Benchmark
The 2026 Finance & Crypto App Performance Benchmark reveals a 47% increase in UA spend and 2.15x re-engagement spend in ...
Apps and Trends to Watch: AppRefinery’s consumer app trends shaping 2026
The article highlights three key consumer app trends for 2026: social features becoming retention drivers (e.g., Spotify...