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.
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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.
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.
SensorTowerQ1 2025 Digital Market Index: The Digital Economy Starts 2025 with Strong Growth Across Advertising and Mobile
Mobile app revenue hit $40B in Q1 2025 (+11% YoY), with non-game apps driving growth via AI and short drama. US digital ad spend reached $31B (+12% YoY), with video ads growing 18% while other formats declined 6%. Key trends: ChatGPT (#6 IAP) and short drama apps rising; retail media ad impressions up 31% YoY. Ad ops should prioritize video and AI-driven channels, and monitor Europe and APAC for growth.
AppsFlyerCross-channel marketing analytics: how it works in 2026
Cross-channel marketing analytics isn't about putting Meta, Google, and TikTok numbers side by side—they often double-count the same customer journey. Fragmented identity is the real culprit; without a first-party Customer User ID, attribution measures platform credit, not customer value. The article explains that deduplicating conversions across mobile, web, and CTV can lift attributed revenue by 30–60% and improve ROAS by 20%. It walks through attribution models, warns against platform-native analytics, and advises using an independent MMP for true cross-channel measurement. Ad ops takeaway: fix identity resolution first, because AI-driven optimization and budget allocation depend on trustworthy, deduplicated data.
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