You probably know the old saying “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” Generally, this means not risking everything by focusing on one plan or idea.
Well, this principle can be applied to a lot of things, including mobile user acquisition. In this case, the saying translates to — “Don’t rely too much on a single marketing channel or strategy.”
It is a better idea to diversify your app marketing strategy by leveraging different growth channels.
What are the benefits of this approach? How can you expand? What are the main things to pay attention to in the process?
Let’s answer these questions in both theory and practice.
If you want to get straight to practice, skip ahead to the example of a diverse strategy by Mystery Tag, a mobile game studio.
Facebook and Google Are Fine, But…
Many app advertisers are still very traditional when it comes to user acquisition. They focus all their efforts and resources on channels like Facebook (Meta) and Google and — that’s it.
We’re not here to deny the power of traditional UA channels.
These channels have been dominating ad network rankings for years, and we don’t see this changing any time soon.
But, there’s more to UA than just this.
Relying on a few standard channels may deliver the necessary scale, but it also creates a dependency on them. By diversifying your app marketing strategy, marketers are in a better position to deal with market changes and maximize their growth potential.
Benefits of Diversifying Your App Marketing Strategy
Let’s get into more detail on why app marketers should consider diversifying their app marketing strategy.
Reduced Ad Budget Risk
What’s so risky about relying on just one or two ad networks?
Quite a few things, actually.
In case these platforms change their algorithms, policies, or cost structures — your entire UA strategy might be at risk. Also, since these ad networks are very popular and saturated, competition can drive up costs and rapidly eat up your ad budget.
When such things happen, a huge chunk of your UA budget might go down the drain.
By spreading your ad budget across different ad channels, you can reduce this risk.
Even if there are fluctuations on one ad network, when you have others to fall back on, the budget damage won’t be so serious.
Better Resilience to Market Changes
Think about it — today’s UA landscape is very different than it was five years ago.
Some things that have reshaped the industry over the past few years include rising UA costs, privacy regulations, and huge competition.
Who knows what’s coming up next…
If a certain channel becomes less effective for any reason, other channels can help maintain your UA activity and continue bringing in new users.
Diversifying your ad channels makes your strategy more resilient and adaptable, preparing you for potential market shifts.
Reaching a Broader Audience
If you’re selling a product in just one shop, you’re missing out on potential customers who shop elsewhere.
The same goes for app marketing — relying on one or two ad networks limits your audience reach.
For example, a common mistake many app marketers make is focusing only on major social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok). While it’s true that social media platforms have an impressive reach, many of your potential users aren’t there.
Some of them spend more time playing mobile games, using streaming platforms, or browsing the app stores.
So, if you want to reach these audiences, it only makes sense to diversify your app marketing strategy and explore different platforms. Not just other social media platforms, but also different types of channels that match various user behaviors and interests.
Optimizing for Quality Across Channels
Nowadays, there is a lot of talk about user quality.
App marketers are no longer on the hunt for a large number of cheap users but rather focus on quality users who will bring value to the app over time.
Diversification can help with this as well.
When you’re running campaigns on multiple ad channels, you gain access to different processes for reaching quality users. Different channels offer different optimization options — and you can get the best of each.
For example, some ad networks support ROAS optimization, while others may provide top-notch user targeting options.
By leveraging different ad networks, you can acquire a mix of quality users from different channels, each bringing unique value to the app.
App Marketing Channels To Consider
When we advise you to include different channels in your app marketing mix, we’re not referring only to the mainstream ones.
You have plenty of options to choose from, and here are some that are currently popular:
- Diverse social media channels. Besides mainstream social media, you also may want to consider less obvious options like X (Twitter) and Reddit. If you want to expand your worldwide presence, make sure to explore local social media channels in specific regions like WeChat in China, Line in Japan, etc.
- Rewarded advertising through offerwalls. Offerwall advertising is growing in popularity as a valuable tool for acquiring high-value users, and many app advertisers are using it to complement standard video ad networks.
- App store optimization (ASO). This organic strategy is an important part of a diverse app marketing mix, helping you reach users while browsing the app stores.
- Cross-promotion. Mainly used for mobile games, cross-promotion allows you to promote apps within existing apps in your portfolio.
- CTV (Connected TV) advertising. CTV ads allow marketers to craft immersive, large-screen ads that leave a long-lasting impression on users.
- Influencer marketing. Partnering with relevant influencers can help you reach new audiences and spread the word about your app among their followers.
Tips For Testing New Channels
Interested in diversifying your app strategy, but not sure how to get started?
Here are a few steps you can follow when testing new ad channels.
Do Your Research
When we say you should diversify ad networks, we don’t mean doing it just for the sake of it.
You don’t need to test 50 ad networks before identifying a few that might work well.
Before even considering testing an ad network, make sure to do your research and discard the unpromising candidates. A good source of information on ad networks is performance indexes issued by different MMPs.
You can also find valuable information on their websites, such as client testimonials and case studies. For example, if you find success stories from apps similar to yours, there is a good chance the ad network might work for your app as well.
Consider Geo & Audience Fit
Ok, so you’ve picked out a potential ad network to test. Now it’s time to evaluate how well it aligns with your UA goals. In this phase of the process, consider these factors:
- Does the audience on this channel match your target demographic?
- Is the ad network already flooded by your competitors?
- How does this ad network perform in your key GEOs?
- What are the expected costs and ROI for this ad network?
- How much time and effort will it take to manage this channel?
Start Testing and Give it Enough Time
Once you start testing an ad network, set realistic performance KPIs and monitor the results closely.
Be patient in this process. The results won’t come overnight.
As a rule of thumb, testing new ad networks usually takes between two and four weeks.
After this period, you should have enough data to decide whether it’s worth continuing to run campaigns on this ad network or not.
When an ad network successfully makes it through the testing phase, it has a good chance of staying in your marketing mix. The next steps are regularly tracking and evaluating its performance, and keeping the campaigns optimized.
Diverse Strategy Example: Mystery Tag
Let’s close this topic with a real-life example of a studio that took diversifying its UA strategy seriously.
You might have heard of Mystery Tag, the studio behind popular titles like Harvest Land and Crypto Miner Tycoon.
This game studio takes a diverse approach to user acquisition, working with 20+ ad networks simultaneously, from classic video ad networks to rewarded ad networks.
MyChips, MAF’s rewarded ad platform, has become one of the top-performing ad channels for Mystery Tag, surpassing many renowned ad networks. This ad network has shown particularly effective in boosting user retention and installs in markets like Korea and Japan.
If the studio focused on just a few leading channels, it would have missed out on the higher engagement and retention rates found through other ad networks. By diversifying its UA strategy, Mystery Tag maximized their reach and effectiveness and expanded their presence in important Tier 1 markets.
Diversify Your App Marketing Strategy With MyChips
Interested in diversifying your app’s marketing mix?
If you want to reach high-quality users and get the most out of your UA efforts, consider rewarded advertising via offerwalls. Our offerwall ad network, MyChips, helped numerous app developers reach their UA goals, and can help you achieve the same. Reach out and let’s talk!
