Glossary
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ASO
What is ASO? ASO (app store optimization) is a set of techniques used to increase an app’s visibility in the app stores. It includes optimizing different elements like the app title, description, and keywords. The goal of app store optimization is to boost app...
Apple ATT
App Tracking Transparency (ATT) Apple ATT (App Tracking Transparency) is a user privacy framework introduced with iOS 14.5 in 2021. The introduction of ATT has had a major impact on the mobile advertising ecosystem. ATT requires all iOS apps to ask users for...
ARPU
ARPU stands short for Average Revenue Per User. This metric shows the average amount of revenue each active user brings to the app over a period of time. This includes revenue generated through ads, in-app purchases and subscriptions by paying and non-paying...
ARPDAU
ARPDAU stands short for Average Revenue Per Daily Active User. It is a metric used to measure an app’s monetization performance on a daily basis. This includes revenue generated from different sources an app may have: in-app purchases (IAPs), ads, and subscriptions....
ARPPU
What is ARPPU? ARPPU stands short for “Average Revenue per Paying User”. This metric estimates the amount of revenue a paying user generates over a period of time. How to calculate ARPPU? To calculate the ARPPU of an app, divide its total revenue by the number...
App Targeting
What is app targeting? App targeting is the process of reaching a certain group of users with mobile app advertisements. The foundation of successful mobile audience targeting is defining the app’s target market — the group of people the app is intended...
App Stickiness
What is app stickiness? App stickiness is a metric that reflects an app’s ability to engage and retain users. A “sticky” app constantly gives users reasons to come back to the app, maintaining a loyal audience and high engagement rates. Why is stickiness...
App Retargeting
What is app retargeting? App retargeting is a user acquisition strategy where marketers target users who previously engaged with a mobile app. Marketers can serve retargeting ads to encourage users to re-engage, reinstall the app, or complete an in-app...
App Onboarding
What is app onboarding? App onboarding is the process of introducing users to an app or a game. It consists of a series of steps that help users navigate the app and understand its main features. The onboarding process can be longer or shorter, depending on the...
App Metrics
Importance of app metrics App metrics are used to measure the success of a mobile app. Having quality data is essential for evaluating the performance of mobile apps, identifying areas for improvement, and growing app businesses. There are different types of app...
App Engagement
What is app engagement? App engagement is the level of interaction between a user and a mobile app. This term describes how often users use an app, the quality of their interactions, and their overall user experiences. Why is app engagement important? App...
App Conversion
What is an app conversion? An app conversion happens when a user completes an action desired by the app developer or marketer. Also known as conversion events, app conversions include different actions users can take when interacting with apps. For...
Active Users
What are active users? An active user is someone who regularly uses an app during a set time period. For example, in a day, week or month. This metric is used to determine the share of total users who actively engage with the app. There are three common types of...
Ad Mediation
What is ad mediation? Ad mediation allows app developers to manage multiple ad networks through a single SDK. This is possible through mediation platforms that act as intermediaries between different ad networks and publishers. How does ad mediation work? Ad...
Ad Impression
What is an ad impression? An ad impression is recorded each time an ad is displayed on a user’s screen. Whether the user notices the ad or not, if the ad is visible on their screens, this counts as an impression. It’s important to note that ad impressions...
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Banner Ads
What are banner ads? Banner ads are a popular in-app ad format. These ads are small and rectangular, usually appearing at the top or bottom of the app interface. They can be static or dynamic, and contain images, text, and video. Are banners effective? This ad...
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Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
What is Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)? Customer Acquisition Cost or CAC is a mobile app metric used to calculate the cost of acquiring a new user. The metric includes all costs associated with acquiring new users, from sales to paid and organic marketing. To...
Cross-promotion
What is cross-promotion? Cross-promotion is a marketing strategy in which app marketers leverage the user base of another app to promote their app. This strategy appears in two forms: Promoting apps in their own portfolio Partnering with other app...
CPM
What is CPM? CPM (cost per mille) is a pricing model used in mobile marketing. In this model, the advertiser is charged a certain amount for every 1000 impressions of their ad. This pricing model is widely used in mobile advertising because it provides a simple...
CPI (Cost per Install)
What is CPI (Cost per Install)? CPI is a pricing model used exclusively in user acquisition for mobile apps. With this model, the advertiser pays the ad network each time a user installs the app through an ad. Beyond being a pricing model, Cost per Install is...
CPE (Cost per Engagement)
What is CPE? CPE (Cost per Engagement) is a pricing model used in user acquisition for mobile apps. In this model, app advertisers pay only when users complete specific post-install events they select. The choice of these events differs based on the advertisers’...
Cost per Click (CPC)
What is Cost per Click (CPC)? Cost per Click or CPC is a pricing model used in all forms of digital marketing, including mobile marketing. In this model, advertisers pay publishers each time their ad receives a click. By using this model, app marketers get to...
Cost Per Action (CPA)
What is Cost per Action (CPA)? Cost per action or CPA is a pricing model used in mobile marketing. In campaigns based on the CPA model, advertisers select a post-install action they want users to complete, paying only for users who take this action. Some...
Contextual Advertising
Contextual advertising is a form of advertising that targets users based on the content they are currently viewing. Ads are served automatically to match the context of the website or app the person is using. For example, if they are using a fitness app, they...
Casual Games
What are casual games? Casual games are a mobile game genre intended for a broad audience. These games are simple, lightweight, and easily understandable. Unlike mid-core and hardcore games, casual games don’t require high commitment and focus. Casual gamers...
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Daily Active Users (DAU)
What is Daily Active Users (DAU)? Daily Active Users (DAU) is a mobile app metric that shows how many users visit an app in a 24-hour time period. Why is DAU important? DAU shows developers how many users actively engage with their apps. Tracking this metric is...
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Engagement Rate
What is engagement rate in mobile marketing? Engagement rate is the percentage of active users in an app who interact with in-app ads. It is calculated by dividing the number of engaged users by the total number of active users. Why is engagement rate...
eCPM
What is eCPM? ECPM stands short for Effective Cost per Mille. This metric shows developers how much ad revenue they generate per 1000 ad impressions in their app. How to calculate eCPM? To calculate eCPM, divide your app’s total ad revenue by the number of total...
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F2P
What is F2P? F2P stands short for free-to-play. This term is used to describe all games that allow players to play free of charge to a certain extent. F2P is the prevalent distribution model in the mobile games market. These games don’t charge users for...
First-Party Data
What is first-party data? First-party data is information gathered by a company directly from its customers. In other words, this information is owned and controlled by the company that collects it. Let’s say a user wants to buy something in a shopping app. Before...
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Gamification
What is gamification? Gamification is the practice of applying gaming elements to non-gaming apps. App developers use this strategy to boost user engagement and improve the overall user experience in their apps. As a result, they see an increase in mobile app metrics...
GAID
What is GAID? GAID stands short for Google Advertising ID. This is a unique device identifier by Google that allows advertisers to monitor user ad activity on Android devices. App marketers use it to track the users’ activity across apps and deliver personalized...
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Hybrid Monetization
What is hybrid monetization? Hybrid monetization is a strategy of combining multiple monetization models in a single app. In most cases, this term describes monetizing with in-app purchases and in-app ads. Additionally, app developers can leverage subscriptions...
Hybrid-Casual Games
What are hybrid-casual games? Hybrid-casual games are mobile games that combine simple hyper-casual core gameplay with more complex gaming elements. This includes multiple progression systems, meta layers, and social features. The purpose of these games is...
Hyper-Casual Games
What are hyper-casual games? Hyper-casual games are free-to-play mobile games known for their lightweight, minimalistic design and simple mechanics. These games are easily understandable — players can pick them up in a matter of seconds. Because of this, they attract...
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Interstitial ads
What are interstitial ads? Interstitial ads are an in-app ad format that covers the entire interface of the host app or game. These ads can be static or dynamic, and users can close them within several seconds. Interstitial ads are generally considered intrusive...
Intrusive Ads
What are intrusive ads? Intrusive ads are ad units served to app users in unexpected or disruptive ways. These ads frequently result in accidental clicks or interfere with user experiences. Intrusive ad formats Some ad formats are considered to be more intrusive...
IAP
What is IAP? IAP stands short for in-app purchases, a popular app monetization model. This term describes different kinds of purchasable content in apps and games. For example, in-app currency, cosmetic items, upgrades, characters, etc. How do IAPs work? In-app...
Installs Per Mille (IPM)
What is IPM? IPM stands short for Installs per Mille. It is a mobile advertising metric that measures the number of app installs per one thousand ad impressions. Why is IPM important? Tracking Installs Per Mille helps mobile advertisers understand how relevant...
In-App Events
What are in-app events? In-app events are different actions users perform upon installing an app. Some examples of in-app events include: Making an in-app purchase Completing a certain level Opening the app Signing up Completing a certain task Finishing...
In-App Bidding
What is in-app bidding? In-app bidding is a form of programmatic advertising where mobile publishers sell their ad inventory in auctions across different ad exchanges, and advertisers bid for ad space. This process takes place in real time, and the advertiser with the...
In-App Advertising
What is in-app advertising? In-app advertising (IAA) is a popular app monetization strategy in which app developers make revenue by displaying ads to their users. In-app advertising process In-app advertising is made possible through an automated process...
Incent Traffic
What is incent traffic? Incent traffic or incentivized traffic, is campaign traffic based on a reward system. Incent campaigns feature ads that encourage users to complete goal engagements. These ads can prompt users to perform different actions. For...
IDFA
What is IDFA? IDFA stands short for Identifier for Advertisers, which is Apple’s unique identifier assigned to each user device. This ID allows advertisers to target users and track their behavior on iOS devices. IDFA and ATT For years, IDFA has been a staple of...
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K-Factor
What is K-Factor? K-Factor is a mobile marketing metric used to evaluate an app’s virality potential. When existing users spread positive word about an app, developers gain new users for free. For example, through referral programs or simply word-of-mouth. By...
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Live Events
What are live events? Live events are a LiveOps strategy used in mobile game development. These are time-limited events typically tied to real-world events, holidays, seasons, etc. For example, many games create special live events around Christmas or Halloween. These...
LiveOps
What is LiveOps? LiveOps stands short for live operations and refers to the ongoing process of updating a mobile game after its release. Upon releasing a game, developers analyze available data and identify areas that require improvement. Some examples of LiveOps...
LTV
What is LTV? LTV stands short for Lifetime Value. This app metric is used to predict how much revenue the average user will generate during their entire lifetime in an app. This includes revenue generated from all sources, from in-app ads to in-app purchases and...
M
Mobile Game Subscription
What is a mobile game subscription? A mobile game subscription is a monetization feature where players pay a fee to access extra game features for a set period (e.g. day, week, month). In most cases, subscriptions appear alongside other monetization features in...
Multi-Reward Ads
What are multi-reward ads? Multi-reward ads are an offerwall ad format where users need to complete a set of actions to earn rewards, receiving a part of the reward for every completed step. For example, install a game, complete a tutorial, and reach level 5. ...
Mobile Segmentation
What is mobile segmentation? Mobile segmentation or app user segmentation is the practice of separating users into groups based on mutual characteristics. For example, by age, location, gender, interests, or spending habits. By segmenting users into groups, app...
Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP)
What is a mobile measurement partner (MMP)? A mobile measurement partner (MMP) is a third-party data provider company for mobile apps. These companies collect, analyze, and attribute app data to deliver a detailed overview of app marketing campaign...
Mobile Marketing
What is mobile marketing? Mobile marketing is a form of digital marketing that focuses on mobile users. This term refers to different strategies and techniques used to reach and engage people on their mobile devices. Types of mobile marketing Mobile marketing comes in...
Mobile Gaming
What is mobile gaming? Mobile gaming is a form of video gaming designed specifically for mobile devices. Mobile games are the most popular gaming sector worldwide, surpassing console and PC games. Why re mobile games so popular? The main reason behind the...
Mobile Game Whales
What are mobile game whales? Mobile game whales are a group of players who spend a lot more money on games than the typical player. For example, a single whale can spend hundreds, thousands, or even millions of dollars on microtransactions. Whales are a small...
Mobile Game Publisher
What is a mobile game publisher? A mobile game publisher is a company specializing in releasing mobile games. The publisher partners with a mobile game developer to publish a certain mobile game according to their agreement, within a certain budget, and on time....
Mobile Game Monetization
What is mobile game monetization? Mobile game monetization is a term used to describe different methods of generating revenue from mobile games. Mobile game monetization models The majority of mobile games today are free-to-play and don’t charge users for installing a...
Mobile Attribution
What is mobile attribution? Mobile attribution is a method of linking app installs to specific marketing efforts. Attribution tools can identify which ad campaigns and ad networks resulted in particular app installs. Why is mobile attribution...
Mobile App Monetization
What is mobile app monetization? Mobile app monetization is a term that describes different methods of generating revenue from mobile apps. App developers have a variety of app monetization models to choose from, the most popular being: In-app purchases In-app ads...
Mobile App KPIs
What are mobile app KPIs? Mobile app KPIsI (key performance indicators) are a set of metrics used to measure how successful a mobile app is. Essentially, KPIs are selected app metrics that are considered most important for achieving business goals. Types...
Mobile Ad Network
What is a mobile ad network? A mobile ad network provides ad space within an app or website. It connects app advertisers with publishers, allowing them to buy and sell ad inventory. How does an ad network work? A mobile ad network works as an intermediary...
Mobile Ad Fraud
What is mobile ad fraud? Mobile ad fraud is a criminal attempt to exploit mobile advertising systems by defrauding advertisers, publishers, or their supply partners. The goal of committing mobile ad fraud is to steal from mobile advertising budgets. Mobile ad...
Mobile Ad Creatives
What are mobile ad creatives? Mobile ad creatives are ad assets used in user acquisition for apps and games (e.g. video and image assets). The purpose of ad creatives is to catch the attention of the target audience and convince them to take the desired action. ...
Microtransactions
What are microtransactions in mobile games? Microtransactions are all types of financial transactions that occur in mobile games. This includes in-app purchases and subscription transactions. By making microtransactions, players can acquire different in-game items...
Monthly Active Users (MAU)
Monthly Active Users (DAU) is a mobile app metric that shows how many users visit an app in a month. Why is MAU important? MAU helps developers understand how active and engaged their users are each month. By monitoring this metric, developers keep track of...
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Native Advertising
What is native advertising? Native advertising is a form of mobile advertising where ads seamlessly blend into the surroundings they are placed in. Native ads typically match the style of the host app by using similar colors, fonts, and functions. The purpose of...
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Organic Installs
What are organic installs? Organic installs are app installs that aren’t directly linked to any paid user acquisition campaigns. These installs happen when users decide to install an app without being influenced by ads. For example, by browsing the app store or...
Opt-In Ads
What are opt-in ads? Opt-in ads are a type of mobile advertisement that users actively choose to engage with. Unlike standard ads (e.g. banner ads, interstitial ads) that are displayed to users without their permission, opt-in ads request explicit consent from...
Offerwall
What is an offerwall? An offerwall is an ad format where users complete goal engagements in exchange for rewards. Offerwall ads appear in specific sections of apps or websites and resemble mini stores, listing different actions users can take to earn rewards. For...
O&O Properties
What are O&O properties? The term O&O properties stands short for owned and operated properties. These are ad platforms that sell ad space in apps or websites that they own. O&O properties and privacy changes Advertising on O&O properties has...
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Push Notifications
What are push notifications? Push notifications are short messages sent from apps directly to users’ mobile devices. These notifications appear outside the app, typically on the top section of the screen, or on the lock screen. Before sending a push...
Privacy Sandbox
What is Privacy Sandbox? Privacy Sandbox is the name of Google’s privacy framework that will come into force by the end of 2024. This framework is designed to eliminate GAID (Google Advertising ID) and provide marketers with an alternative way of tracking user ad...
Playable Ads
What are playable ads? Playable ads are a mobile ad format that allows users to try out an app or game before downloading it. They are mainly used for mobile game promotion, providing an interactive snippet of the game before accessing the full version. ...
Personalized Mobile Ads
What are personalized mobile ads? Personalized mobile ads are advertisements designed to be relevant and engaging for a specific user. To create personalized ads, mobile marketers consider different user characteristics like demographics (e.g. age,...
Paid Mobile Games
What are paid mobile games? Paid mobile games are also known as pay-to-play games. If players want to download and play these games, they need to pay a one-time fee upfront. This mobile game monetization model was popular in the early days of mobile gaming. Today,...
P2E (Play to Earn)
What is P2E? In mobile marketing, the term play to earn (P2E) can have different meanings. P2E can refer to apps or mobile games that allow users to earn different real-world rewards for using the app. For example, cash, cryptocurrency, vouchers, or gift cards. ...
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ROI
What is ROI? ROI stands short for Return on Investment. This metric is used across different industries, and in mobile marketing, it is primarily used to measure the financial returns of user acquisition campaigns. ROI is an important KPI that helps app...
ROAS
What is ROAS (return on ad spend)? ROAS or return on ad spend is an important revenue-based mobile app KPI. It measures the effectiveness of app advertising campaigns by measuring the revenue generated for each dollar spent on advertising. How to calculate ROAS?...
Rewarded Video Ads
What are rewarded video ads? Rewarded video ads are an opt-in ad format where users agree to watch video ads to earn small in-app rewards. This ad format is widely popular for app monetization, especially in mobile gaming. Users enjoy rewarded video ads because...
Rewarded Ads
What are rewarded ads? Rewarded ads are a type of ads that prompt users to complete different actions in exchange for rewards within the app or website. For example, these can include in-app currency, coupons, or cash rewards. Types of rewarded ads There...
Retention Rate
What is the retention rate? Retention rate is one of the most important mobile app KPIs for advertisers and developers. It refers to the percentage of users who continue using an app over time. When to measure retention rate? The retention rate is measured over...
Real-Time Bidding
What is real-time bidding? Real-time bidding (RTB) is a form of programmatic ad buying where publishers and advertisers sell and buy ad space in real-time auctions. There are two sides to this process: Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs) and Supply-Side Platforms...
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Single-Reward Ads
What are single-reward ads? Single-reward ads are an offerwall ad format where users can earn rewards by completing one listed goal engagement. For example, reach level 3 in a game. This ad format is the traditional form of offerwall advertising that has been...
SKAdNetwork
What is SKAdNetwork? SKAdNetwork (SKAN) is Apple's privacy-friendly solution for mobile advertising attribution and measurement. With SKAN, mobile marketers get anonymized and aggregated campaign data, without revealing individual user data. When Apple...
SDK
What is an SDK? SDK stands short for software development kit. This is a set of software development tools and resources developers can use to create and update mobile app features. SDKs are used to develop mobile apps, but also for automating mobile marketing...
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User-Level Data
What is user-level data? In mobile marketing, user-level data refers to individual information on specific users of a mobile app or ad platform. This typically includes details like demographics, user behavior, preferences, historical user activity, purchase...
User Acquisition (UA)
What is user acquisition? User acquisition (UA) is the process of driving new users to mobile apps and games through marketing activities focused on installs. UA can be either paid or organic, with the goal of attracting quality app users at the lowest possible...
UGC
What is UGC? UGC stands short for User Generated Content, referring to content created and shared by individual users rather than companies. This includes ads, videos, images, text, audio, or other forms of content. How is UGC used in mobile advertising? Today,...
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Waterfall Bidding
What is waterfall bidding? Waterfall bidding is a traditional form of programmatic ad buying. When mobile publishers sell their ad space using the waterfall model, it is offered to ad networks in a predetermined order. This ad network order is based on criteria...