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How to design successful Ad Campaigns for increasing App Installs

Web Bazooka - Successful app install campaigns

For any mobile user growth strategy to become as successful as it was intended to, there is a need for a holistic approach towards it. How can this holistic approach be implemented? By using paid and organic app user acquisition or in simpler words, designing successful app install ad campaigns.

While the organic acquisition lays the basic foundation for long-term growth, the paid acquisition on the other side of the coin offers a continuous and predictable stream of app users – both crucial components of app success and scalability.

We know it is expensive to acquire users through paid advertising. However, owing to its fruitful results, paid acquisition still remains an intrinsic block of the marketing mix of a lot of brands.

An analysis of mobile growth efforts shows businesses of all sizes continue to see their overall mobile strategies being brought by the value app install ad campaigns.

Team efforts for successful app installs



For a mobile growth strategy to run successfully, all of these elements need to work together. If your aim is to implement your app install ad campaigns with a bigger strategy, paid campaigns will prove to be useful in boosting your organic acquisition performance.

For example, running campaigns on Apple Search Ads can contribute to your overall brand authority – leading to increased organic performance and rankings in addition to the immediate outcomes from paid ads.

Let’s now jump into a few of the key considerations to be kept in mind before you set out to launch a successful app install ad campaigns.

Different Industries, Different Click-to-Install Rates

The click-to-install rates vary across industries.

Therefore, we suggest that your first step should be to identify your budget and the allocation of it. The result of the strategy will vary with the budget allocated, so will the projected value of each user.


Click-to-Install Rates for Paid Links Vary Across Industries

For example, let’s say you have an entertainment app.

The data in the above chart tells us that the entertainment industry has just .94% click-to-install rate. Out of this, one might draw a conclusion that paid campaigns aren’t that effective owing to the low rate.

However, if the value of each user is high, it may still be worth the investment.

On the other hand, if you have a utility app, a paid campaign could be worth a larger portion of your user acquisition budget – as you can expect click-to-install rates to be around 4.22%.

Are you struggling with low app install rates. Let us help you out in designing a successful app install ad campaigns for your company. Get in touch with us now!

Most Rewarding Paid Channels for Mobile User Acquisition

Once you have decided your budget, you need to decide your paid channel with caution.

The top paid channels as of now are, Facebook App Installs, Google UACs, and routing users from other channels to in-app content.


Top Paid Channels for Mobile User Acquisition

Let’s have a quick walkthrough of all these channels.

1. Facebook

Facebook ads is one of the best platforms for increasing app installs.
Facebook app Install Ads
And why shouldn’t it be? It has BILLIONS of users!

Facebook ads for app installs have a click-to-install conversion rate of 13.08%.

However, you need to really focus on your audience and get into the depth of detailed targeting. You can target your audience according to their interests, behavior, which smartphone do they use, etc. This is going to help you reach more audience.

However, the work doesn’t just stop here.

You need to play with people’s emotions through your ads and instill a sense of urgency and FOMO. Make sure your ads are unique and creative.

2. Google Universal Ad Campaigns (UAC)

With Universal App Campaigns, you can promote your app through all the platforms of Display Network. These include Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, Gmail, etc.


Google Universal Ad Campaigns

Furthermore, there’s a very sweet advantage that comes along with Google UAC. Unlike most campaigns on Google Ads, you don’t design single ads for UAC.

Google Ads instead use your ad-text ideas and assets from the store listing of your app to design a variety of ads across multiple formats and networks. Google does most of the work and you sit and see your app installs increase.

To read more about making effective Google ads, visit the link below:
http://webbazooka.com/5-minute-quick-guide-to-google-ads/

3. Sending Users to the App From Other Properties

Routing users from other properties, such as the mobile web, to your app is a highly effective and efficient channel for acquisitions.

For example, The Knot, a wedding planning and designing company, doubled the conversion rate of pageview app installs in just two months through personalized web-to-app experiences.

So, what was their secret ingredient of increasing your conversion rate.

First they hooked new users on the web, where acquisition is simpler and more cost-effective, then they directed them to their app reviews and guide page.

Then they converted them seamlessly to high-value app users later.

Are you struggling with your app install ad campaigns and are not able to figure out how to divert quality traffic. Don’t worry, get in touch with us and we will help you out !

Now the point comes is How to figure out whether your app install ad campaigns are successful or a waste of money?

The following two things will surely flush your efforts of making your campaign successfully go down in the toilet:

1. Thinking that your paid acquisition strategy ends at install.
2. Taking a “set it and forget it” approach to campaigns.

In order to avoid your efforts going to waste, you need to design an approach that is aimed at keeping acquired users engaged even after installation is completed.

Along with that, you need a strategy to incorporate accurate attribution data to improve and optimize paid campaigns. Let’s explain this further.

Enhance user engagement and retention by effective on-boarding

It is said that app users acquired through paid channels are harder to retain and have low retention rate.

But, if you give your undivided attention to your strategy and improve your on-boarding experience in your app, you will definitely have a shot at retaining your customers.

How? Let us tell you.

Here are five key tactics for effective onboarding of apps that will keep users engaged and help generate positive ROI for your installation campaign:

  1. See to it that, onboarding is smooth and has no flaws.
  2. Use in-depth content for other channels, don’t waste all of it merely on one.
  3. Progressive onboarding can do the heavy lifting.
  4. Use trailers to instill curiosity amongst people.
  5. Lead with how the customers will be benefited and not just with what you have to offer.

To read more about growth hacking strategies, read the article given below:
15 Powerful Growth Hacking Strategies To Grow Your Startup Now

Now, let us look at some successful app install ad campaigns and see how they’ve done it.

1. Albert’s successful app install ad campaigns for iOS users

Albert is a financial app that helps users to automate finances. So how did their marketing team design a successful app install campaign

Albert’s ads profit from a familiar sight for iOS users: the iMessage thread. Almost everyone user iMessage thread and it’s therefore eye catching seeing this on instagram. In addition, it gives a picture that it’s easy to use and feels relatable.

It also shows how easy it is to interface with the product and add value to the user ‘s life. Subscription services have become increasingly popular and can easily be forgotten and unused while still withdrawing money from the user’s account.

Albert's app install ad campaign

Albert’s solution is eloquent and while this only scratches the surface of the feature set for their product, it’s an easy way for members of the audience to quickly grasp a common use case.

When advertising your app on Instagram, take advantage of visuals to inform users how the app functions and relieves their pain point.

Isn’t this a really cool strategy by Albert’s team. Do you want to implement a similar strategy to increase your app installs. Don’t worry, reach out to us and we will design most efficient app install ad campaigns for you. Get in touch now !!

2. DoorDash’s smart app install ad campaign for Google users

Let’s say someone searches “food delivery near me” on Google. Now, given that they have searched for this, we can say that the user behind such a query is interested in just that – finding food deliveries near them.

Doordash app install ad campaign

Mobile apps like DoorDash showup in the search results when such a search query is inserted, they even appear in the form of an advertisement.

DoorDash’s app install ad campaigns simply states the value proposition of hundreds of restaurants providing speedy food delivery. They also lean from over 2.5 million users toward their impeccable five-star rating.

3. Blinklist’s unique app install ad campaigns

Blinkist has a unique approach to the common read time limit. The key insights from the nonfiction books are consolidated into 15-minute summaries.

Also, they condense their installation ad into an easily digestible GIF.

They include more information in the Tweet but simplify the value proposition right above the “install” button: “Books in 15 minutes.” When character count space is confined, it’s worth leaning to your value proposition.

4. Wag’s targeted app install ad campaigns

Wag uses the sophistication of Instagram’s (read: Facebook) ads manager tool to find segments of users that fit well for the service of their app. If the app still needs to be expanded internationally, or even nationally, they can select specific locations in which the app is currently available.

Using ad manager tools, we can target people demographically and psychographically.

This means that Wag can target individuals who fit into the customer profile of pet ownership and are among the working class–all the more likely to require dog walking services.

Wag's app install ad campaign
Wag’s successful app install ad campaign

We believe that a business with a great marketing team can make an impact on the world. Take the first step: get in touch with us, and together, we will reach your company’s goals.

5. Sideline’s cleverly executed app install ad campaigns

Sideline might take the cake for installing the most concise ad copy of the app.

Its value proposition is simple and easy to grasp: two numbers, one phone.

Indeed, it is so clear they did not feel the need to differentiate the description from the title from “2nd Phone Number” to “Get a Second Number.”

When drafting your app install ad campaigns, keep the ad copy and visuals as simple as possible while still clearly conveying what your app does.

Sideline's app install ad campaign

6. Golf Rival Game’s cross add campaign

In this example, Golf Rival is cross-promoting their play within another hyper-casual game,

This is a similar strategy to the higher-level approach to mobile app advertising on mobile devices.

Golf Rival's smart app install ad campaign
Golf Rival’s smart app install ad campaign

Games want audiences that already play mobile games to take advantage of that.

Consider the different channels and platforms where the advertisement your app installs will reach an audience and align it with your target market.

For example, if you’re in the B2B space, Twitter is a great place to get to your public.

If your application is more B2C, then Instagram and Snapchat are good options.

7. Bumble’s effective app install ad campaigns

Advertisers tend to target the keywords that are commonly used to find their competitors.

In this example, Bumble appears in searches for Tinder, a competitor in the dating app. They also take this opportunity to explain what sets them apart from their competitors: making dating safer.

They also support the proposal to “meet new people” with the social proof that the app has more than 40 million users.

Bumble's app install ad campaign

Final Words.

App install ad campaigns can be immensely fruitful if you make the right efforts and devote your time to it.

-Optimize your paid efforts with complete attribution analytics.

A successful app install ad campaign’s final piece is continuous optimization through accurate, cross-channel data analysis.

Still have your doubts? Book a free consultation call with us today or contact us at help@webbazooka.com!

In this era of globalization and digitalisation, it’s necessary to have your presence in the digital sphere. We believe that a business with a great digital team have no bounds and can reach out to every nook and corner of the world effectively and at optimum costs.

Web Bazooka provides end to end solutions, from designing your digital logo to website architecture, to social media pages and the required blog posts as per your requirements. 

Get in touch with us now: Web Bazooka – India’s leading Digital Marketing and Advertising agency.

Web Bazooka provides end to end solutions, from designing your digital logo to website architecture, to social media pages and the required blog posts as per your requirements. 

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