Mobile Ecosystem

Facebook Launches Mobile App Ads for Increased Engagement and Conversion

Peter Hamilton

So many mobile app marketers focus on one metric – CPI (cost per install), and while the number of installs was the first and primary KPI for user acquisition in the beginning, we’re seeing a shift toward more advertisers wanting to attribute purchases and user engagement beyond the install back to their advertising partners. In fact, I’m speaking on a panel today at a conference by TapCommerce called just that, Beyond the Install, where we’ll be discussing this very trend.

As you might imagine, a critical part of optimizing the funnel beyond the install is making sure users land in the most appropriate location within an app once they have it installed. That’s exactly why Facebook announced a new feature providing just that.

This is designed to help drive engagement and help increase conversion rates for Facebook’s Mobile App Ads program of which MobileAppTracking and several others are MMPs. Last year, Facebook introduced mobile app ads to drive installs, and since then, the social network has helped to drive over 145 million installs in the Google Play and Apple App stores. However, Facebook has realized that mobile is more than just installs, as 66% of app users only open apps between one and 10 times, with loyalty varying depending on the genre of the app. In fact, when it comes to dating and music apps, developers will be lucky if more than 20% of users stick around for more than 90 days.

Facebook’s new mobile app ads utilize deeplinks to help app marketers direct users to a customized, specific location inside the app, such as a sale, promotion or specific content such as a new album or hotel listing. One of our MobileAppTracking customers, HotelTonight, has been testing Facebook’s new feature and is thrilled with its ability to encourage existing customers to book that last-minute weekend getaway. Kevin Kwon, Marketing Manager from HotelTonight says, “The ability to engage people on mobile by deep linking them into our app from Facebook is very powerful. It has significant potential to drive bookings in our app.”

Facebook explains that mobile app ads for engagement and conversion provide seven call to action choices, including universal actions such as “Open Link” or “Use App” as well as more vertical specific actions such as “Shop Now”, “Watch Video”, “Listen Now”, “Book Now” or “Play Game”.

As performance marketers by trade, this is great news. It means that the CPA metric is truly coming to a reality in the mobile app ecosystem. The more we can empower this kind of direct to purchase style advertising, the more we build a system on performance and results and the more advertisers ultimately win. I look forward to what this means for the industry, and how we can become more of a part of it in the future.

For more information on getting started with mobile app ads, visit Facebook’s site for developers.

Author
Peter Hamilton

A digital marketer by background, Peter is the former CEO of TUNE, the enterprise platform for partner marketing. In 2018, he sold TUNE’s mobile measurement product to Branch, unifying measurement and user experience. He led TUNE’s efforts to bring better management technology and automation to marketing partnerships, across affiliates, influencers, networks, and business development relationships. Follow @peterhamilton

3 responses to “Facebook Launches Mobile App Ads for Increased Engagement and Conversion”

  1. Chris says:

    This can be done within has offers right? Secondary post backs?

  2. meogd says:

    kP9X – Last years i have been really, really down on $$ and debits were killing me from all sides! that was Right Until i found out how to generate money.. on the Internet! I went to surveymoneymaker period net, and started filling in surveys for cash, and yes I’ve been far more able to pay my bills!! i’m so glad i did this.. XRgp

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