Key Points

  • Advertising opens up a key revenue stream for app publishers.
  • But doing in-app advertising right can ensure the longevity of your business.
  • By following some simple best advertising practices for apps, app publishers can grow their ad revenue sustainably.

Advertising isn't the only way to monetize an app, but it is arguably the way with the most potential. Paid apps, subscriptions, and similar non-advertising models can certainly bring in revenue, but in-app advertising can blow them out of the water.

That is, it can far outpace the revenue of other app monetization models if you do it right. Do it wrong, and you're looking at mediocre revenue. Do it right, you're looking at a meteoric rise in revenue.

The choice is clear. And here are eight best advertising practices for apps to help make sure you leave not a single cent on the table.

Want the most important best practice for in-app advertising? Scroll down to No.8. Spoiler alert: It's all about working with Playwire to take your revenue to heights you never dreamed of. Contact us to learn more about how we'll make that happen.

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App Advertising Pillar

The Complete Guide to App Advertising

Strategize First

It's easy to get so excited about the revenue potential of your desktop or mobile app that you start saying yes to everything and end up with an SDK configuration that looks like Frankenstein's monster before you've even planned your first real step.

Don't do that. It's not going to work. Yes, all of the tech behind in-app advertising is exciting and promising, but it only really works when it's used in conjunction with a thoughtful and informed in-app advertising strategy.

That means you have to build an app monetization strategy before you start doing ads in your app. Write it down step by step. Set revenue goals. Think about your user experience and ultimately how your user wants to be advertised.

Embrace the Big Players

Some app publishers have a tendency to look for the next big thing in ad tech as they build their advertising strategies. That's great, but it shouldn't come at the expense of the biggest sources of demand for in-app ad inventory, such as Google AdMob.

Yes, there are plenty of gems to be discovered in the ad tech industry, but the great thing is that you can combine them with a nice, healthy substrate of demand from Google, Amazon, and others. That's how you make sure you're bringing in consistent ad revenue.

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Build It Slowly but Surely

Even once you have your strategy written down and underway, you need to take your time with each step. Start with a single ad format in a single place in your desktop or mobile app. See how your users respond and how the ad itself performs. Use the information you're getting to inform your next step.

With each step, you'll apply a little more pressure until you've reached the optimal in-app advertising configuration. That can take months or even years to achieve, but building it up slowly but surely is worth it. Otherwise, you risk chipping away at your user base.

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App Advertising Resource Center

The Complete App Advertising Resource Center

Try New Ad Units

Don't get too comfortable with display banner ads or even interstitial ads. There's nothing wrong with the basic in-app ads, but if you only deploy those units in your app, you are very likely missing out on potential revenue. 

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Some of the more advanced, more premium ad units take a little engineering and development work to get up and running, but once you're capable of doing rewarded video, takeovers, native ads, and similar high-value app ad units, you'll see that they're having a positive impact on your revenue because advertisers want these big, splashy units.

Manage Your Data

Not tracking, processing, storing, and analyzing your data is like staying inside when it starts raining gold. Your data is extremely valuable, and it's only going to get more valuable as third-party cookies are phased out completely.

So, invest in a data management platform (DMP) that allows you to easily gather user and advertising data, process it, build segments and monetize it. Over time, this kind of data management can increase your CPMs across the board.

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Remember Direct Sales

We love technology as much as any ad tech company, but there's something to be said for good, old-fashioned insertion order (IO) buys and direct sales relationships with advertisers. It's not just us being nostalgic either - direct sales can truly lead to higher revenue.

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How? When used in combination with a strong programmatic ad setup. You build real relationships with premium buyers and loop direct demand in with your programmatic demand, and your yield skyrockets.

Don't Settle

If you're comfortable, you probably aren't doing it right. Maximizing your in-app advertising revenue is about continual optimization. You may find a strategy and setup that meets or exceeds your revenue goals, but you need to know this: It won't work forever - at least, not in the same way.

Things change rapidly in digital advertising - particularly in mobile advertising. An unexamined advertising strategy is a vulnerable one. So, never settle. Be happy when you bring in more revenue, but never stop looking for ways to increase it.

Contact Playwire

Admittedly, this is less of an app advertising best practice and more of an item on your to-do list. Contact Playwire. We have built a proprietary platform designed for app publishers who are serious about growing their revenue. And it works - really, really well.

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Leveraging the latest in ad tech and the decades of combined experience of our team, we take mediocre advertising for apps and turn it into business-building revenue that secures a real and lengthy future for your app.

Whether you're sold and want to get started or would like to learn more, contact Playwire. We'll be thrilled to show you every way in which we can grow your in-app advertising revenue. Reach out today.

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