Super Unlimited · B2C · free VPN app
Show an ad for your new eSIM app to all existing VPN users
Didn't work: no travel intent; now planning timed promos before summer
What they did
What happened
- Effort
- Early test of in-app ads to existing users
In their words
How the World's #1 VPN App Reached 1 Billion Downloads – Tanuj Chatterjee, Super Unlimited
Jacob EitingI was going to say, if you start selling eSIMs, you're going to need to get to know some ad buyers in airports. It's a very on-prem advertising.
Tanuj ChatterjeeWe are also learning. So eSIM, "Okay, we have so many users, just show an ad, and let's see how it goes." And unless people are traveling, there's no intent. Why would you buy an eSIM right now? So it's like, "Okay, good to know." Come summer or before summer, can we offer some promotions at the right time?
Tanuj ChatterjeeNot every phone is eSIM compatible either. Again, do we not bombard people with an eSIM ad, just be very deliberate about who we want to show it to, who'll actually get value out of it? So the ads is another one of those things you talked about ads. I would rather leave 10% money on the table rather than bombard people with that. There's a lot of trust that you destroy with overdoing monetization.
David BarnardAnd back to growth side of things, what have you done in paid marketing or has it almost been completely organic?
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- Build the product so free users cost almost nothing to supportLets the company keep a generous free tier; no numbers
Tags: cross-sell, esim, intent, in-app-ads