A free apps · B2C · Aperture clients
Advertise free apps on Android only, to skip iOS's minimum install volumes
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What they did
For completely free products (no need to monetize), run paid campaigns only on Android. Android has no SKAdNetwork-style minimum installs per day; you still need 50 conversions/week on Meta or 10/day on Google to optimize, but not 120+ installs/day. Also suggested as a place to learn when budget is low.
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More from this episode
- Ask for tracking permission the moment the app first opensLeast impact of all placements tested on sign-ups, trials, paying and activation
- Start with ~$6K of install ads, then optimize for sign-ups and trials once volume allows
- Test 4 ad messages on one design, then put the winner in 4 formats
- Judge ad results in your attribution tool, not in Meta's dashboardMeta shows only ~60% of the results the MMP sees for some clients
- Find how many stories make users stick (6), then give everyone 10 freeUsers who hit 6 stories first converted 2x better from trial to paid
- Offer the free trial during onboarding, then offer it again once users are warmerMoving the trial later cut trial starts too much; kept it in onboarding
- Count a user as churning when they miss their own usual visit rhythm
- When ads don't pay back, check each funnel step from ad to paid before spending moreFound one client where only 70% of installs ever opened the app
- Divide all ad spend by all installs, trials and purchases, organic included
- Launch one ad channel at a time and add the next once it works
- Boost your Instagram and TikTok posts for $1-2 CPMs next to your conversion adsAwareness CPMs $1-2 vs $7-12 for direct response; overall costs come down
- Move ad money from Meta to Google when Meta costs jumpGoogle still 2x+ profitable while Meta costs rose; aim for balanced spend
- Spend on cheap awareness in November; push sales ads from December 1 into JanuarySame pattern for 12 years: November costs terrible, drop from December 1
- Start Apple Search Ads spend after noon, once rivals' daily budgets run outGot much better prices after noon; no numbers
- Duolingo: Ask for tracking permission only after a few lessons are done