September 29, 2020
Need a primer on mobile game and app marketing? Check out Mobile User Acquisition 101: A Beginner's Guide.
How do marketers measure the performance of a mobile ad campaign? While KPIs will vary based on objective, cost per install (CPI) is the best-known by far — but that doesn’t mean it’s what you should focus on. CPI is just one piece of a much bigger picture, and it will mislead you if you don’t consider factors like IAPs and other indicators of quality. All the same, it’s helpful to understand CPI both as a general benchmark, and in relation to service providers who prioritize it.
Jump to a section…
Use CPI to generate marketing insights
CPI is just one component of your performance marketing strategy
Cost per install (CPI) is the rate marketers pay to acquire new users through app installations. When $0.99 apps were the industry standard, CPI was the most frequently used metric for measuring campaign performance. Today, it is a secondary metric to KPIs like cost per action that better reflect the complexities of free-to-play markets.
CPI is calculated by dividing ad spend by the total number of app installs associated with a campaign.
Cost per install = Total campaign ad spend / Total app installs during campaign
Up until roughly five years ago, marketers used CPI as a baseline for forecasting UA campaigns and measuring their success. If you’re working with a traffic provider that prices based on CPI, the calculation will be crucial for understanding return on ad spend (ROAS). However, reliable cost per action (CPA) data can be more useful for calculating a user’s lifetime value. Successful UA campaigns acquire users at a lower cost than they are projected to generate. Once a newly acquired user is monetized above the cost of acquisition (through IAPs, for example), the advertiser sees a return on their investment.
So why track CPI when indicators like CPA have become the gold standard for measuring UA effectiveness? Simple; CPI is more uniformly available. For that reason, it’s an immensely useful tool for comparing different acquisition channels, historical trends, or analyzing regional audiences. When marketers segment user data by region or platform, they can identify valuable new audiences that warrant further attention and targeting.
Cost per install rates varies by region, category, platform, and ad network. Here’s a snapshot:
CPI can also contribute to your understanding of audience sizes. For example, in hyper-casual markets, CPI is often quite low due to high player volume. Meanwhile, other genres can have a high CPI because the most valuable players make up a relatively small group. That’s why instead of optimizing for low CPI, marketers should emphasize quality users — what’s the point of low-cost installs if you can’t monetize them effectively?
Cost per install measurements can be useful, but app installations are just one step in your marketing funnel. With CPA, for example, you can identify high-value user segments by tracking actions beyond the initial install. This is particularly true in light of the fact that users are downloading apps less frequently, and are more apt to uninstall without ever engaging.
Today, programmatic exchange auctions typically calculate prices using cost per mille instead of cost per install. Instead, DSPs place bids that reflect advertisers’ end goals — usually a combination of return on ad spend (ROAS), user retention, and target cost per action (CPA). While business practices in APAC and other non-US geos still rely on the CPI model, the mobile advertising world is shifting away from the model entirely. In fact, some mobile marketing companies have even retired their CPI indexes in the past, citing that modern app marketers increasingly place a higher premium on user quality.
The mobile industry places a greater emphasis on down-funnel conversions and re-engagement than ever before, which is why studios need partners who can optimize for quality. That’s where Moloco comes into play. We are a 100% transparent mobile ad partner and trusted industry leader in the ad tech space. We offer fully programmatic user acquisition, powered by sophisticated machine learning technology. We help you make the most of your data and acquire quality users. If you're ready to maximize the impact of your UA campaigns, get in touch today.
Editor’s choice
Explore how the transition from generative AI to operational machine learning is reshaping mobile app marketing and learn how leveraging this cutting-edge technology can unlock exponential growth and unparalleled success in the digital realm.
Uncover user engagement insights with Engaged-View Conversions. Gain a deeper understanding of how users interact with your video ads beyond clicks and views. With EVC, discover that users who watch skippable videos for more than 10 seconds or complete shorter ads are 4 times more likely to convert. Now available for all Moloco advertisers, EVC provides comprehensive data on views, engaged-views, and clicks to shape your marketing strategies. Enhance decision-making and drive business growth. Visit our Help Center or contact your Moloco representative for details.
Experience the power of SKOverlay, Apple's innovative creative rendering format. With SKOverlay, iOS marketers can display captivating ads accompanied by a convenient overlay. Users can effortlessly install advertised apps in the background, without leaving their current screen. Enjoy improved user experience and higher SKAN conversion rates of up to 30%. Streamline app installations and drive iOS engagement with SKOverlay. Learn more at our Help Center or contact Moloco.