Steve Weiss is CMO at mobile and online advertising monetization platform PaeDae, which transforms game adverts into targeted and engaging rewards.
Many developers steer clear of external monetization solutions, fearing they will turn off users and cause a drop in retention and engagement rates.
However, when ads are presented at a moment in a game when they aren't a distraction, and are based around a particular event or achievement, they can have favorable implications - on both the user experience and engagement levels.
Play native
In order to provide some context, PaeDae is a native ad platform that leverages 'reward ad spec' to help app developers monetize.
One of the biggest contributors to our success is our commitment to ensuring that reward ads look native and blend seamlessly into a user's overall game or app experience.
Not that PaeDae is the only company operating in this space. It's one of the big growth sectors for mobile advertisers with other companies such as NativeX and AdColony doing an incredible job in terms of making their ads blend into the game, without hindering the user experience.
Testing times
During the process of gathering engagement data from our network, we conducted a split test based around the usage of reward-based ads in the game Gems With Prizes and their effects on engagement.
We used two different cohorts - one was shown rewards upon reaching specific milestones, while the other wasn't shown any rewards during the game's life cycle.
First of all, we observed a 90 percent overall increase in minutes played by users who were shown at least 1 reward.
Secondly, we found a 61 percent increase in overall retention, or instances in which a user played multiple sessions after the install.
Finally, there was a 21 percent increase in overall plays per install when a user was shown a reward.
These statistics demonstrate that effectively targeted rewards will incentivize a user to invest more of his or her time and resources into a particular game.
Best of worlds
This case study aims to shed some light on monetization as a means to heighten user engagement rather than detract from it.
An example of user flow using PaeDae
Understanding and utilizing this type of advertising allows the developer an opportunity to further connect with users and earn their loyalty.
So the takeaway is that with proper user testing, rewards and other types of native ads can raise overall user engagement rates and generate incremental revenue - which is a win-win for advertisers, developers and players.
You can find out more about PaeDae's services here.
[Update: this article originally went live with the wrong game highlighted as the test title. This has now be corrected.
Feature
PocketGamer.biz regularly posts content from a variety of guest writers across the games industry. These encompass a wide range of topics and people from different backgrounds and diversities, sharing their opinion on the hottest trending topics, undiscovered gems and what the future of the business holds.
Related Articles
Top Stories
News
Jun 11th, 2024
King and Flexion partner to bring Candy Crush Saga to App Gallery and more alternative app stores
Feature
Jun 11th, 2024
Mobile Mavens: Are today's everlasting, live ops games holding back new innovation?
Feature
Jun 11th, 2024
The key takeaway from Apple's AI-laden WWDC keynote? It's time to buy a new iPhone
Events
Tribeca Games Festival 2024 | North America | Jun 5th |
Steam Next Fest: June 2024 Edition | Jun 10th | |
WN Conference Istanbul 2024 | Jun 11th | |
GamesForum Hamburg 2024 | Europe | Jun 11th |
ESI London 2024 | Europe | Jun 13th |
Game Con Canada (GCC) 2024 | North America | Jun 14th |
Indie Dev Play 2024 | Europe | Jun 14th |
DevGAMM Vilnius 2024 | Europe | Jun 14th |
Popular Stories
Interview
Jun 5th, 2024
A galaxy far, far away… Why Star Wars: Hunters took six years to hit the target
Interview
Jun 7th, 2024