Ways to Advertise Your Gaming Brand With Mobile Apps in Russia

Nowadays, it's hard to imagine a mobile game or app without ads. In our blog, we will discuss the promotion of your game via advertising in other mobile games and apps in Russia and minimization of user annoyance from such advertising.

Mobile statistics in Russia

According to the WEB-Index Mediascope survey, in January – March 2020, at least once a month, 75% of residents of Russian cities with a population of more than 100,000 people at the age over 12 visited the Internet from mobile devices – this is 48.2 million people. The monthly exclusive mobile audience (those who access the Internet from mobile devices only) for the above period was 24% of the population or 15.5 million people. Compared to Q1 2019, the mobile audience grew by 5%, and the number of exclusive mobile users – by 14%.

Types of mobile advertisement in apps

There are a lot of ad formats, but the following ones are mostly used now.

Banner

The most popular type of advertisement. It is displayed on the same principle as banners on websites: at the top or bottom of the page, on the sides, there are horizontal and vertical ones. Banners can be closed or minimized – this does not annoy users, unlike the format below.

Interstitial

Full-screen video ads. There are two ways: regular, Video Interstitial – ads that can be skipped or closed by clicking on the cross sign, and Rich Interstitial, which can't be skipped – the user has to watch it until the end. This annoys many people: the user can't wait to start the app, but he/she can't do it right now – he/she has to wait. However, many people also understand that viewing ads allows using the app free of charge or for less money, which eliminates the annoyance of obtrusive marketing.

Rewarded Video

This is a video ad in online games, viewing which the user receives a reward: equipment for characters, game bonuses or HP, hints, virtual currency, and others. As it is very important in games, the motivation to view the ad to the end increases dramatically.

Playable ads

The user is suggested to play a demo version of a game, and then to perform a target action. Both components are important here: the game part itself to attract, and the final motivational message. Test the final message to get the highest conversion rate, otherwise, the ad will turn into just an expensive "entertainment".

Native ads

This is a block, banner, video, or text that disguises itself as the design and content of the mobile app. The user may take no notice of this type of ad, or rather, may not realize that it is an ad. It means that the profit from it is more, and the annoyance is less.

Which format of mobile advertising should one choose?

If we are talking about the effectiveness of advertising formats, according to many surveys, the most revenue is from Rewarded Video.

Rewarded video and playable ads are the formats that involve users in playing games or viewing ads. Due to the involvement, the conversion rate for these formats is higher than for other types of mobile advertising. Come up with non-standard bonuses or games to increase the involvement. Keep in mind the necessity of target action and motivate users to take it.

However, as we always say, what will suit one mobile game won't work at all in the promotion of another. So test different ad formats and choose the best one.

And don't forget about content optimization. For example, replace standard 30-second videos with a series of short videos. Users prefer to skip ads, and a long duration further contributes to this. But 3 to 6 seconds long videos do not cause negative emotions, they are easier to watch. Build a sales funnel using a chain of videos and show them as a series for the same user.

Yandex and Google Advertising

The first and most obvious way to promote a mobile game is using the advertising features in Yandex.Direct and Google Ads mobile apps.

Advertisement in mobile apps allows covering an ever-growing audience of smartphone and tablet users. Ads from display network campaigns are served in mobile apps by default if the placement location matches the targeting settings.

Advertising in mobile apps via advertising system Yandex and Google allow using different formats: from banners to video and full-screen ads, and a variety of targeting options. The main advantage of Yandex.Direct is its support for user audiences. One can set up retargeting as per Yandex.Metrics data, and any segments of Yandex.Audience: geolocation, mobile device ID lists, look-alike, and so on.

Mobile programmatic

Advertising in mobile apps via programmatic platforms such as BYYD, Hybrid.ai and MobUpps. Programmatic platforms allow gathering an audience of those who have already seen author's creative ideas and integrate consistent communication with them. Meanwhile, various targeting settings shall be used: geo-targeting, selecting the site theme or app category, device models, in-app events, ready-made audiences by interests, and so on.

Summary

Mobile advertising has long gone beyond the format of small banners that no one sees. Today, mobile advertising is a colorful and exciting full-screen ads, videos, and game formats. 80% of players are happy to watch ads in games, because they understand that it is built in not to spoil their mood, but so that the developer can get paid for what he does. Use ads correctly, and you will not only be able to earn money from players who otherwise would never have paid, but even increase involvement and improve your products.

If you decide to promote your gaming brand in Russia and do not know what strategy will suit your product, RMAA Games experts will eagerly help you in attracting the most loyal audience of Russian gamers.

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