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Vungle – a source of high-quality in-app traffic
WakeApp is back with its “Source of the Month” – an educational guide for mobile app marketers.
According to information gleaned from Statista, app stores are currently swamped with applications: Google Play includes 2.6 million apps while there are almost 4.5 million in the Apple App Store. So, what does it take for an app to rise to popularity among its users? It surely is no longer the case of simply creating a unique, analogue-free program capable of connecting clients to a service. This is where our highlight tool of the month comes in.
At WakeApp, we’re always ready to lend a helping hand to novice marketers, partners and specialists in the mobile app promotion market to be aware of the latest GEO trends, traffic sources and promotion features. This time, we’re introducing our readers to a popular traffic source and tool that specialises in promoting mobile applications. Say hello to Vungle.
Vungle is an advertising network that specialises in promoting short videos within apps and games. Ads are played without reloading or buffering – just like on YouTube – and are stored in the cache and played without any pauses. Vungle offers a loyal moderation system as well as the ability to work on the CPI model. Through Vungle, developers can monetise mobile applications, and marketers can successfully promote products and attract large volumes of high-quality traffic through modern ad formats which are broadcast within programs connected to the network.
Following Vungle’s merger with Liftoff, another major market player, all Vungle products, services and accounts are now available on liftoff.io.
Liftoff is a worldwide advertising network that has been providing in-app traffic monetization opportunities since 2012. The ad network is well known for its large selection of payment models and affordable ad formats, and is considered as one of the most accessible and easy-to-use ad networks amongst marketers, media buyers and traffic specialists. This has made Liftoff one of the most effective and popular sources of in-app traffic.
Advertisers promoting their products through Vungle (or Liftoff) can successfully drive traffic from popular advertising spaces with flexible targeting. This will ensure that ads reach only their relevant audiences and that budget is spent more efficiently.
Some Vungle facts:
- Year of launch: 2011
- Average annual income $200.0M – $500.0M
- Ad Formats: Banners, Interstitial, MREC, Rewarded Video
- Payment Model: CPC, CPM, CPL, CPI
- Apps Included: 1800+ apps
- Impressions: +396B
- Annual Clicks: +6.2B
- First Time Events: 7.7M
- Installs: +275M
- Minimum deposit amount: $50 for PayPal, $1000 for bank transfers
- GEO coverage: WorldWide, Tier1
Vungle makes it possible to broadcast commercials within the products of the world’s leading brands, and to a wide audience. What’s more, Vungle allows you to successfully promote iOS and Android apps, as well as programs from the Microsoft Store and Amazon ASIN.
Vungle benefits
- Low percentage of rejections and bans for ad creatives. The platform adapts well to the promotion of any type of vertical.
- Possibility to promote iOS on CPI. By comparison, only the CPM format is available in Unity.
- High-quality traffic. Vungle has established itself in the market and confidently holds its position among the most effective sources of in-app traffic.
- Modern advertising formats. The platform allows you to promote products using advertising formats such as banners, Interstitial (full screen advertising), MREC (medium sized rectangle), Rewarded Video.
Disadvantages of Vungle
- High bid rate. The average ad network bid is typically 30-40% higher than competitors.
- Difficulty in scaling. The volume of quality traffic on Vungle does not guarantee the scaling success of the advertising campaign. Users who have not reached the stage of installing the application are blacklisted, requiring further optimization for traffic monetization.
- The minimum amount for the first deposit is $1000.
Advertising campaign targeting is configured according to all the main parameters: GEO, device type, OS, and screen resolution. It also provides the ability to set up smart targeting by optimizing impressions and selecting a relevant audience. In fact, advertisers promoting their product through Vungle can choose which category of apps to place their ads on.
Vungle’s main advertising format is video advertising. Users are provided their own SDK (Software Development Kit) with detailed instructions to integrate video into the application. What’s more, advertisers needn’t go to the trouble of creating or filming ads themselves. Rather, they simply can place an application in Vungle and indicate the main points of the product that they’d like to highlight, as well as select one of the suggested voice templates. The design studio, Vungle Creative Labs, will independently develop a unique promotional offer for any request.
How can marketers use Vungle?
In order to start using the advertising network, start by registering here.
1. Select Monetization as Job Position
Verify your account via email and head over to your Vungle Dashboard.
2. Create a new Vungle app
Go to Dashboard and click Add Application. If your app supports both Android and iOS platforms, you’ll need to add each one separately.
Choose a platform for your application, specify the name and its presence in the Store. If the app is available in the store, select My app is live and use the search box to add a link.
Important! If your application is designed for children under 13, select Disagree – COPPA settings will apply.
3. Create a placement for your application
Select the ad type and enter the name of the placement. For rewarded videos, select No in the Skippable field.
Click Continue, and I’ve already integrated the most recent SDK. On the next page, click Sounds Good.
After adding your application, you can add a new placement in its settings. To do this, click Add Placement.
To launch an advertising campaign in Liftoff:
1. Select Direct as Job Position
Click Add Campaign and Add New Application.
Specify the OS of your application and its App ID.
2. Specify the name of the advertising campaign and the timing of its launch.
3. Provide a link to the postback tracker, if necessary.
4. Specify targeting settings: GEO, device type, OS, screen resolution, as well as the ability to download ads over a mobile connection.
5. Enter your cost per click and daily budget. The minimum daily budget is $1,000.
6. In the creative field, upload the finished video or leave a request for its creation in Vungle Creative Labs.
In the creative field, upload the finished video or leave a request for its creation in Vungle Creative Labs.
Vungle is one of the 30+ sources our media buyers use to promote WakeApp.
Here at WakeApp, we are proud to say that we have been using Vungle as a traffic source for over 10 years. Vungle has proved to be a massive convenience for our clients in their goal to attract a young and solvent audience.
About our guide: Every month, we publish helpful promotion guides where we discuss promotion features in a particular region according to traffic sources and GEO traffic. We also seek to keep our readers up-to-date on tips, as well as restrictions and bans about promoting on certain sources.
Think of it as a mobile marketer’s desktop guide!
About us: WakeApp is an international mobile marketing agency with over 9 years of experience in the market, and is leading the development and promotion of gaming and non-gaming mobile applications in the e-com, video streaming, food delivery, sport, utilities, and finance verticals. In 2022, WakeApp received The Media Agency of the Year at the SiGMA Asia Awards, and in 2021, WakeApp placed in 5 categories in the 13th edition of the AppsFlyer Performance Index XIII.
Latest News
Slotegrator’s review of the first half of 2024 in iGaming: results & trends
Since the beginning of 2024, content aggregator and solution provider Slotegrator has been analyzing case studies and conducting careful research. Why did the company choose this development path? What results have been achieved, and what can be expected in the future? It’s time to take a look at how 2024 is going — and maybe get a sneak peek at 2025.
Since the beginning of the year, Slotegrator has continued to actively present its new and updated solutions, like the company’s turnkey online casino platform and its key modules, including the KYC, BI, and Casino Builder modules, alongside many others. These modules are strategically designed to streamline online casino management, covering tasks like analyzing big data, assessing risks, and enhancing platform performance.
The modules have proven to be very effective, partially because they satisfy clients’ concrete needs. The primary sources of inspiration for these cutting-edge innovations are the company’s internal research and case studies of successful clients.
According to Slotegrator’s internal research, clients reported that the integration of these updates came at just the right time. Customers particularly valued the revamped player segmentation module, offering customization options and personalized marketing options, and a renewed anti-fraud module that utilizes a color-coded risk scale that allows operators to set risk levels.
“This feedback from our customers is a great foundation for Slotegrator’s future report on future iGaming trends in 2025. We’re constantly collecting and updating information on new technologies, game types, payment methods and player behavior, and honest feedback on the new features of upgrades helps us understand the direction of our future development,” comments Yana Khaidukova, managing director at Slotegrator.
Innovation is key to keeping up with the fast-paced iGaming industry. In 2024, the Slotegrator team is focused on enhancing product quality and publishing insightful case studies to better demonstrate the capabilities of its products. So far, Slotegrator has published multiple case studies analyzing its clients’ success. Here are the two latest examples:
- BetSloty’s global expansion strategy in the online gambling industry.
- Alanbase’s experience optimizing affiliate marketing.
When it comes to modern iGaming trends, many of them haven’t changed — we should expect to see more VR integration in esports, AI, blockchain, and cryptocurrency adoption. Also, mobile-first gameplay will be a new standard. The Slotegrator team has also noted an increasing emphasis on responsible gaming throughout the iGaming industry. Slotegrator keeps all of these in mind when entering attractive markets with new partners — especially those in Latin America and Asia.
What about licenses? Slotegrator recommends keeping up to date with licensing conditions. Among the most promising jurisdictions are:
- Kahnawake
- The Isle of Man.
- Anjouan
Faruk Aydin, Chief Revenue Officer of Revpanda, a Slotegrator’s media partner, adds to the list of trends some points about promotion on the iGaming industry: “Within the first half of 2024, we’ve seen that human-written content has made a great comeback, thanks to Google’s recent core update. It has started to remove AI-written shallow content across the entire SERPs, and the SEO community expects this trend to continue. Overall, we can say that the first half of the year strongly demonstrates Google’s effort to fill the SERPs with high-quality, engaging, local, and relevant content, avoiding fluff and providing the most useful resources to people.”
William Sarto, PR & Marketing specialist at CasinoRIX or CasinoRIX team, comments:
“In recent months, Google has undergone several significant changes due to a major update that started in March and ended in April. Then, at the beginning of May, they launched another big update. We’ve already seen many affiliate sites affected by this, particularly those that overused AI-generated content. AI has become mainstream, so it’s important to integrate it into processes based on thorough market analysis and real statistical data.
Moreover, there’s a clear trend towards creating projects that offer additional value for players and partners. It’s crucial to build a brand, not just a network of sites, and to add values into what you create while striving to meet customer needs. We fully agree with the earlier comments that in-depth analysis and staying in tune with trends will lead to success and growth. As we can see, all major and well-known projects are steadily growing with these updates.”
The post Slotegrator’s review of the first half of 2024 in iGaming: results & trends appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Latest News
NFTs and the future of fan engagement: How NFTs can boost engagement with sports brands
By: Evgeniy Babitsyn, Chief Marketing Officer, Bets.io
The sport industry finds itself amidst its own digital transformation journey with the introduction of new technologies, and at the forefront of this digital shift are NFTs – otherwise known as Non-Fungible Tokens.
NFTs can represent any kind of digital item, and in recent years have commonly been used for quirky collectibles and art work – but they now enter the sports arena in a unique way. The beauty of NFTs is the unique metadata and ownership information which is tracked via blockchain, making them a one-of-a-kind digital collectible that cannot be duplicated. As a result of their collectible nature, it’s only natural that NFTs caught the eyes of eager sports enthusiasts and die-hard fans.
In fact, according to Deloitte research, around 40% of Gen Z and millennial sports fans are at least somewhat familiar with the use of NFTs and fan tokens in sports.
But why is that? And how can they boost engagement?
NFTs are rapidly emerging as a powerful tool for sports brands in driving deeper fan engagement and unlocking new revenue streams. This is because sports fans are, by nature, competitive and eager to own exclusive content from their much loved players, teams and brands. They want to be part of the action.
By playing on this feeling, and reinforcing loyalty among fans in this way, sports brands have a huge opportunity to take their revenue streams to new heights and gain a competitive advantage over other brands.
Imagine an athlete releases a limited-edition NFT that represents the most iconic moment in their career, such as the winning shot or a record breaking performance. Fans who own that NFT can then access exclusive content related to that moment including behind-the-scenes footage or interviews.
There really is no limit to these tokens, and depending on the asset, they can be much sought after. As more and more sports fans embrace the digital tokens, sports brands are quickly learning that there is huge potential for fan engagement, if they continue to innovate with this technology.
Taking collectibles to the 21st Century
Sports memorabilia and collectibles have for centuries been a way for fans to feel more connected to their favourite teams and athletes. And now thanks to the advances of technology – more specifically, blockchain technology – fans can collect within the digital realm, gaining access to truly “own” unique digital items and experiences.
Beyond just digital art or collectibles, NFTs can also integrate the idea of gamification, exclusive content and experiences into their NFTs – allowing fans to engage more actively while unlocking new revenue opportunities.
The possibilities are endless, extending far beyond just digital collectibles. They can provide fans with access to exclusive digital or in-person experiences, events and merch as well. Think front row seats or the chance for a meet and greet post-game.
With this, NFTs provide an excellent way for brands to diversify their revenue streams by monetising their content and intellectual property strategically.
It really is win-win, fans can own a piece of their favourite team’s history while supporting their team financially. And sports brands can benefit from more loyal fans.
Transforming the fan experience
Engagement is everything to sports brands. After all, the fans are really the most important stakeholders in the end. And offering NFTs can be a powerful tool in fostering deeper engagement within fan communities. NFTs provide more innovative ways for fans to connect, prove their loyalty and gain recognition for their allegiance.
Let’s look at NBA Top Shot. NBA Top Shot is the perfect example of a blockchain-based platform that allows fans to own and collect officially licensed NBA collectibles digitally. The platform offers exclusive collectibles including videos of the biggest NBA moments and highlights.
And football teams are also following suit. Manchester City, PSG, FC Barcelona have all joined in on the NFT hype – offering their own NFT collections for keen supporters such as worn jerseys, trophies and more.
Sports Betting and NFTs
And when it comes to sports betting, NFTs take the iGaming experience to the next level. Fans can purchase NFTs that represent specific bets, such as the winner of a particular game or the performance of a specific player. These NFTs can then be traded or sold, just like other NFTs, providing a new level of flexibility and excitement for betting.
The use of NFTs in the sports industry is still in its early stages, but has already shown great potential. We can expect more applications to come in the world of sports – including at Bets.io. Watch this space.
Looking ahead, the future is incredibly promising for sports brands who leverage NFTs within their business operations. Those who embrace these new powerful ways to inspire fans and forge deeper relationships with their communities, will see their efforts translate into business value.
The post NFTs and the future of fan engagement: How NFTs can boost engagement with sports brands appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Raketech Announces Q1 2024 Results
Raketech has announced its Q1 2024 financial results.
Q1 2024 Financial Highlights
- Revenues in Q1 of 2024 totaled EUR 19.0 million (EUR 15.8 million), reflecting an organic growth increase of 20.1% (24.4%), driven by continued strong performance from sub-affiliation partially offset by weaker-than-expected results within affiliation marketing.
- EBITDA, adjusted for restructuring costs, was EUR 5.1 million (EUR 6.1 million), impacted by a weaker performance in Sweden compared to the previous year and soft performance of the Casumba assets following the Google Core update during the quarter. Other regions and products performed well, with sub-affiliation delivering a strong quarter in terms of EBITDA contribution.
- Operating profit, adjusted for costs related to re-structuring, amounted to EUR 2.0 million (EUR 3.8 million).
- Free cash flow before earnouts increased to EUR 6.5 million (EUR 5.6 million) with a positive working capital development from trade receivables.
- Earnouts settled during the quarter amounted to EUR 13.0 million.
Full-Year Outlook
Current trading, including April, implies an adjusted EBITDA of around EUR 20.0 million for the full year. Free cash flow before earnouts for the full year is estimated to come in just below adjusted EBITDA.
Subsequent Events After the End of the Period
On May 14, 2024, the board decided to withdraw its previously announced proposal to distribute dividends in 2024, in line with its commitment to maintaining financial flexibility and supporting the company’s long term growth ambitions. The primary focus is delivering value to shareholders and continuing to evaluate opportunities to enhance shareholder returns in a way that aligns with the Company’s long-term value-creation objectives.
Current Trading
Revenues in April 2024 amounted to EUR 5.9 million (EUR 5.9 million).
Raketech Acting CEO Johan Svensson said: “In the first quarter of 2024, we delivered EUR 19.0 million in revenues, representing an organic increase of 20.1%, primarily driven by Sub-affiliation. Adjusted EBITDA came in at EUR 5.1 million, while EBITDA was EUR 4.3 million, consistent with our trading update published on 1 May. We remain confident in our market-leading product offerings and see promising growth opportunities through our strategic initiatives in sports offerings, exclusive partnerships, and media deals. These efforts will position us well for continued growth in the coming years, and we remain committed to maximizing shareholder value.”
The post Raketech Announces Q1 2024 Results appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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