2 seconds 2 win: Creatives that crush mobile game marketing

What are the best ad networks in the world? Where can you get the best ROI and the most ROAS? The Singular ROI Index is the longest-running global ROI report, and we've just released a new version for 2025 with all the answers.In this solo episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier delves into the recently released Singular ROI Index for 2025. He highlights the extensive data behind the report, which includes trillions of ad impressions and billions of app installs. John introduces new features such as the Singular ROI Quadrant and the separation of scaled versus growth ad partners. He also provides specific insights into regional ad networks and the rising trend of incentivized ad networks. Additionally, he touches on the surprising resilience of X (formerly Twitter) in niche markets and the competition between industry giants like AppLovin and Moloco. This episode is packed with valuable information for marketers looking to optimize their ad spend and discover new high-performing networks.00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds00:56 Breaking Down Ad Networks01:39 New Features in the ROI Index02:34 Exploring the Singular ROI Quadrant04:41 Regional Insights and Top Ad Networks06:15 The Golden Nine and Apple Ads07:24 Incentivized and Rewarded Ad Networks08:18 Reddit's Advertising Potential09:18 Twitter's Transition to X10:11 AppLovin vs. Moloco11:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Mobile attribution is getting better than ever before. And that's in spite of it becoming more and more complex.There's so many measurement methodologies. Advanced SAN. AEM. Advanced AEM. Unified Measurement. SKAN. AAK. Privacy Sandbox. GAID. IDFA. Probabilistic. Modeled.You name it, there's MORE of everything.But in spite of all that, mobile attribution is getting better. Way better. And maybe, it's actually BECAUSE of all that. And the great news: it's also getting EASIER.Makes sense? Insane?Impossible?Check out this convo in Growth Masterminds between John Koetsier and Singular CTO Eran Friedman🎧 Podcast Summary: The Future of Mobile Attribution & Measurement (2025)🔍 Main Themes & Insights • Shift from deterministic to modeled measurement due to privacy regulations like ATT, SKAN, and Privacy Sandbox. • Major ad networks now offer advanced attribution solutions: • Meta AEM & Advanced AEM: Modeled iOS conversions now shared with MMPs for deduplication and unified reporting. • Google Ads: Long-standing conversion modeling now trending toward MMP integrations. • TikTok Advanced SAN: Dual strategy with deterministic IDFA and shared touchpoints for probabilistic attribution. • Snap Advanced Conversion & Advanced SAN: Combines modeled, deterministic, and shared touchpoint data.🧠 Singular’s Role: Unified Measurement • Singular aggregates and deduplicates data across all ad networks. • Offers user-level attribution wherever possible, even post-ATT. • Enables side-by-side comparison of SKAN, partner-reported, and Singular-attributed data. • Allows auditing and troubleshooting—e.g., identifying gaps in advanced integration coverage.📊 Emerging Technologies & Trends • On-device measurement (ODM) is growing—especially on Android via Google Play Referrer, Meta Referrer. • OEM app stores may bring iOS-style measurement to Android (e.g., Huawei, Samsung via Mobi, etc.). • Apple Search Ads adds view-through attribution to deterministic model—now exposed via MMPs.📈 Advanced Strategies for Big Spenders • Incrementality testing (geo-lift, holdout, MMM) is increasingly important to assess true ROI. • Especially useful in Apple Search Ads, where cannibalization of organic installs is a key concern.✅ Key Takeaways • Measurement is more complex than ever—but also more actionable. • Marketers can now customize their complexity level: from simple unified views to advanced auditing. • The future looks optimistic: more transparency, better deduplication, and increasingly complete attribution.00:00 Introduction and Optimism in Marketing00:50 The Evolution of Mobile Attribution01:31 Deep Dive into Attribution Data03:04 Meta's Advanced Attribution Solutions06:16 Google's Ad Conversion Modeling08:34 TikTok's Advanced SAN Integration11:09 Snap's Advanced Conversion and SAN15:17 Apple's Deterministic Attribution18:59 Other Ad Partners and Modeling25:05 Singular's Unified Measurement Approach32:53 Incrementality Testing and Advanced Strategies35:47 Conclusion and Future of Measurement

How good is UGC in AI-generated videos? We're seeing a lot more of it in ads, but does user-generated content work for video? Does it look super-fake? Most importantly, does AI-generated UGC work: generate clicks & conversions?Join John Koetsier on this episode of Growth Masterminds as he discusses the effectiveness of AI-generated user-generated content (UGC) with Alexei Chemenda, CEO of Poolday AI. They explore the evolution and current state of AI UGC, its performance, common pitfalls, and the importance of testing different creative elements. Hear insights on how variations in the hook, actor, gameplay, editing style, and music can significantly impact ad performance. Alexei shares real-world examples and emphasizes that, while UGC is a powerful tool, achieving high-performance results requires diligent effort and strategic testing. This episode is a must-listen for growth marketers looking to leverage AI in their marketing mix.00:00 Introduction and Background00:42 Meet Alexei Chemenda: CEO of Poolday02:28 The Power of Curiosity in Marketing03:00 Generative AI for UGC: An Overview05:29 Testing and Iteration in AI UGC07:23 Success Stories and Best Practices11:46 Who Benefits Most from AI UGC?13:54 Creating Effective AI UGC Ads21:58 The Future of Personalized Advertising24:32 Ethics and Tagging in AI UGC27:14 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

To win in mobile game marketing in 2025, you need creatives that crush it. And that means creative hooks that capture people's attention in just 2 seconds.You have 2 seconds to win ... ouch!In this episode of Growth Masterminds, we discuss innovative strategies and trends in growing mobile games in 2025 with industry experts Jesse Lempiäinen, co-founder of GeekLab, and Neils Beenen from Singular. With host John Koetsier they dive into the effectiveness of AI-generated creative content, the importance of influencers and UGC, and the evolution of privacy measures affecting ad performance. Learn about the critical balance between high click-through rates and user retention, and how to stay ahead in the competitive game marketing landscape with effective partner and channel strategies.00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds00:51 Current Trends in Game Marketing02:18 The Role of AI in Creative Development03:37 Influencer and UGC Strategies06:38 Challenges and Successes in Creative Marketing11:55 The Future of Game Marketing17:38 Innovative Approaches and Final Thoughts

France fined Apple $232 million or $150 million euros because France says the way Apple implemented App Tracking Transparency, or ATT is unfair and anti-competitive. Third-party independent app publishers suffered as a result, and small app makers in particular.In fact, France says, Apple could have easily integrated ATT and GDPR, the massive privacy regulation that governs digital commerce and advertising in the European Union.

Channel diversification for mobile games: where do you start, and how do you do it?In this Growth Masterminds we bring not 1, not 2, but 3 seasoned growth experts to join host John Koetsier on how to scale smarter via better channel diversification for mobile games:- Matej Lancaric from 2 and a Half Gamers- Kyle West from Mistplay- Brendan O’Connor from MolocoWhen do you add new channels?Which ad partners do you start with?How important are rewarded ads?Where do influencers fit? When?CTV ... should you try it?How do you test new UA channelsLook for all of this and more.Whether you're a new game publisher or managing a large-scale game, this episode provides actionable insights for achieving sustainable growth in the ever-evolving mobile gaming industry.00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds01:49 Starting with Channel Diversification03:10 Expanding Your Partner Network06:19 Testing New Channels12:54 Scaling and Diversifying Channels19:18 The Rise of Rewarded Advertising22:33 Influencer Marketing in Gaming26:22 The Challenge of Influencer Marketing27:51 Celebrity Endorsements: A Double-Edged Sword30:01 The Rise of CTV Advertising35:57 Future of Ad Partners and Channels45:17 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

Mobile app retargeting is a huge part of engagement, monetization, and retention for top apps. Especially in categories like shopping, travel, and gaming. What can you learn about mobile app retargeting from a 100M MAU app?Lots.In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier speaks with Subhadeep Chakraborty, Senior Manager for Growth at Ixigo. We chat about the importance and effectiveness of retargeting strategies in one of the most competitive markets – travel and booking in India. Subhadeep shares detailed insights on how Ixigo leverages retargeting to maximize customer value, personalized messaging, and algorithm-driven data points to recommend the best options for users. We also cover CRM channels, the role of analytics, and personalized customer engagement to boost retention. 00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds00:52 Understanding Ixigo's Market and Services01:15 Retargeting Strategies at Ixigo02:40 Effective Retargeting Techniques04:14 Timing and Channels for Retargeting08:25 Personalization in Retargeting10:06 Technology and Tools for Retargeting11:38 The Importance of Retargeting14:29 Real-World Retargeting Experiences15:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

How do you achieve optimal revenue from ads in your game? Ad monetization is an increasingly complex but necessary part of the business for mobile game publishers. In this video we dive into ad monetization for games with Felix Braberg ... part of 2 and 1/2 Gamers.We discuss the perfect balance needed for successful game monetization strategies, focusing on hybrid and ad monetization. Felix shares invaluable insights into when to integrate monetization in the game development lifecycle, how to decide on the right models, and the importance of A/B testing. Felix also delves into the challenges faced with ad durations, user acquisition, and segmenting users based on their purchasing behaviors. We end by looking ahead in 2025 and offer tips for developers and publishers aiming to scale their games and increase revenue in the ever-evolving landscape of ad revenue models and e-commerce integration in gaming.00:00 Introduction to Game Monetization01:11 Current Trends in Hybrid Monetization01:54 Building Monetization Models02:22 Ad Monetization Strategies06:00 Innovative Monetization Techniques17:43 Challenges in Ad Measurement23:49 Future Trends and Tips for 202529:22 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Measuring ad campaigns on iOS has been hard ever since ATT. But what can we expect in 2025?In this episode of Growth Masterminds, we discuss the future of iOS measurement and marketing in 2025 with Jesse Lempiainen, co-founder of GeekLab, and Neils Beenen from Singular. We talk about the impact of Apple's IDFA changes, the effectiveness of various measurement methodologies like SSOT, MMM, CAPIs, platform probabilistic approaches, and the potential future developments in Apple's advertising landscape. Key points include the challenges of current iOS mobile measurement, the role of creative testing, the implications of server-to-server data transfers, and the rise of conversion APIs and web-to-app campaigns. Tune in to get expert insights on how iOS game marketing might evolve in the next few years.00:00 Introduction to 2025 iOS Measurement01:01 Current Challenges in iOS Mobile Measurement03:50 Retargeting Strategies and Banner Ads04:40 The Role of SKAdNetwork and AEM05:47 Probabilistic Attribution and Industry Trends09:06 Unified Measurement and Incrementality19:24 Web to App Campaigns and Conversion APIs24:36 Future of iOS Game Marketing in 202527:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

How important is incrementality? In this Growth Masterminds we chat with the CEO of an app publisher with 750 million app installs: how they think of incrementality, how they measure incrementality, and tips for how you can do the same.Measuring incrementality is especially on the App Store and Google Play ... where you might be the top result and also have bought ads against your brand and keywords: is this good or bad?Our guest is Jonathan Reich, CEO of Zedge. He and host John Koetsier chat about how Zedge achieved over 750 million cumulative installs and Jonathan shares the origin story of Zedge. We also talk about the shift from organic to paid user acquisition, and how Zedge navigates the challenges of ensuring each ad dollar is effectively spent. We then dive into testing strategies, the balance between organic and paid growth, and insights gained from their extensive data analysis. This episode is a deep dive into optimizing ad spend and understanding the art of incrementality in the competitive app market.00:00 Introduction to Incrementality Testing00:44 Meet Jonathan Reich, CEO of Zedge01:15 The Origin Story of Zedge05:24 Marketing Strategies and Organic Growth07:26 Challenges and Insights in Incrementality09:48 Testing and Optimization Techniques14:44 Key Learnings and Best Practices20:04 Common Pitfalls and Final Thoughts