In a year of profound macroeconomic change, Liftoff’s Mobile Ad Creative Index report analyzed 1 trillion impressions to uncover fresh insights for mobile marketers

Liftoff, the leading growth acceleration platform for the mobile industry, unveiled its fifth annual Mobile Ad Creative Index report. The report analyzes trends across five key app verticals: gaming, e-commerce, finance, entertainment, and dating & social.

Its key finding is that longer video ads have proven more effective than their shorter counterparts, with mobile user acquisition managers adding videos between 31-60 seconds long to their creative arsenal and seeing material performance gains. As with last year,  playable ads were the most cost-effective option to generate gaming app installs, and native ads were a strong all-round option – in particular for entertainment. Advertisers are seeing engagement in ‘fail scenario’ videos showing silly moves by players. The report also showed the importance of uncovering player motivations. And, as in 2022, playable ads have the most affordable cost per install (CPI) at $1.31 – well below the average of $3.79 from all five ad formats for gaming – making them an attractive format for game marketers.

In creating this report, Liftoff analyzed nearly 1 trillion impressions across 24.5 billion clicks and 240 million installs between January 1, 2022, and January 1, 2023.

For Video Ads, Longer is Better
Our attention spans may be short, but longer mobile video ads have proven effective at catching users’ attention. On average brands saw up to 50% higher conversions with longer videos compared to shorter ones. As a result, mobile user acquisition managers are adding longer videos of up to 60 seconds to their ad creative arsenal. The findings highlighted the ability of longer video ads to tell fuller stories and showcase what the app can do, which proved attractive to audiences.

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‘Try Before You Buy’ Mentality Still Works for Gaming
With an average CPI of $1.31, playable ads were by far the most cost-effective option to drive gaming app installs. The report found that videos were great for showing off the user experience, and surprisingly, audiences were inclined to watch longer videos. Videos are also great for demonstrating user experience, and at $4.93, they offer the next best price per install.

Native Ads are Best for Entertainment – Especially on Android
Native ads are the best option when it comes to cost for entertainment apps. The report found that banner and video ads cost the same per install on iOS at $10.13, but banner ads offer a better deal on Android at $2.04. On streaming apps, for example, the report concludes that creating interstitial ads that show off an app’s ease of use help users make a decision.

Player Motivations Are the Future of Performance Marketing
As marketers adapt to ad preferences, they must consider the motivating factors that drive user engagement. Marketers who match player motivations and ad creative types can unlock real potential. To drive higher-value gamers at scale, ads that dig into what motivates them will be more successful. Player motivations allow app marketers to pinpoint who their audiences are and how to capture their attention. The report divided motivations into six categories: escapism, social, mastery, management, expression, and exploration.

Methodology
Liftoff’s 2023 Mobile Ad Creative Index report draws from an internal data analysis between January 1, 2022 to January 1, 2023. Spanning 1 trillion impressions, over 24.5 billion clicks, and 240 million installs, the report delivers key takeaways on mobile ad format performance across banners, interstitials, playables, videos, and native. Backed by new insights from GameRefinery, this report empowers mobile advertisers to reach new audiences with an overview of six player motivations and tips on how to translate them into high-performing creative.

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