Google's Play Store will generate $10 billion in app revenue in 2017, so to effectively snare some of that revenue you need to know how to harness search demand to drive app installs. This session covers best practices for setting up, running and fine-tuning mobile app campaigns via AdWords, including advanced features that offer greater control over your optimizations and audience targeting.

1. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
INSIDE
MOBILE APP
CAMPAIGNS
for
GOOGLE
PLAY
Maddie Cary, Director of Paid Search | Point It Digital Marketing

2. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
 Director of Paid Search at Point It
 Based in Seattle, WA
 US Search Award winner: Best PPC Agency
 Oversee $65M+ in yearly media
 Lead awesome + talented paid search dept
 40 account managers
 Small to enterprise, across verticals

3. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
You’ll Walk Away With
GOAL
Determining
the right
campaign type
OPTIMIZE
Setting up
tracking, ads,
& bidding
AUDIENC
E
Layering on
audience
targeting
RESULTS!
Driving
RESULTS!

4. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Number of Mobile
devices has surpassed
Desktop
Mobile search volume
has also surpassed
Desktop
The never-ending “year of mobile”

5. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Up to
90%
of consumers’
monthly mobile time
is spent in apps
(Flurry Analytics Study)
People love mobile apps

6. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
But WHY market your mobile app?
•
Your mobile app
is your product/
service
APP ONLY
You want to
increase the
usage of your
product/service
INCREASE USE
You want to
reduce
overhead
cost
DECREASE
COST
ON-THE-GO BRAND LOYALTY
Your app provides
solutions to
on-the-go
needs
You want to
maintain
or reward
brand loyalty

7. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
what is your goal?goal?

8. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
What is your goal?
Awareness
Engagement App
Download Activation
Retention
Referral
Revenue
Impr
Query demand Clicks
CTR
Email
Account Creation
Social Connection
Billing Info
Installs
CPI
Conv Rate
Push Notifications
App Usage
In-App Activity
Loyalty Programs
Orders
App Upgrades Social Sharing
App Store
Ratings & Reviews
EASIER mobile apps HARDER

9. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
what
type of campaign
should you run?
I DON’T KNOW
THAT’S WHY I’M HERE!!

10. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App
Extensions
#1:

11. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App Extensions
GOOD FOR:
Awareness
Engagement
App Download
Activation
Retention
Revenue
Referral
Extension

12. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App Extension Set-Up
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Navigate to Extensions tab
Can add as campaign or account level
Select “+New App” and search for your mobile app from Play Store
Choose what devices to show app extension on
All devices, desktop/tablet only, or mobile devices only

13. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App Extensions – PROs + CONs
PROs CONs
• EASY!
• Expanded real estate on
SERP
• Beginner step before
mobile app campaigns
• Minimal control
• Opted into Search
campaigns’ strategy &
targeting
• Limited scale

14. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Universal
App
Campaigns
#2:

15. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Universal App Campaigns
GOOD FOR:
Awareness
Engagement
App Download
Activation
Retention
Revenue
Referral
Multi-network!

16. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Universal App Campaign Set-Up
1
2
3
4
5
6
Pick Universal App Campaign Preview ad templates
Google Search, Play Store,
YouTube, Display
Search & select your mobile app
from Google Play Store
Enter in 4 ad text variations to
rotate in across ad formats
25 character limit. Also shows you your app description
from Play Store for ideas
Option to add your own
video or image ads
Up to 5 videos
Up to 10 images
Activate!

17. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App Extensions – PROs + CONs
PROs CONs
• Build single campaign
• Set to optimize for installs or
in-app conversions
• Expanded placement
targeting:
Search, Google Play,YouTube,
Display, & AdMob
• Wide-cast net of placements.
Be careful!
• Hand over creative
control to Google
• Google fully automates all
targeting & bidding

18. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App
Install
Campaigns
(Search, Display, YouTube)
#3:

19. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App Install Campaigns
GOOD FOR:
Awareness
Engagement
App Download
Activation
Retention
Revenue
Referral
Single network!

20. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Um…these campaigns types
are starting to sound the same
OMG ARE
THEY THE
SAME THING???

21. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Campaign UNIVERSALAPPS MOBILEAPP INSTAL
Goal
Single campaign
Promote Android app across
multiple networks
Multiple campaigns
Promote app (Android or iOS)
on select single networks
Bidding Options
Target CPI
Target CPA
CPC
Target CPI
CPV (YouTube)
Tactics/Networks
Google Play, Google Search,
YouTube, Display
(including in-app)
Google Play Search,
Google Search,YouTube, Display
Ad Formats
Google generated, responsive style
ad formats.
Drive to Google Play Store
Text, Image, &Video app ads
TrueView app promotion ads
Customer
Match
Can’t use Customer Match
Can only use Customer Match on
TrueView appYouTube
Universal Apps vs. Mobile App Install

22. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App Install Campaigns – PROs + CONs
PROs CONs
• Decide which specific
networks, placements, &
keywords to target
• Control to optimize creative
and bids
• Better flexibility to test!
• More build work
• More on-going management
& care needed

23. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App
Engagement
Campaigns
(Android Search Only)
#4:

24. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App Engagement Campaigns
GOOD FOR:
Awareness
Engagement
App Download
Activation
Retention
Revenue
Referral
Reengage!
User clicks
on app
engagement
ad
Sent straight
to in-app
event
Ad contains
deep-link
URL

25. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App Engagement – PROs + CONs
PROs CONs
• Decide which specific
networks, placements, &
keywords to target
• Control to optimize creative
and bids
• Better flexibility to test!
• More build work
• More on-going management
& care needed

26. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
how should you
optimize?
As if I don’t
already know…

27. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
AdWords – Android App Download Tracking
NO SDK
NEEDED!
App downloads
tracked
automatically
from
Google Play!

28. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
AdWords – Android App Conversion Tracking
App First-Opens In-App Actions
Firebase (Google)
or
3rd Party SDK/Analytics Provider

29. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App – Ad Copy + Creative
ALWAYS include company logo
Customize copy to your audience
Use CTA on contrasting color button
Test different high-resolution imagery
Avoid ad fatigue, update creatives regularly!

30. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App – Ad Copy + Creative
K.I.S.S.
KEEP IT SIMPLE, STUPID!

31. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
AdWords – App Campaign Bidding
Be patient…
• Leverage Google’s CPI &
CPA algo bid targeting
• Give it at least 7 days to
learn before adjusting
• Test CPI targets that are
higher than your goal

32. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
who is your
audience?
HI!
I’M RIGHT HERE!

33. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Layer on Audience Targeting
Bid
Up/Down
Exclude
Different
Creative
Different
Offer
Do something different
based on what you
know about your
target audience
+
their app specific needs

34. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
Mobile App Remarketing

35. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
MOBILE APP
CAMPAIGNS
Open a new door to
mobile app campaigns

36. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
www.pointit.com/blog
Check out our blog for more
tips & tricks on
PPC, SEO, &
digital marketing!
Wait…
it’s over?

37. #SMX #23C2 @MaddieMarketer
THANK YOU!