Moburst’s Monthly Mobile Marketing Roundup #10
Welcome to the 10th edition of Moburst’s Monthly Mobile Marketing Roundup – our final edition of 2023!
In this special edition, we’ll explore the latest news, insights, and trends in the mobile industry. We’ll also provide a comprehensive overview of the 2023 highlights from the App Store and Play Store.
Get ready to stay informed and discover the exciting developments that shaped the mobile landscape in 2023.
Mobile News
Google Introduces Gemini
Google has officially announced the launch of Gemini, their latest AI model, which was teased a few months ago. Gemini aims to offer a suite of features that set it apart from models like ChatGPT-4. It is tailor-made for mobile devices, integrating native advertising and allowing ads to blend seamlessly with the user experience.
- The AI model aims to offer personalization options with advanced targeting, meaning marketers and app owners can reach their audience more effectively by providing options for targeting based on various factors such as location, device type, and user interests.
This ensures that ads are shown to the most relevant audience, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion.
Additionally, Gemini’s integration with Google’s vast data network allows for more accurate and comprehensive user profiling, further refining targeting strategies.
- For app owners, Gemini offers robust analytics and performance-tracking tools. These tools can enable app marketers to monitor how their ads perform in real time, allowing for quick adjustments to optimize campaign effectiveness.
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X’s 2023 Ad Sales Projected to Slump to $2.5 Billion
We recently covered how major companies like Disney, Apple, and Microsoft have begun suspending their ads on X due to rising concerns and potential risks to brand reputation and data privacy.
According to Bloomberg, due to these rising concerns, Elon Musk’s social media platform is projected to experience a significant decline in ad sales for 2023, which is estimated to be around $2.5 billion.
- X’s advertising revenue for the past four quarters as a public company amounted to $4.7 billion, encompassing the latter half of 2021 and the first half of 2022. Since Musk’s takeover in October 2022, monthly U.S. ad revenue has witnessed a year-over-year decline of at least 55%.
It is worth noting that ad sales contribute to 70-75% of X’s total revenue. The report suggests the company will fall significantly short of its targeted $3 billion revenue from advertising and subscriptions in 2023.
Musk previously acknowledged Twitter’s negative cash flow, primarily due to a substantial drop of nearly 50% in advertising revenue and a significant debt burden.
Google Play Store Updates
Google Play’s 2023 Highlights & Features
This year brought some game-changing features for Play Store developers, app owners, and users.
Here are some key Play Store updates that made an impact on the mobile industry in 2023:
Store Listing Enhancements
- Custom store listings were introduced for up to 50 different user segments, with additional customization for inactive users and integration with Google Ads for targeted marketing.
- Store Listing Groups were launched to manage multiple custom listings efficiently.
Read our complete Google Play Console guide to learn more about these and optimize your app for success.
AI-Powered Features
- Machine translation models were introduced for 10 languages, enabling quick localization of app content alongside an AI helper for drafting store listing content.
Promotional Content
- New high-traffic surfaces were launched on Google Play to showcase promotional content, leading to significant increases in user acquisitions.
- Performance reports became available for tracking and optimizing promotional content.
Monetization
- Price experiments became available for in-app products, allowing developers to test different price points and optimize revenue generation.
- “Featured products” were introduced to sell in-app items directly on Google Play, with customizable offerings for different countries and discounts.
- Updates to subscription models, including multiple prices per billing period and discounts for premium users.
Privacy and Security
- A new Play Console section has been added, dedicated to deep links, providing guidance on fixing broken links and comparing app-to-web experiences.
- Google Play Protect’s advanced scanning was introduced to prevent policy-violating apps from entering Google Play.
- The Play Integrity API was updated for faster verdicts on app integrity and monitoring of API service status.
- Automatic integrity protection was introduced for one-click anti-tamper and anti-piracy measures.
- Data deletion options became available for users, offering more control over their personal data.
Developer Tools and Support
- A new Play Console app was introduced to be tailored to modern developer needs, with customized metrics and integrated messaging.
Overall, this year was all about significant improvements to enhance user experience, provide better developer support, and foster app growth within Google Play.
Curious to learn how to promote your app on Google Play? Check out our Android app marketing guide.
Want to Maximize Your App’s Success?
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App Store Updates
App Store 2023 Highlights & Features
Shifting our focus to Apple’s corner of the mobile world, the App Store has rolled out several updates that are particularly relevant for app owners and mobile marketers in 2023, mirroring the trend of enhanced user engagement and monetization opportunities.
Let’s delve into these key developments:
New Keyword Suggestions
The App Store added a new search suggestion feature, allowing users to explore dedicated sections of pre-populated search terms easily. These suggestions greatly assist app owners in increasing their discoverability on the store by appearing in search suggestions.
Pricing Changes
Apple expanded App Store pricing options from 800 to 900 points across 175 regions and 44 currencies, providing app owners and developers greater flexibility in catering to various user demographics.
Peer Group Benchmarks
Apple introduced Peer Group Benchmarks in its App Store Connect platform. This feature allows app developers and marketers to compare their app’s performance with similar apps within the same industry on the App Store.
Pre-Orders
During its annual WWDC, Apple announced two significant updates to App Store pre-orders: The first update allows developers to control where and how they release their apps with regional pre-orders.
The second included the option for app owners to set an expected release date for their product, which can be up to 365 days for already published apps and up to 180 days for new apps. Custom Product Pages (CPPs) and Product Page Optimizations (PPOs) also became available for pre-order apps.
Privacy Updates
From Apple’s Privacy Manifests to the new SDK signatures, there were plenty of App Store privacy updates announced at WWDC23. Read about these here.
Reported Algorithm Anomaly in the App Store
If you’ve noticed significant fluctuations in your app’s keyword rankings lately, rest assured that you’re not alone. An unexpected algorithm anomaly was detected on the App Store from December 5th to 8th, surpassing the usual threshold.
This anomaly can have a direct impact on keyword rankings and crucial metrics such as traffic, installs, and conversions for the month of December. It’s important to acknowledge that algorithmic changes in app stores are a regular part of the mobile landscape. While these changes may cause fluctuations in rankings and metrics, their ultimate goal is to improve the relevance and quality of search results for users.
Looking to build a winning app marketing strategy for 2024? Read our step-by-step guide.
MMPs & Developer Updates
Apple Launches iOS 17.3, iPadOS 17.3 & More
Apple has released the beta versions of iOS 17.3, iPadOS 17.3, macOS 14.3, tvOS 17.3, and watchOS 10.3. These updates incorporate the latest advancements in SDKs and are fully compatible with Xcode 15.2 beta. Developers can now effortlessly build and test their apps with the newest features.
Google Unveils Gemini Pro for Developers
Google’s release of Gemini has unlocked exciting possibilities for Android developers. With Gemini Nano, the smallest model, developers can harness its power on select devices.
Gemini Nano is built on an AICore, a system service that simplifies model management, runtimes, and safety features, streamlining the developer’s workflow.
But that’s not all – Google has also introduced Gemini Pro, a model that runs off-device in their data centers, taking this groundbreaking technology to new heights.
Gemini Pro, powered by the Gemini API, represents Google’s ultimate solution for various text and image reasoning tasks. By seamlessly integrating Gemini Pro through the Google AI SDK, an Android client SDK, developers can incorporate it into their apps without the hassle of building and managing their backend infrastructure. This not only reduces development costs but also enhances speed.
AppsFlyer Acquires oolo, an AI-driven User Acquisition and Monetization Decision-Making Platform
AppsFlyer has recently announced it has acquired oolo, a leading AI-powered user acquisition and monetization platform.
This strategic step enhances AppsFlyer’s suite of tools, aligning with its commitment to empowering brands with advanced decision-making capabilities. oolo’s AI technology will be integrated into AppsFlyer’s Privacy Cloud Marketplace, enhancing data collaboration while adhering to privacy standards.
This acquisition, following AppsFlyer’s recent addition of devtodev, signifies its dedication to leading the charge in privacy-centric, AI-driven marketing solutions, offering clients innovative tools to optimize their growth strategies.
Ready to take your mobile marketing strategy to the next level and stay ahead of industry trends? Look no further than Moburst!
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