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KEY HIGHLIGHTS

📉 The Limitations of Conversion Tracking
🌐 Navigating MMPs Without IDFA
📲 Meta App Install Campaigns with SKAN
👦👧 Age-Appropriate Content and Creatives
🤝 Aligning Marketing and Growth in a Post-IDFA World
📈 Adapting to Google’s UAC Ecosystem
🚫 Regulatory Restrictions
🎯 Varied Target Audience
🔄 Rapidly Changing Trends

FULL TRANSCRIPT BELOW

The Limitations of Conversion Tracking

One of the main challenges in kids’ apps is that they can’t even utilize the App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework.

This means, for us, a staggering 0% of users opt-in for IDFA tracking. Unlike other verticals where at least opted-in users provide their IDFAs and there is some deterministic tracking available, we have ZERO IDFAs available to us. So what do we do? We rely on SKAdNetwork (SKAN) 100% of the time.

As days went by post-introduction of ATT, we learned to trust and optimize for SKAN, building our own methods to decipher its language.

When we were looking to scale our user acquisition efforts at Splashlearn, we had to ensure that our ad campaigns were optimized for this tracking method, and honestly, it was no small feat.

Here are a couple of learnings and insights that may be helpful for you as well:

Navigating MMPs Without IDFA

Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) have traditionally relied on IDFA for granular user tracking. With kids’ apps having no IDFA access, MMPs can’t provide the depth of data we’re accustomed to.

Hence the absence of IDFA made us re-evaluate our dependency on MMPs.

Meta App Install Campaigns with SKAN

Facebook’s strength in the past has been its precise user targeting. But without IDFA, how do you maintain the same efficacy in your app install campaigns?

Running FB app install campaigns for post-IDFA felt like steering a ship without a compass. We had to increasingly rely on broader audience sets without the sharp precision we once had. We learned that it may take longer for FB to re-learn and grow UA capabilities with newer SKAN versions.

Age-Appropriate Content and Creatives

Ensuring that our content is not only engaging but age-appropriate is another challenge. The creatives, especially in ads, must resonate with the children, yet also gain the trust of the parents.

This is critical because we have 2 sets of audiences: kids(who actually use the app) – and parents(who are decision-makers). Both have different needs – and we need to ensure both are met in our creatives.

I remember a campaign where we introduced animated fantasy characters. While the kids loved it, we received feedback from parents about wanting more emphasis on learning outcomes. So we learned to mix magic with meaning.

Aligning Marketing and Growth in a Post-IDFA World

Growth and marketing teams often work hand-in-hand. But when the very fabric of user data changes, ensuring both teams are aligned becomes crucial yet challenging.

I recall a phase at Splashlearn when our growth strategies, built on user data, had to be realigned with our marketing efforts post-IDFA. SKAN metrics became the common language, but it required training, discussions, and recalibration to ensure both teams were synchronized.

Adapting to Google’s UAC Ecosystem

Google’s Universal App Campaigns (UAC) take away a degree of control from the marketer, optimizing ad placements across its vast ecosystem based on machine learning. For kids’ apps, this presented unique challenges.

We once observed that a particular creative was primarily being shown on YouTube Kids. While this seemed perfect, it also limited our reach to parents on platforms like Google Search or Display. Balancing child and parent targeting on UAC needed a different strategy.

Stricter Regulatory Restrictions

Marketing to children comes with stricter regulations. COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) guidelines are stringent. Any slip could lead to significant repercussions, both financially and reputationally. The guidelines are in place to protect, but they also demand a meticulous approach from marketers.

Here you are restricted and you have to follow a broader approach while planning any campaign.

Varied Target Audience

Interestingly, when marketing kids’ apps, our audience isn’t just the kids, It’s the parents. So, our campaigns must appeal to two very different sets of people simultaneously. Kids seek fun. Parents seek value. In the game of user acquisition, satisfying both is akin to hitting a bullseye in archery, while the target keeps moving.

Data Point: When we analyzed our user acquisition data, we found that while 70% of the children chose our app based on its fun factor, almost 80% of parents looked at its educational value. It’s a delicate balance to strike.

Rapidly Changing Trends

Children’s trends change rapidly. What’s popular today may not be in a month. This necessitates being agile in our marketing strategies, ready to pivot at a moment’s notice. In the world of kids, a month can be an era. Dinosaurs today, robots tomorrow, and unicorns the day after. Keeping pace with these shifting sands demands agility.

Last year, we introduced a particular themed game, capitalizing on a popular trend. Yet, just a few months later, we found that a new theme was the new rage. The agility with which our team adapted was commendable, but it serves as a reminder of the volatility of this market.

Conclusion:

Acquiring users for kids’ apps is an intricate dance. Navigating the vast seas of kids’ app marketing is filled with challenges, but also opportunities to innovate, learn, and grow. For marketers like me, this is both an obstacle and an adventure. In this arena, adaptability, ethical considerations, and a clear understanding of your dual audience become your best allies.

Thank you for having me on the Mobile User Acquisition Show. I hope my insights today provide a fresh perspective on kids’ app campaigns – and what you can learn for your own verticals and products. Keep those creative juices flowing and be ready to adapt. Until next time, happy marketing.

A REQUEST BEFORE YOU GO

I have a very important favor to ask, which as those of you who know me know I don’t do often. If you get any pleasure or inspiration from this episode, could you PLEASE leave a review on your favorite podcasting platform – be it iTunes, Overcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcast fix. This podcast is very much a labor of love – and each episode takes many many hours to put together. When you write a review, it will not only be a great deal of encouragement to us, but it will also support getting the word out about the Mobile User Acquisition Show.

Constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement are welcome, whether on podcasting platforms – or by email to shamanth@rocketshiphq.com. We read all reviews & I want to make this podcast better.

Thank you – and I look forward to seeing you with the next episode!