The document discusses the three stages of the mobile games marketing lifecycle: the Honeymoon Stage, the Growth Stage, and the Strategy Stage. It describes each stage as follows: 1) The Honeymoon Stage is when the game is new and gets the highest click-through rates from players seeing ads for the first time. Developers must decide whether to aim for maximum reach or leave room for future scaling. 2) The Growth Stage occurs after scaling to the maximum on top channels. It involves increasing channels, team size, roles, and automation to continue growth. 3) The Strategy Stage happens when direct response ads no longer profitably drive sufficient new users. Developers must look to brand attachment, out of home

1. The Three Stages of the
Mobile Games
Marketing Lifecycle
Eric Benjamin Seufert
PocketGamer Connects Helsinki
September 2017

2. Who I am
N3TWORK Mobile Dev
Memo
Freemium
Economics

3. Who I am

4. Presentation Structure

5. Presentation Structure
1) Mobile UA for games in 2017;

6. Presentation Structure
1) Mobile UA for games in 2017;
2) The Three Stages:

7. Presentation Structure
1) Mobile UA for games in 2017;
2) The Three Stages:
The Honeymoon Stage;

8. Presentation Structure
1) Mobile UA for games in 2017;
2) The Three Stages:
The Honeymoon Stage;
The Growth Stage;

9. Presentation Structure
1) Mobile UA for games in 2017;
2) The Three Stages:
The Honeymoon Stage;
The Growth Stage;
The Strategy Stage.

10. Mobile UA for Games in 2017

11. Source: comScore
Mobile UA for Games in 2017

12. Source: SensorTower / Unity
*Applies specifically to mobile gaming
Mobile UA for Games in 2017

13. • August 28th, 2017: three
streaming video apps and one
game in the Top 5 grossing (US,
iOS).
Mobile UA for Games in 2017

14. Source: eMarketer
Mobile UA for Games in 2017

15. Source: Nanigans; Ben Clark
Mobile UA for Games in 2017

16. Unit Monetization
Mobile UA for Games in 2017
MarginalUnitAcquisitionCost
Hyper-Casual
Build &
Battle Social
Casino
PVP Card
Collection
Pure Casual
Hybrid Casual
Story-driven
Sports /
Racing
Tournament-D
riven PVP

17. Components of a Growth Strategy
Mobile UA for Games in 2017
Direct Response
User Acquisition
Cross Promotion Brand Reach

18. Components of a Growth Strategy
Mobile UA for Games in 2017
Direct Response
User Acquisition
Cross Promotion Brand Reach

19. Components of a Growth Strategy
Mobile UA for Games in 2017
Direct Response
User Acquisition
Cross Promotion Brand Reach

20. Components of a Growth Strategy
Mobile UA for Games in 2017
Direct Response
User Acquisition
Cross Promotion Brand Reach

21. Components of a Growth Strategy
Mobile UA for Games in 2017
Direct Response
User Acquisition
Brand Reach

22. Components of a Growth Strategy
Mobile UA for Games in 2017
Direct Response
User Acquisition
Cross Promotion Brand Reach

23. Presentation Structure
1) Mobile UA for games in 2017;
2) The Three Stages:
The Honeymoon Stage;
The Growth Stage;
The Strategy Stage.

24. The Three Stages

25. The Three Stages

26. The Honeymoon Stage
Time
AppExposure
Honeymoon
Stage
• Game is new to everyone;

27. The Honeymoon Stage
Time
AppExposure
Honeymoon
Stage
• Game is new to everyone;
• Highest CTRs: “best fit” players
seeing ads for first time (and
clicking);

28. The Honeymoon Stage
Time
AppExposure
Honeymoon
Stage
• Game is new to everyone;
• Highest CTRs: “best fit” players
seeing ads for first time (and
clicking);
• If marketing budget constrained by
team size, team can focus exclusively
on “top tier” channels (=more
productivity per dollar spent).

29. The Honeymoon Stage
Time
AppExposure
Honeymoon
Stage
• Should I aim for here (max possible
reach before CPI pressure) in the
Honeymoon Stage?

30. The Honeymoon Stage
Time
AppExposure
Honeymoon
Stage
• Should I aim for here (max possible
reach before CPI pressure) in the
Honeymoon Stage?
• Or here (don’t maximize spend, leave
room to scale at cheaper unit price)?

31. Maximizing Scale in the
Honeymoon Stage
• Common dilemma for developers: reach max
scale in Honeymoon Stage (acquire the most
relevant users) as quickly as possible, or scale
more slowly while iterating on game (leave room
to acquire the best users for more evolved
release);

32. Maximizing Scale in the
Honeymoon Stage
Pros of scaling as quickly as
possible:
• No time for fast-followers to
clone;
• Market doesn’t have time to
get bored;
• High absolute spend = high
absolute virality at saturation.
Cons of scaling as quickly as
possible:
• Game could get better; burning
through potentially higher LTV
users with lower LTV product.

33. The Growth Stage
• Game has scaled to
max possible
profitable volume on
Tier 1 channels;
Time
AppExposure
Growth
Stage

34. The Growth Stage
• Game has scaled to
max possible
profitable volume on
Tier 1 channels;
• Increased number of
operational channels;
Time
AppExposure
Growth
Stage

35. The Growth Stage
• Game has scaled to
max possible
profitable volume on
Tier 1 channels;
• Increased number of
operational channels;
• Increase in UA team
size / roles;
Time
AppExposure
Growth
Stage

36. The Growth Stage
• Game has scaled to
max possible
profitable volume on
Tier 1 channels;
• Increased number of
operational channels;
• Increase in UA team
size / roles;
• UA automation.
Time
AppExposure
Growth
Stage

37. The Strategy Stage
• Direct response advertising no
longer drives new users,
profitably, at sufficient volume;
Time
AppExposure
Strategy
Stage

38. The Strategy Stage
• Direct response advertising no
longer drives new users,
profitably, at sufficient volume;
• Developer is forced to look
outside of direct response to
reach new customers: brand
attachment, out of home,
influencer, etc.
Time
AppExposure
Strategy
Stage

39. eric@mobiledevmemo.com
@eric_seufert
MobileDevMemo.com
Thank You!