Even apps with a very successful monetization strategy can find ways to improve their revenues. As an Account Manager at Smaato, I’m working closely with app publishers using the Smaato Publisher Platform (SPX) every day to help them improve ad revenues and optimize their existing revenue. I often dive deep into the data to find opportunities for the publishers that can help them reach their monetization goals. While there are some best practices that only apply to specific apps, I wanted to share some tips that every publisher using SPX can implement today.
Whether you’re new to SPX or have been using the platform for years, take a look and see if there’s anything that you can apply to your app monetization strategy. Most of these suggestions can be implemented almost immediately to help you make the most of your SPX account.
Name Your Ad Spaces for Advertiser Readability
On your SPX account, you’ve probably named your ad spaces in a way that makes the most sense for you. However, it’s important to implement naming conventions that are also useful to advertisers. Advertisers often search for new inventory based on operating system, ad format, ad size, and position. You want to ensure your ad space will be visible to demand partners looking for the specific parameters that match your ad space.
Here are some examples of what not to name your ad spaces, as they don’t provide relevant information to advertisers:
Bannerad1Bannerad2Appname_interstitial1
Instead, it’s best to name your ad spaces using this naming convention:
- App name – Operating system – Ad format
For example:
- Color by Number – Android – 320×50
Including relevant info in the ad space name can get your inventory in front of new demand that wants exactly what you have. It also creates a very clear setup and allows everyone looking into the account to know what’s behind the names immediately.
Make Sure You Use the Right App Store URL
Renaming all your ad spaces might be a little tedious, especially if you have a lot of ad spaces, so here’s an easier optimization tip. Within the app settings, located in the inventory section, make absolutely sure that you’re including the proper URL to your app in the App Store or Google Play.
Use Blocklists To Your Advantage
We believe in giving app publishers total control when it comes to advertising, which is why SPX offers robust options for blocking advertisers. These lists are typically used by publishers to block advertisers that might not fit with their brand or user base. However, an underutilized reason for implementing a blocklist is to prevent competing apps from advertising on your app.
Of course, blocking advertisers from a competing company could have a short-term impact on revenues. However, the long-term benefits of reducing user churn is more important. Check out the options in the Smaato Exchange section of SPX to prevent competitors from advertising within your app.
Enable Smaato Ad Network Demand in Line Items
Whenever you create a line item within SPX, you’ll see the “Smaato Ad Network Demand” box checked by default. To maximize revenues, keep this box checked. By enabling ad networks, you will receive additional demand from our non-programmatic demand partners. These networks will also bid on your inventory and potentially driving up your revenues. Feel free to contact your account manager or to hear more about the advantages and disadvantages of ad network demand and decide what’s the best setup for you.
Be Strategic With Floor Prices
Adjusting floor prices for your line items helps boost earnings. By creating different floor prices for different countries and ad formats, you can ensure that you don’t cut off demand from spending to advertise in your apps. Segmenting the audience in this way can be extremely effective. However, if you’re concerned that you’re setting too low of a floor price, know that eCPMs are typically higher than the floor prices set.
Also, take note of the default line item when you first add an app to SPX. This line item is targeting all of the ad spaces and the floor price for this line item is set to one cent by default, so you might want to adjust this based on your monetization strategy.
I hope you find these tips useful. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out and contact one of our in-app experts. You can also check out the Smaato Developer Documentation, which features more best practices for your SPX account.
