Season 4, Episode 9: The current state of app marketing analytics (with Kate Minogue)
Oct 29, 2024
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In this engaging discussion, Kate Minogue, a seasoned fractional CMO and former Head of Marketing Science at Meta, shares her expertise on app marketing analytics. She emphasizes the importance of understanding marketing analytics as a foundation for app developers. Topics include optimizing user engagement through strategic 'optimization moments,' channel diversity for effective advertising, and the evolving role of fractional CMOs in helping startups achieve sustainable growth. Kate also reevaluates the significance of Lifetime Value in a shifting market landscape.
App developers must transition to a strategic approach in marketing analytics, addressing complexities from data privacy regulations and competition.
The role of fractional CMOs is rising among startups, offering strategic marketing expertise without the commitment of full-time hiring.
Sophisticated app advertisers utilize a comprehensive measurement approach to balance immediate returns with sustainable growth practices and brand resilience.
Deep dives
Shifts in Meta's Communications Strategy
The evolving communications strategy at Meta has become more relaxed, allowing for greater transparency and openness among its leadership and employees. Former employees like Kate Minogue observed this change, noting that the previous stringent controls have eased, permitting more candid discussions about the mobile marketing ecosystem. This shift is perceived as beneficial, especially compared to the past, when the company's conservative stance limited the sharing of potentially sensitive information. As Meta navigates a recovering market and increasing stock prices, it appears to be embracing a more exploratory and communicative approach.
Transformation in Marketing Analytics for App Developers
In recent years, app developers have experienced significant transformations in their marketing analytics processes due to shifts in data privacy regulations and the competitive advertising landscape. They transitioned from a more straightforward measurement strategy, relying on user-level data, to a scenario characterized by gaps and assumptions that complicate decision-making. This has pushed app developers to adopt a more strategic approach, carefully analyzing marketing effectiveness while navigating these evolving challenges. As a result, they must build new capabilities to improve their decision-making systems and embrace more traditional marketing methodologies.
The Changing Landscape of Marketing Analytics Teams
The composition of marketing analytics teams in app development has evolved, emphasizing the need for cross-platform measurement and critical analysis of outputs. App developers are encouraged to combine tools such as Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) with business intelligence functions to ensure comprehensive analysis of their marketing effectiveness. A dedicated role focused on integrating various data sources is essential for assessing overall marketing performance, especially as organizations face growing complexities from regulatory changes. This shift has underscored the necessity for skilled professionals who can bridge the gap between traditional marketing practices and current demands.
Emergence of the Fractional CMO Role
The fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role has gained traction, especially among early-stage startups looking for experienced guidance without the commitment of a full-time hire. This role allows startups to benefit from strategic expertise while preserving budgetary flexibility and scalability in their marketing efforts. Fractional CMOs bridge the gap between temporary advisory roles and permanent positions, offering tailored support based on the company's growth stage. This evolving model reflects a broader trend in which businesses recognize that not all marketing leadership needs to be full-time, emphasizing the value of expertise on an as-needed basis.
Best Practices for Measurement in App Marketing
Sophisticated app advertisers are now adopting comprehensive measurement approaches that combine attribution for in-channel optimization, Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) for overarching trends, and rigorous experimentation as core validation tools. This holistic outlook ensures that teams can differentiate between short-term efficiencies and long-term effectiveness in their marketing strategies. By leveraging insights from established app companies, marketers increasingly recognize the importance of balancing immediate returns with sustainable growth practices. As they navigate this complex landscape, focusing on long-term brand resilience while maximizing channel diversity and measurement accuracy has become essential.
My guest on this week's episode of the podcast is Kate Minogue, who previously served as Meta's Head of Marketing Science for EMEA and now serves as a fractional C-level executive for various companies. Kate published one of the first guest posts on Mobile Dev Memo in 2019: The LTV metric isn’t dead. Here’s why. The post was a rebuttal / response to my own contentiously titled post, It’s time to retire the LTV metric.
Among other topics, Kate and I discuss:
The core of a capable marketing analytics function for an app developer -- the "minimum viable marketing analytics" organization;
The key considerations that app developers should make in building "optimization moments" in their apps;
How app marketers should think about channel diversity;
How the most sophisticated app advertisers approach measurement;
How app advertisers should think about about organic contribution to ROAS;
What a "fractional CMO" is, and when a company might consider engaging a fractional CMO;
The differences between fractional executives and consultants;
How a fractional CMO's performance should be evaluated.
Thanks to the sponsors of this week’s episode of the Mobile Dev Memo podcast:
Moloco. Moloco is a trusted and transparent advertising platform powered by machine learning. Moloco can drive the best outcomes for mobile app advertising through Moloco Ads as experienced by marquee brands such as Bumble, Draftkings, and Playrix. For retailers and streaming enterprises, Moloco also provides a best-in-class advertising platform powered by machine learning to build and manage their own ad businesses. Learn more at www.moloco.com/podcast.
INCRMNTAL. True attribution measures incrementality, always on.
Interested in sponsoring the Mobile Dev Memo podcast? Contact Marketecture.
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