Business of Apps Podcast

Today, we’re excited to feature a panel discussion we hosted at our App Promotion Summit Berlin last December. It focused on a crucial topic for all app marketers: User Acquisition in 2025. The panel covered a wide range of topics, including optimizing ad channels, the shift from attribution to incrementality, exploring new growth channels, and more. It was hosted by George Natsvlishvili, Co-Founder at We Up and the panelists were: Şebnem Alpaylı O'Rourke, Senior User Acquisition Manager at Stillfront Group Mark Mukhin, Team Lead App Marketing at AutoScout24 Gaurav Bhattacharya, Performance Marketing Lead at Zenjob Alper Taner, Head of Performance at BGNet Mobile

Today, we begin with another trivia question for you - can you think of the best case for A/B testing? Are you thinking about a particular app, service, or product? No - it’s bigger than that, I’m talking about the evolution of life on this planet. No, there is no a girl or a guy, sitting with a MacBook Pro and running A/B tests for all flora and fauna on this planet :-) My point is that testing is very fundamental and, if it will make you feel a bit more important, you’re doing it along with the Mother Nature. To talk about A/B testing for driving app growth we invited Tina. Today’s Topics Include: Tina Kim's bio About Huckleberry Labs Using A/B tests to make confident decisions Generating actionable insights with limited resources and tight timelines Incorporating learnings from failed A/B tests Android or iOS? Leaving her  smartphone at home, what features would Tina miss most? What features she would like to see added to her smartphone? Links and Resources: Tina Kim on LinkedIn Huckleberry Labs website Business Of Apps - connecting the app industry Quotes from Tina Kim " So A-B testing is really useful for when there is a shadow of doubt. Put it so whatever you A/B test, it's not some idea that you've picked from the air. It's always based off of some well-informed hypothesis, whether it be analyzing your behavioral data of your users or you've done some user research market research as well. There is always some well-informed hypothesis that drives you to build something." "The other thing is where A-B testing can really help you move forward faster is during the development process, the design process, there may be countless arguments about the perfect copy. Some people are very particular about copy, but and we may spend like endless cycles just trying to perfect the copy, but that's not the point of the change. Let's just test it. And A-B testing is iterative. And so you find something that you feel good with, it doesn't have to be perfect, and you test it and move forward. And if you feel like there's opportunity to squeeze more juice, test it again, right? And so I've been able to move forward faster." Host Business Of Apps - connecting the app industry since 2012

In the future, history textbooks will be telling the story of how, at the beginning of the second decade of the 21st century, we all collectively jumped into the world of mobile apps.  Now, you may be super excited about the growth of the mobile ecosystem or shake your head about its externalities, unintended consequences, but it’s undeniable - mobile apps take a huge spot in our lives.  Today, a big chunk of the mobile app economy space belongs to app subscriptions - Netflix, Apple TV, Tinder, Duolingo, the list goes on and on. If you build apps yourself and monetize them with the subscription model, you will be really interested to learn about Phil’s Subscription Value Loop strategy. Today’s Topics Include: Phil Carter's bio Key challenges developers of subscription-based apps face today Identifying and refining the core value proposition  Strategies to convert free users into subscribers, while maintaining a great user experience and ensuring long-term profitability  Android or iOS? Leaving his smartphone at home, what features would Phil miss most? What features he would like to see added to his smartphone? Links and Resources: Phil Carter on LinkedIn Phil Carter's website Maven course Phil's Sub stack Business Of Apps - connecting the app industry Quotes from Phil Carter: "The core of the subscription value loop framework that I teach about in my course is a company's core value promise. In other words, what is the value that you're providing to a user, and ideally to a paying subscriber, that is going to not just bring them to the product in the first place, but cause them to continue paying you a subscription over a long period of time?" "And value delivery is typically led by marketing teams, sometimes with the support of growth product teams or sales teams if you have a B2B business. And value delivery is all about making sure that you have sustainable unit economics, right? You're going to have some amount of LTV that you get from users. But in order to have a sustainable business, you need a strong LTV over CAC ratio and a rapid payback period. And that depends critically on your cost of user acquisition." Host Business Of Apps - connecting the app industry since 2012

In a captivating panel, Lindsey Witmer Collins, CEO of WLCM, Jillian Arnold, co-founder of Snapback Returns, Xenia Kupriyanova from Houzz, and Nancy Roberts of Craftsman+ discuss AI breakthroughs in mobile app marketing. They explore how AI revolutionizes user engagement and retention strategies. Arnold highlights her app's innovation in simplifying returns, while the group shares insights on using AI for efficient market research and creative learning. They stress the importance of adapting to evolving AI tools and mitigating societal biases.

Nicoline Strøm-Jensen, Head of Program Management at Adjust, brings a wealth of knowledge from her background at Microsoft and AOL. In this discussion, she unpacks the hurdles app marketers face in a privacy-first world, emphasizing the challenges posed by regulations like GDPR and Apple's ATT. Nicoline shares effective strategies for measuring ad campaigns while remaining compliant. She also reflects on her smartphone journey, detailing the features she values and those she'd love to see improved. Tune in for insights on creativity's role in enhancing user experience amidst tech transformations!

Shalom Michaeli, Managing Director of Alternative App Stores at Digital Turbine, leads the conversation on the transformative era of app distribution. He discusses the groundbreaking changes spurred by EU regulations allowing third-party app stores on iOS. Trust-building strategies for alternative platforms are highlighted, emphasizing the need for partnerships and user engagement. Shalom also shares insights on the competitive dynamics between Android and iOS, along with the future impact of AI on mobile technology. This session is a must-listen for tech enthusiasts!

Angèle Lenglemetz, Senior Product Manager at Cleo AI, focuses on enhancing financial lives through cutting-edge technology. In this discussion, she dives into the world of cognitive biases and how they can drive app user engagement. Angèle sheds light on balancing these biases with ethical practices and their role in app development strategies. She also shares insights on what features she would miss without her smartphone, and her desire for more advancements in mobile technology. Prepare for a blend of psychology and innovation!

Join industry experts Sandy Shen, Drew Hambke, Lomit Patel, and Lenette Yap as they dive into innovative user acquisition strategies. Sandy discusses mobile marketing nuances between gaming and professional sectors. Drew highlights shifts in consumer behavior for gaming apps post-pandemic. Lomit shares organic acquisition methods for kids, while Lenette explores AI's impact on fintech marketing. The panel emphasizes the need for tailored strategies and the significance of localizing content for global audiences to drive engagement.

In this episode, we delve into the evolving landscape of digital advertising, where privacy and precision intersect. Our guest, Gaylord Zach, Head of Mobile Product at Verve, brings his expertise to the forefront, exploring how the advertising industry can adapt to a privacy-first world without sacrificing effectiveness. With regulations like GDPR and Apple’s ATT reshaping the ad tech ecosystem, Gaylord unpacks the challenges advertisers face today, from diminished data signals to the rising importance of trust and transparency. Throughout the discussion, we learn how Verve is pioneering solutions like ATOM, their anonymized targeting technology, which identifies user cohorts while safeguarding individual privacy. Gaylord also shares insights into leveraging AI at the edge and integrating Google’s Privacy Sandbox to redefine audience targeting. Tune in to discover how advertisers and publishers can thrive in this new era of privacy-conscious innovation while maintaining meaningful connections with their audiences. Today’s Topics Include: Why targeting is crucial for advertisers and publishers Verve's approach to user privacy in ad targeting Privacy-first targeting approach Addressing relevant audiences without identifying individual users Practical example of such implementation Handling big diversity in targeting How Verve uses AI for its ATOM solution data processing Example of such usage What 3rd party ad targeting tech Verve team has tested and implemented so far Links and Resources: Gaylord Zach on LinkedIn Verve website ATOM solution Business Of Apps - connecting the app industry Quotes from Gaylord Zach: "For publishers aiming to monetize effectively, it’s crucial to represent their inventory accurately so advertisers can confidently invest in ad placements. Advertisers need to target the right audience, personalize messages, and present them with the best possible creatives. This helps create a good match between the ad campaign and the user. Finally, advertisers must measure campaign success and attribute performance to the relevant placements." "Our technology, known as ATOM—short for "Anonymized Targeting on Mobile"—enables us to identify relevant user cohorts and create audience segments directly on the user's device. This approach allows us to deliver personalized ads without relying on third-party data, thus preserving user privacy. " Host Business Of Apps - connecting the app industry since 2012

Jacob Rushfinn, founder and author at Retention.Blog, dives into the complexities of international app pricing. He shares common pitfalls developers encounter when setting prices, emphasizing the need for a global pricing index tailored to local markets. Jacob discusses effective pricing strategies, the differences between Android and iOS, and how understanding consumer behavior is crucial for subscription success. He also reflects on his smartphone habits and essential features he'd miss, adding a light-hearted touch to the serious topic of app monetization.