How do you scale your mobile game beyond 1 million players? Anyone can start a game or an app and get a certain amount of growth. But scaling is hard: you need to find more players, sure, but you also need to expand beyond your initial niche. And you probably have to start paying attention to what your competitors are doing. In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier talks with Sven Jurgens, an independent mobile games consultant, about the challenges and strategies for scaling mobile games beyond 1 million players. Sven shares his journey into growth marketing, the importance of focusing on successful creatives, managing ad partners, handling cash flow, and optimizing monetization. He also discusses the significance of automation, getting smarter with data, and the impact of AI in user-generated content. The conversation concludes with actionable insights on competitor analysis and core marketing strategies. Tune in for practical advice and expert tips to take your game's growth to the next level. 00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds 01:37 Journey into Growth Marketing 03:55 Challenges of Scaling: Creative Strategies 09:20 Ad Partners and Scaling 11:39 Financial Challenges in Scaling 13:52 Monetization and Data Utilization 15:39 Tools and Automation in Scaling 18:23 Automate the Boring Stuff 19:04 Building Small Tools for Efficiency 20:37 Competitor Analysis Strategies 25:04 Getting Smarter About Data 28:53 Winning Strategies and Trends 32:55 Reviving Old School Marketing 35:35 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

What is going on in the rewarded ad space? Why is it exploding? Well, in an odd way, it's AppLovin's fault. In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier chats with adtech OG Paul Bowen, Chief Revenue Officer at Stream Elements. They discuss the current state and future of the ad tech industry, focusing on the resurgence of rewarded and incentivized ad spaces, the implications of industry consolidation, and the impacts of AI and data analytics on user acquisition. Paul shares deep insights from his extensive career at companies like Unity, TapJoy, and Liftoff, providing a comprehensive overview of the key trends shaping ad tech today and looking ahead to 2025. Whether you're a growth marketer or ad tech enthusiast, this episode is packed with valuable information and forward-thinking perspectives. Link to Paul's list of companies in the rewarded space: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LaVUk8cNHsHNJndKuKyf6Ncpjc05Tc-TR9MmY5q9mkI/edit?gid=0#gid=0 00:00 Introduction to Adtech and Rewarded Ads 01:18 Building a Database of Incentivized Ad Platforms 02:54 The Evolution of Rewarded Ads 07:12 StreamElements: Tools for Twitch Streamers 09:35 The Resurgence of Rewarded Ads 16:14 Challenges and Opportunities in the Gift Card Reward Space 22:02 Expanding User Acquisition Beyond Gaming 22:35 AppLovin's Success in Mobile Ad Tech 27:32 The Role of AI in Mobile Advertising 35:21 Challenges and Innovations in Measurement 38:28 Concluding Thoughts on Ad Tech

Is it possible that you’re wasting marketing dollars by only user acquisition where you always have been in the past? Or limiting your potential growth? In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier chats with Tom Shadbolt, Moloco's Senior Marketing Insights Manager, about the untapped opportunities in global markets beyond the big 5 countries which account for 60% of gaming UA spend. They delve into findings from Moloco's analysis of 4,000 apps and $3 billion in in-app purchase revenue, exploring emerging markets like Brazil, India, and South Africa, and the importance of a diversified marketing strategy. The conversation highlights the necessity of long-term planning, localization, and the utilization of machine learning to identify high-value users across various regions and genres. Tune in to learn how to optimize your marketing spend and discover new growth potential across the globe. 00:00 Global Growth Opportunities 00:54 Key Insights from the Report 02:56 Top Markets for Gaming UA Spend 05:44 Challenges and Strategies for Global Expansion 10:04 Diverging Strategies for iOS and Android 11:35 Finding the Right Market for Your Game 13:23 Localization and Market Segmentation 14:34 Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) Insights 16:42 Experimentation and Long-Term Strategies 20:09 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

How do you scale influencer marketing? In this episode of Growth Masterminds, we chat with influencer marketing expert Yuliya Gorenko from Mishka Agencies. She's scaled influencer marketing programs to 8 figures, has over a decade of experience and has worked with over a thousand creators. She's also a former PR and marketing specialist with L'Oreal. Yulia shares her journey from L'Oreal to building influencer programs for various mobile apps. Listen to learn how to scale influencer marketing to eight figures, hear about the evolution of the space, and and get Yuliya's top tips for verticals including beauty, health, fitness, retail, tech, gaming, and more. This is a must-listen for performance marketers looking to leverage influencer marketing as a strong growth engine. 00:00 Introduction to Influencer Marketing 01:36 The Early Days of Influencer Marketing 05:16 Evolution and Current Trends 09:13 Scaling Influencer Marketing Programs 15:49 Measuring Success in Influencer Marketing 20:03 Final Thoughts on Scaling and Measurement 20:51 The Realities of Influencer Marketing 22:26 Rapid Fire Tips for Key Verticals 22:32 Beauty Industry Insights 24:10 Fitness and Health Strategies 26:55 Tech and Gadgets Recommendations 27:46 Travel and Hospitality Tips 29:53 Gaming Community Building 30:55 Parenting and Family Influencer Ethics 33:04 FinTech and Financial Services Caution 34:22 Entertainment and Media Storytelling 35:44 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

If you're going to scale user acquisition, it's pretty hard if not impossible to do it without rock-solid forecasting. In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier chats with Nathan Ceulemans, an exec at Kohort, about forecasting and predictive analytics. Nathan shares insights from his experience at Leanplum, SensorTower, and Kohort. We discuss how accurate forecasting can enhance scaling efforts for games and apps and talk about the importance of predicting retention and monetization and the challenges of integrating monetization natively. Real-world examples highlight how forecasting can lead to smarter spending and greater growth, like the success of Candy Crush. Tune in to understand the critical balance between retention and monetization, effective UA strategies, and the potential benefits of advanced forecasting methods. 00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds 01:03 The Importance of Forecasting in Scaling Games 01:32 Understanding User Acquisition and Financials 02:24 Forecasting Retention and Monetization 04:15 Challenges in User Acquisition and Scaling 07:31 The Role of Product Teams in Forecasting 13:17 Accuracy in Forecasting with Neural Networks 17:51 The Impact of Accurate Forecasting on Growth 22:35 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Imagine going viral on TikTok and getting millions of views. Then imagine you have a product attached to those views and you sell out in 3 days. In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier chats with Vivian Chang, the VP of e-commerce at GNC, about retail subscriptions. We chat about GNC's experimental success on TikTok Shop where a women's Stress Vita Pack went viral and sold out in three days, and Vivian breaks down strategies to succeed in subscription retail, touching upon the significance of pricing promotions, the importance of innovative convenience, and effective marketing techniques such as surround sound marketing. We also dive into the dynamics of on-platform commerce at platforms like TikTok and Facebook ... should you do this, or should you always try to bring customers straight on to your owned platforms? Finally, we talk about the balance between online and physical retail channels for consumer brands. Whether you're interested in the nuances of e-commerce or looking for creative ways to enhance customer loyalty, this episode offers invaluable insights. 00:00 Introduction to GNC's Success on TikTok 01:32 Black Friday and Consumer Sentiment 02:22 Understanding Subscription Retail 08:48 Key Growth Levers in Subscription Retail 10:53 The Role of Key Channels in Subscription Retail 15:14 On-Platform Commerce: TikTok and Beyond 23:17 Balancing E-Commerce and Physical Stores 27:23 Final Thoughts and Hidden Keys to Success

CTV's growing fast. But where does it fit in your marketing mix? In this Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier chats with Peter Hamilton, Head of Ad Innovation at Roku. That talk about the role of Connected TV (CTV) in marketing, its evolution, and the ad experiences on Roku. They also explore the integration of Shopify, ad measurability, and targeting strategies. They also chat about new engagement modes on Roku that have vastly boosted conversions over QR codes. Watch or list to understand how CTV can serve different market verticals, from casual and hardcore gaming to D2C and FinTech. Don’t miss insights on how performance marketers can thrive using CTV. 00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds 01:26 The Evolution of CTV Advertising 04:19 Peter's Journey in Tech and Marketing 12:18 Roku's Ad Innovations 23:41 Measurability in Advertising 24:39 Performance Marketing Insights 25:16 The Role of QR Codes and Click-Through Paths 27:50 The Importance of Remote Controls in TV Ads 32:14 Shoppable Ads and Shopify Integration 37:32 Strategies for Different Verticals 43:42 Future of CTV Ads

Almost all growth marketers want diversification. Diversification was almost unanimously chosen as a key focus by over 100 UA pros when I recently asked them during a webinar. So how do you do it? In this episode of Growth Masterminds, we chat with Angelina Marmorato, VP at Lemma, about omnichannel via emerging (and old!) media. Omnichannel is kind of an old world in digital marketing, but maybe it's time to revive it. We talk about digital out of home (DOOH), connected TV (CTV), and audio, including both podcasts and radio, which is increasingly available via programmatic purchasing. We also chat about the challenges and potentials of each platform, highlighting their relevance for performance marketers, plus key strategies for targeting, audiences, and measurement. 00:00 Meet Angelina Marto: VP at Lemma 01:23 Understanding Omnichannel Platforms 01:50 Exploring Emerging Media 02:51 The Evolution of Out-of-Home Advertising 03:55 The Rise of Digital Radio and Podcasts 05:20 The Nostalgia of Traditional Radio 07:08 Hyper-Local Targeting in Advertising 08:24 The Explosion of CTV 10:52 Challenges and Opportunities in CTV 15:41 Gotchas and Measurement in New Media 21:40 Final Thoughts and Insights

What can AI do for your creative? How about 6X'ing your output? Or automating winners and losers? Or saving you the awful, horrible non-creative grunt work of making hundreds of variations for testing? In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier interviews Hagop Hagopian, the founder and CEO of Appvertiser. They chat about AI's role in creative quality and quantity, the use of specific AI tools, balancing AI-generated content with human creativity, and the best strategies for growth marketers to adopt AI tools. They also talk about the future of AI in growth marketing and the potential of building custom AI models for superior performance. 00:00 Introduction to AI in Creative Work 00:22 The Role of AI in Modern Marketing 00:42 Guest Introduction and Initial Thoughts on AI 06:04 AI's Impact on Creative Quality 11:28 AI Tools for Creative Quantity 19:29 Automating Creative Testing with AI 25:20 Future of AI in Growth Marketing 28:39 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

What ad formats will skyrocket your app? What publishers will grow downloads faster? In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier chats with Tomas Yacachury from Kaizen about its latest Programmatic Inventory. They discuss 6 different nations: 1. The US 2. UK 3. Germany 4. India 5. Brazil 6. Japan In Japan, manga is king, so native ads work great. In Brazil, Spotify is huge, so video ads work well. In India, TrueCaller is huge and banners are essential. Each nation has its own cultural heritage and hit publishers, meaning that each nation needs a slightly different mix of ad strategies and partners. John & Tomas talk pricing, formats, publishers, and much more ... 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:30 Overview of the Programmatic Inventory Index 05:09 Deep Dive into Ad Formats and Categories 14:17 Country-Specific Insights 14:25 Ad Pricing Segmentation and Strategy 26:57 Conclusion and Final Thoughts