MAU 2018: What happened in Vegas?

Our team returned from an incredible three days that is Mobile Apps Unlocked, more commonly known as  MAU, the most relevant mobile marketing conference of the year. Brought to life by Grow.co, the show drew the industry together again to connect, live, and breathe mobile marketing in the Las Vegas heat.

Since not everyone was able to join, we wanted to share our thoughts on the conference and our observations of what the leading mobile marketers are doing to stay ahead. While we know what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas; we couldn’t help but bring back some of the photos to give you a peek at the fun we had last week.

 

The trends we observed:

Rethinking metrics

Measuring cost-effectiveness and engagement continues to be the priority for most US marketers in determining a successful campaign. CPA (Cost Per Action), CPR (Cost Per Revenue), and CPE (Cost Per Engagement) therefore serve as the key metrics for mobile campaigns. We observed that marketers are moving away from traditional CPI (Cost Per Install) model and optimizing down-funnel to hit their own KPIs.

Using AI and machine learning to optimize campaigns

We are euphoric about what the future holds for AI and machine learning, as were most marketers at MAU. Still in its beginning stages, these technologies will be increasingly used to optimize mobile campaigns in areas like creatives, content, segmentation, personalization, and pricing.

Combatting ad fraud

Almost all networks are now showcasing new fraud protection solutions that provide insights and give a “competitive edge”. They are also subscribing to the major MMP’s fraud protection tools. The industry has come a long way from asking “should we” to “how much” in terms of event tracking and detailed analysis to help combat fraud.

Excited about playable ads

What was measured in Ad Colony’s legendary survey, found reflection in most people’s mindset at MAU: marketers are most excited about playable ads. The ad format solves a range of problems simultaneously: they provide an immersive experience, fraud-free, give people the chance to opt-in, and can acquire high-quality users – taking a breath -, at a good price.

Using Google’s Universal App Campaigns

Google rolled out playable ads in the Google Play store for Android developers earlier this year. Interactive “light” versions of the games have been a popular ad format and becoming increasingly popular outside of mobile gaming as well. Playable ads in UAC benefit both app developers and app marketers to reach a wider audience and introduce gameplay to the user and entice them to download. We have seen great results with playable ads so it was exciting for us to hear others talking about playables in UAC as well!

 

Thinking about going to MAU 2019? Here are some reasons why you will definitely see our team there next year!

Relevant

This event is the place to be for user acquisition. All members attending are educated in the space and there for the same reason: looking for unique and efficient ways to grow their apps user base. This is true especially for US-based advertisers.

Intimate

The face-to-face time with both advertisers and publishers is second to none in our industry. MAU made this possible in a simple way. The size of the show is more private and personal  (in comparison to MWC or DMEXCO), and almost everyone attending stay in the same hotel for the show. Thus, you really get to see a lot of the same faces often and connect easily with more people than you have set meetings with in the show.

Fun!

In terms of networking potential and all of the events – penthouse parties (Glispa’s being the best of course), happy hours, pool cabana hang-outs, and club parties – this is one of the best events in the industry to mingle and not just meet clients, but have a great time while doing so.

 

 

 

And finally, thank you!

Thank you to all of our partners and friends we were able to connect with over the week. We had SO much fun (as seen on our instastories) and couldn’t have asked for more. The inspiring and fun conversations have made us even more excited for what is to come. Whether you joined us at our penthouse party, swung by our booth to play a game of war to get some poker chips (yes, WAR – kept it real old school here), or received  a pick-me-up thanks to our hangover kit, we hope you had as great of a time meeting us as we did meeting you. Stay in touch, and we’ll see you in the desert next year! Viva Las Vegas!