3 tips for app campaigns on Google Ads

App campaigns on Google Ads are a tool that bring discovery and actions. Getting the most out of them requires knowing the basics of this type of campaign and having a solid strategy. Here are 3 tips to optimise your app campaigns and achieve your marketing goals.

1. Initial budget

Google recommends starting with an initial budget of approximately 50 times the expected Cost Per Download (CPD). Why? Google considers it a high enough budget to allow Google Ads artificial intelligence to collect enough data to optimise the campaign. If your expected CPD is £2, you should consider an initial budget of at least £100.

2. Advertising channels

Google Ads app campaigns are shown on a wide variety of channels: Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, Discover, and the Google Display Network. Each of these channels has its own type of audience and behaviour. Leveraging all of these touchpoints can maximise reach. For example, YouTube ads can capture attention visually, while ads on the Display Network can reinforce your app's presence in different contexts. This increases download opportunities.

3. Attribution tracking

To properly evaluate the performance of your campaign, it is important to have an attribution tracking system in place. Google Ads offers several solutions for this, including Google Analytics for Firebase, attribution partners for apps and code-free tracking with Google Play.

Extra tip: Having a large user base already in place will give the campaign enough data for faster optimisation, and having values assigned to specific actions within the app will allow you to measure and improve campaign performance based on those actions.