2024 has been a year of extraordinary growth for global market expansion, fueled by the maturation of the short drama industry and breakthroughs in AI technology. These developments have catalyzed the rise of enhanced applications, driving unprecedented industry integration and collaboration. In this increasingly competitive landscape, opportunities for global growth are more promising than ever.

To support companies aiming to expand into international markets, we have produced the comprehensive report, “Insights into Global Mobile App Marketing Trends for H1 2024.” This white paper offers an in-depth analysis of key trends and data from the first half of the year, providing valuable insights to help companies navigate the rapidly evolving global market.

The report covers a broad spectrum of app categories, including short videos, AI-generated content (AIGC), social media, shopping, and tools. It also provides a detailed analysis of key regions such as the United States, Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and the Middle East. The aim is to equip companies with the insights they need to effectively navigate the global non-gaming mobile app market and craft more effective marketing strategies.

AI+: Technology as the cornerstone, viral success fueled by social media

The rise of AIGC (AI-generated content) relies heavily on technological advancements. Often, as one product achieves a breakthrough, another emerges, potentially surpassing its predecessor. This year, AI+ filters have been particularly noteworthy. For example, in May, Remini’s ‘clay filters’ gained immense popularity on social media platforms like XiaoHongShu, igniting fierce competition among domestic AI image applications.

Globally, the growth in AIGC applications has been more measured. Fluctuations in AI application usage across various regions have generally remained within a 10% range. Europe led with the highest increase at 2.05%, while Oceania experienced the most significant decline at -8.82%. Regarding the average number of creative assets used by advertisers, the United States saw the highest increase at 66.81%.

Advertising insights into AI apps in top countries/regions in H1 2024

Source: SocialPeta

Several promising avenues exist for breakthroughs in AI+ applications. Although AI+ Education is a popular sector, it still accounts for less than 20% of the market. The greatest opportunities lie in AI+ ChatBots and AI+ Imaging, which comprise approximately 49% and 31% of the market, respectively.

The report includes an analysis of several AI+ applications, with a detailed case study of Talkie AI by MiniMax. Thanks to its integration of a proprietary large AI model, Talkie AI significantly outperforms competitors still using ChatGPT-3.5 Token in both text generation speed and the quality of Chinese content. Commercially, Talkie AI does not limit the number of chats or image generation attempts; instead, it adopts a Gacha monetization model, commonly seen in anime-style mobile games.

A new AI app valued over $2.5 billion

Source: SocialPeta

From an advertising perspective, Talkie AI focuses on the Android platform and video content, particularly real-person gameplay demonstrations that highlight romantic interactions with AI. Notably, many of the popular AI characters are inspired by current trending anime and IPs, making them especially appealing to users within the anime subculture.

Analysis of popular ad creatives

Source: SocialPeta

United States: Health apps surge, travel apps on the rise

The report also highlights key insights from various regions, with a particular focus on the United States. Approximately 91% of US advertisers launched new creative assets in the first half of 2024, marking a 4% increase from the previous year. Additionally, about 88% of all non-gaming mobile app creatives during this period were new, indicating a high frequency of creative updates.

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Among the top five products by ad spend, MoboReels ranked the highest, and the health app BetterMe broke into the top five. Interestingly, while social apps fell out of the top ten, travel apps took a leading position in terms of the proportion of new advertisers by category.

Future opportunities in the US market

Source: SocialPeta

For a more detailed analysis of these trends and insights into other regions, download the full report.