Global celebrations like Halloween offer prime opportunities for mobile app marketers and ad creatives to boost engagement and app downloads by tapping into the season’s excitement. Halloween, in particular, is a perfect example of a global event that app marketers cannot afford to overlook, proven by the gradual increase of Halloween spending in the UK, reaching £1 billion in 2023.

Adjust’s data highlights this growth in 2023. As people rushed to buy spooky décor and the latest costumes, Adjust recorded a steady rise in shopping app installs, with a monster surge around the 15th of October, when installs climbed 87% above the yearly average.

Earlier in the month, Adjust observed install spikes around Amazon Prime Day, with increases of 64% on October 9th and 70% on October 12th. This suggests that consumers had shopping on their minds not just for Prime Day deals but also for Halloween tricks or treats.

Adjust’s data shows that consumers’ excitement around Halloween doesn’t end at shopping. Gaming apps also enjoyed significant growth throughout October. Globally, board game apps installs increased early, jumping by a huge 122% on 3rd October. This was even more impressive in the US, where board games installs soared by 335% above yearly average on the same date.

Arcade games also saw an increase of 45% on 14th October. Not only was there an increase in installs of arcade games, but also in sessions, which jumped to a 22% on 22nd October. This growth in both installs and sessions highlights how global celebrations, such as Halloween, are crucial for acquiring new users and retaining existing ones.

The wonderful time of the year for watching all-time classic horror films and the latest thriller series, streaming apps saw a steady rise in sessions leading up to Halloween. The weekend just before Halloween 2023 saw the largest spike – up 12% on Saturday, 28th October, and a 13% on Sunday, 29th October.

True crime and horror podcasts are also favourites because they  embrace the eerie, timely atmosphere and often increase in popularity during this time. This led to an increase in podcast app sessions throughout the month, peaking at 21% on the 10th of October.

It is clear that global seasonal events such as Halloween offer mobile apps the perfect opportunity to boost visibility and maximise revenue. This can be done at each stage of an app’s marketing campaign, such as the visuals of the app itself. On the app store, ad creatives can create a Halloween-themed icon and update app-store previews, screenshots and descriptions to reflect the spooky seasonal vibe. Within the app itself, Halloween-themed backgrounds, eerie sound effects and animations can be used to set the mood.

Beyond visuals, app marketers can increase engagement with in-app Halloween thrills. Features like Halloween-themed mini-games, exclusive rewards, special collectables and limited-time deals can foster a sense of urgency and excitement, encouraging users to engage more frequently.

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Augmented Reality (AR) is another powerful tool for Halloween marketing. By integrating AR features, creatives can create interactive experiences, such as virtual costume try-ons or spooky home decorations. This not only entertains users but also increases their time on the app, leading to higher retention rates and potential in-app purchases.

Themed targeted ads and personalised push notifications can also be incremental to enhancing general engagement across an app, as well as re-engaging dormant users. According to research from Braze, apps using personalised notifications have seen up to 191% more engagement compared to users who received no personal notifications.

App marketers should consider incorporating seasonal language into their push notifications. For example, Halloween push notifications could be inspired by on-trend language such as “Don’t let your app experience turn into a ghost town!”. Additionally, data-driven campaigns can help marketers target users who have interacted with the app previously, encouraging them to return for in-app Halloween thrills.

Global celebrations such as Halloween represent a valuable opportunity for app marketers to connect with users in creative and engaging ways. By leveraging seasonal trends in push notifications, developing themed in-app features and implementing interactive features, marketers can boost app performance and enhance user retention.