When every tap, swipe, and scroll counts, the pursuit of effective user acquisition strategies is relentless. Today’s mobile marketers are faced with more choices than ever for acquiring users, but one method consistently stands out: the cost-per-install (CPI) pricing model.

CPI campaigns are a standout favorite in the performance space, prioritizing efficiency by only charging marketers when a user installs their app. This approach scales volume and maintains a sharp focus on quality. Let’s explore the significant advantages of CPI campaigns:

  • Results-driven model
  • Increase testing and maximize scale
  • Optimize towards down-funnel events
  • Re-engagement capabilities
  • Boost app ratings

Results-driven model

Unlike models where marketers pay for impressions or clicks, CPI ensures payment only when a user is fully acquired. This makes CPI campaigns highly cost-effective, eliminating the risk of wasting advertising budgets on low-intent users.

Since CPI campaigns are tied directly to app installs, mobile marketers can easily measure ROI by correlating ad spend with user actions. This precision in payment structure allows marketers to optimize campaigns and allocate resources toward traffic sources that deliver the highest conversion rates.

Employing a well-crafted CPI strategy allows app marketers to achieve a higher volume of user acquisition, especially when targeting by channel or geolocation. For instance, a new insurance app sought to grow its presence in the competitive car insurance industry. To achieve rapid scale, Perform[cb] executed a CPI campaign, leading to a remarkable 75% surge in new user acquisition within just a month. This success catapulted the marketer to the #1 position in the Apple App Store’s car insurance category.

Increase testing and maximize scale

Since the CPI model ensures marketers only pay once a user installs their app, there’s inherently less risk involved, making it a more cost-effective approach. This reduced risk allows brands to swiftly test and scale new channels. By targeting users who demonstrate genuine interest in the app, marketers can increase the likelihood of meaningful interactions and conversions.

Optimize towards down-funnel events

While CPI campaigns are priced on the app install, all subsequent optimizations are then focused on driving down-funnel events. By focusing on post-install events and collecting quality metrics on these in-app events, CPI campaigns enhance overall user acquisition strategies.

Perform[cb] employs a sophisticated optimization approach, running highly-targeted cost-per-engagement (CPE) campaigns that prioritize secondary KPIs for optimal campaign success. These post-install events could include memberships, funded accounts, locked policies, customer lifetime value (CLV), and more. As the campaign dataset expands, we continuously refine our strategies, ensuring sustained delivery of high-value users within a pay-for-results model.

For example, a premium subscription service aimed to boost both installs and paid subscriptions, so Perform[cb] employed a CPI approach and optimized for both objectives. Leveraging our media services team to access untapped channels for increased qualified conversions, the campaign achieved a 40% increase in installs quarter-over-quarter and a remarkable 215% increase in paid subscribers in just one month.

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Re-engagement capabilities

Most apps lose 77% of new customers in the first three days after install. Retaining users is a challenge for many mobile marketers, but CPI campaigns offer a solution. They give the power of re-engagement, allowing marketers to target users who installed their app but may have become inactive.

Once a user installs the app, it opens up additional opportunities for retargeting and re-engagement. Marketers can customize incentives, promotions, or reminders to reignite user interest, boosting retention and overall user lifetime value. This capability is crucial for maximizing ROI and ensuring a loyal user base over time.

Boost app ratings

CPI campaigns attract the most high-intent users who are more likely to leave positive reviews, therefore enhancing app visibility and rankings. By focusing on acquiring high-quality users who are genuinely interested in the app, CPI campaigns ensure that the installs are more likely to result in positive user experiences. These satisfied users are then more inclined to leave favorable reviews and ratings.

Additionally, CPI campaigns target specific demographics and interests, ensuring the app reaches users who are aligned with its purpose and features, further increasing the likelihood of positive feedback. This surge in positive reviews not only enhances the app’s overall rating but also improves its visibility and ranking in app stores, fostering a cycle of increased organic discovery and downloads.

Optimizing beyond the install

It’s time to turn installs into meaningful engagements, retain qualified users, and propel your app to the top of the charts.

Contact our team of user acquisition experts to craft your winning CPI strategy today.

But why stop there? Take the guesswork out of engaging and converting your ideal users by downloading Perform[cb]’s Mobile Manual: Your Complete Guide to Mobile App User Acquisition.