Our 2021 Predictions for Mobile Marketing
With 2020 wrapped up, it would be a pretty safe assumption that mobile app marketers are cautiously stepping into the new year with shields up, well and truly ready for any market shifts that may come their way. If 2021 progresses in any similar way to what we witnessed last year, then it promises to be one heck of an interesting year and Liniad is here to offer our predictions for the upcoming ‘new normal’ era of mobile marketing.
Be Ready for Anything
2020 saw a massive consumer shift as the world seemed to be reshaping their day-to-days, seeking salvation in their devices. Digital became the new norma l- devices became both our window to the outside world and our window to entertainment in one quick move – and it seems that this trend is here to stay based on the findings of App Annie’s latest report.
Based on this data and our own findings, 2021 is the year to ensure that app advertisers are ready for any kind of influx and/ or drop-off surge imagionable. They need to zoom out, adapt, stay agile and ultimately be ready for anything. For example, a rise in users in an app category should encourage a strategy to ensure app visibility via sufficient keyword and app store optimization campaigns. To prevent drop offs, early 2021 should be dedicated to ensuring a seamless user journey – any complex onboarding, lack of clarity or lingering pain points should be ditched as we enter 2021’s saturated marketplace.
The Rise of Hypercasual
The above App Annie report notes a 15% increase in weekly downloads with no signs of slowing down – and a projected spend of $120b on mobile games alone. Hitting hard at Gen Z, Hypercasual gaming has become one of the hottest genres in mobile gaming after going viral in 2014. It has held its own as a leading category ever since, and 2021 might even go one step further (despite obvious challenges of heavy competition and the fight for player attention getting more and more cut-throat). The Hypercasual evolution has proven fascinating- they were introduced to fill an instant easy-play and skill-based need and have become much easier to play and less skill driven, but based on behaviors seen so far, 2021 should see a return to more skill based games, holding more user attention which should see this genre thrive in 2021.
The Year of Transparency
After surviving the turbulent GDPR era of 2018, we now continue to face a continued onslaught of legislation surrounding data privacy, and 2021 will only see it pick up speed. 2020 saw iOS14’s IFDA (Identifier for Advertisers) take a hit leaving UA companies desperately seeking new ways to deal with alternate device ID attributions. Our feeds are constantly being populated with the latest news piece on how these changes would impact iOS attribution and what could be coming next, yet Apple decided to postpone this move giving all market players more time to figure out exactly how they will adapt to a shimmering era of User Privacy in 2021.
It is impossible to ignore the massive knock-on effects of this move as we move further into the new year; digital marketing trends will be heading towards stricter policies and greater compliance – there will be a much greater need for quality and transparency. But this is not necessarily a bad thing as it will force companies to become more agile, track data more efficiently and target more fruitfully.
Trying to predict new year activities is never without challenges, but 2021 is a whole new story. 2020 has seen a host of unexpected trends emerge. Brands have defied all expectations as our daily lives have shifted. It’s safe to say that this new year we should be ready for anything and should leave no stone unturned.
The Year of TikTok
The biggest rollercoaster ride of 2020 could well have been the one TikTok seemed to be on. With Trump in power, TikTok was on its way for a possible ban across the US, but as fate would have it, it now looks like TikTok finds itself in a reversed situation and can continue to thrive in 2021… for the time being. As noted in the above App Annie report, in 2021 TikTok is expected to reach beyond 1b users, regardless of it remaining operational in the US. Looking at ad revenue alone, TikTok seems to have found that perfect sweet spot, monetizing ads while it delivers more opportunities for creators to interact and earn in unique and authentic ways (tipping, virtual gifting…) which in turn creates an almost unbreakable perfect circle that will long keep users invested way into 2021.
Planning Ahead
Even when facing turbulent trends in a post COVID world, the overriding goal of app engagement should remain strong and all ad elements should remain optimized from the get-go. Solutions like Liniad can assist when blending organic and paid growth strategies, and making sure all creatives are effectively optimized for best possible performance. Proactive planning, testing and staying alert to trends are key to keeping hold of valued users and combatting any surprises that 2021 could deliver. Above everything remember, anything is possible, so ‘batten down the hatches’ and be ready for the unexpected.