App Growth Show

Welcome back to The App Growth Show, presented by App Guardians!

App Store Optimization (ASO) is more than keywords, screenshots, and a launch checklist. Your Apple App Store or Google Play listing is where potential users decide whether your app is worth downloading. So how can marketers turn ASO into a growth channel that improves organic visibility, increases conversion rates, and supports paid user acquisition?

In Season 3, Episode 2, host Arpit Patel sits down with Whitney Christie, an ASO specialist at App Guardians with nearly 10 years of experience across app store optimization, organic marketing, SEO, content, and PR.

Together, they explore why ASO requires ongoing attention, how paid and organic marketing can work together, and what AI-powered app discovery means for the future of mobile growth.

ASO IS YOUR APP'S SHOP WINDOW

Whitney describes your app store listing as your "shop window." A strong listing doesn't just attract visitors. It builds trust and converts interest into installs through clear messaging, compelling screenshots, app icons, ratings, and reviews.

But ASO isn't a one-time task. Keyword research, creative testing, product updates, and user feedback all contribute to long-term organic growth. As Whitney explains, ASO is like a plant: it needs consistent care to compound over time.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

ASO Beyond Keywords: Why app store optimization should be an ongoing growth strategy rather than a checklist completed before launch.

Paid UA and Organic Growth: How aligning advertising creative, search intent, and store-page messaging creates a consistent user journey and improves acquisition efficiency.

Custom Product Pages: How Apple's Custom Product Pages (CPPs) can tailor screenshots and messaging to specific audiences, keywords, and campaigns. Whitney also discusses Apple-reported improvements in tap-through rates, conversion rates, and cost per install.

App Store Conversion Optimization: How icons, titles, subtitles, screenshots, preview videos, ratings, and reviews influence download decisions.

Building Trust for New Apps: Why clear product messaging and well-timed in-app rating prompts help establish credibility and gather feedback.

Product and Marketing Alignment: How ASO, paid acquisition, and product teams can coordinate releases, share insights, and use controlled experiments to make better decisions.

Measuring ASO's Business Value: How Apple Ads keyword data can identify organic ranking opportunities and help estimate potential savings in paid acquisition spend.

Paid vs. Organic Attribution: Why teams should stop competing over attribution credit and instead optimize the entire acquisition funnel, using conversion rate by channel as a shared performance metric.

AI and the Future of ASO: How AI can accelerate keyword research and competitor analysis, why human expertise remains essential, and how consistent brand signals support discovery through AI-powered recommendations.

ONE ACTIONABLE TAKEAWAY

Whitney's recommendation for app marketers and founders: Set up a Custom Product Page.

Start with your existing app store creative, identify a relevant audience or campaign, and adjust your screenshot headlines or messaging to better match user intent. Then test and measure the results.

Whether you're launching your first app, improving organic installs, or scaling paid campaigns, this episode offers practical insights into connecting ASO, conversion optimization, and sustainable mobile app growth.

ABOUT THE APP GROWTH SHOW

Presented by App Guardians, The App Growth Show explores the strategies and challenges of building, marketing, and scaling mobile apps. Topics include ASO, paid user acquisition, creative strategy, analytics, retention, monetization, and AI.

CONNECT WITH APP GUARDIANS

Website: https://appguardians.com

Whitney Christie: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitneychristie/

Arpit Patel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arpitp/

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for more conversations about mobile app growth.

Welcome to a new era of The App Growth Show, presented by App Guardians!

AI is transforming how mobile apps are built, marketed, and scaled. But with more automation, faster development, and increasingly sophisticated advertising algorithms, one question remains: How important is human experience and intuition in driving sustainable app growth?

In this episode, host Arpit Patel sits down with Peter Jung, Director of Paid UA & Creatives at App Guardians, to explore the evolving mobile marketing landscape, the growing influence of AI, and what it really takes to launch and scale a successful app in today's competitive market.

Drawing on years of experience across mobile gaming, subscription apps, paid user acquisition, and creative strategy, Arpit and Peter share practical insights into the challenges facing app developers and marketers.

FROM BUILDING AN APP WITH AI TO TESTING IT WITH $1,000

Arpit shares his firsthand experience building a mobile app using AI, despite having no traditional software engineering background. He walks through his journey from initial concept to launching paid user acquisition campaigns with a $1,000 testing budget.

He also breaks down how his initial cost per install (CPI) dropped from approximately $16 to $3, why patience matters during campaign learning periods, and which early performance indicators he prioritizes before making decisions about scaling.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

AI in Mobile Marketing: How AI is accelerating campaign analysis, creative production, and app development—and why human judgment remains essential.

Launching on a Limited Budget: How to approach early-stage app marketing, test acquisition channels, and evaluate initial performance without overspending.

Understanding Early Growth Signals: Why click-through rates, install conversion rates, onboarding performance, and early retention matter when validating a new app.

Creative Testing Strategies: How many creatives should you test? When should you pause underperforming ads? And why doesn't more creative volume always mean better results?

The Reality of Winning Ads: Why creatives with weak top-of-funnel metrics can sometimes generate the strongest revenue and lifetime value.

Balancing Automation With Experience: Why advertising platform recommendations and AI-generated insights shouldn't replace the expertise of experienced mobile marketers.

From the rise of AI-powered app builders to the unpredictable nature of creative performance, this conversation offers a practical look at how the mobile growth playbook is evolving.

Whether you're an indie app developer testing your first campaigns, a founder preparing to scale, or an experienced mobile marketer navigating the age of AI, this episode is packed with insights you can apply to your own growth strategy.

ABOUT THE APP GROWTH SHOW

Presented by App Guardians, The App Growth Show brings together mobile marketing experts, industry leaders, and growth practitioners to explore what actually drives mobile app success.

CONNECT WITH APP GUARDIANS

Website: https://appguardians.com

Subscribe to The App Growth Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for more conversations about the future of mobile app growth.

Hey, App Growth Community! Welcome back to High Five, our five-part mini-series spotlighting five of the boldest minds making the biggest waves in mobile marketing.

In this final episode, we’re ending on a high note with Michal Bubernik, Head of Marketing at Pixel Federation—the Slovakian studio behind beloved hits like TrainStation 2, Seaport, and Diggy’s Adventure. A creative force and industry veteran, Michal has helped shape Pixel’s reputation for simulation excellence and built a standout strategy that blends data-driven experimentation with human realness.

Joining host Peggy Anne Salz and series regular Peter Jung, Head of Paid UA & Creatives at App Guardians, Michal shares how AI is empowering his team to scale creative production without sacrificing quality—or soul. From the early days of static ad testing to fully automated video workflows and AI-generated voiceovers, Michal takes us behind the scenes on how his team went from brainstorming to blockbuster ads.

Tune in for honest insights and pragmatic tips, including when to let AI take the wheel, how to spot a winning creative early, and why sometimes the best-performing ads…aren’t the prettiest. (Spoiler: scrappy still sells.) Plus, don’t miss Michal’s backstory about how he became the “Tuna of the Gaming Industry.”

It’s the perfect finale to a series about fearless experimentation, fast iteration, and never losing sight of the human touch. Listen in now!

00:00 - Intro

01:49 - The "tuna" of the gaming industry

03:56 - AI in creatives strategy

11:14 - Scaling AI creatives

17:15 - "Worth it" AI tools

22:39 - Benchmarking performance 

25:30 - Peter's scrappy picks

31:20 - Michal's winning creatives

35:55 - What doesn't work

Hey, App Growth Community! Welcome back to High Five, a five-part mini-series where we spotlight five of the biggest minds driving the biggest bottom-line results in mobile today.

In this episode, we welcome Luis de la Cámara, Vice President of Marketing at Rovio Entertainment, the mobile gaming powerhouse behind the Angry Birds franchise. For nearly 20 years, Luis has shaped some of the most iconic games in the industry. He’s helped garner 600+ million installs for titles across genres, but his expertise goes beyond meeting metrics; Luis brings a unique creative edge, honed through years of leadership and a surprising past as a competitive breakdancer!

Joining our host, Peggy Anne Salz, and returning guest Peter Jung, Head of Paid UA & Creatives at App Guardians, Luis discusses how the fusion of art and science fuels creative strategy in gaming. From capitalizing on the fantasy of escapism to the power of emotionally engaging visuals, he shares honest insights and actionable tips for crafting ad campaigns that resonate with users and drive results. 

It’s an episode teeming with lessons from a truly top-of-the-line marketer, including how to craft creatives on the fly, when to challenge your winning creatives, and how to leverage scrappy tactics without compromising results.

Tune in now!

CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro 

04:19 - Creatives creation platforms 

11:35 - Crafting creatives on the fly

19:49 - How to find a winning creative

24:03 - It's a volume game 

29:10 - Hero creatives

37:04 - Scrappiness vs speed

42:31 - One tip from Luis

44:08 - Good vs bad ads

Welcome back, App Growth Community, to High Five, a five-part mini-series where we spotlight five of the biggest minds driving the biggest bottom-line results in mobile today.

In this episode, we showcase Peter Jung, Director of Paid UA & Creatives at App Guardians, a mobile-first marketing agency focused on strategic growth. Throughout his career, Peter has managed $33+ million in ad spend and scaled hundreds of apps, including Lucky Day, a Top 10 App on iOS and Android. He joins our host, Peggy Anne Salz, in this week’s show to reveal his strategy for crafting captivating and attention-grabbing creative ads that actually convert and reduce wasted ad spend.  

It’s a strategy quite similar to fishing, he says. To effectively catch and keep users, every ad needs to bait, hook, and reel in users with engaging visuals, a clear call-to-action, and a creator or character that matches its target demographics' user persona. Throughout the episode, Peter shares several resources that marketers can review before, during, and after creating their ads to ensure each one meets this criteria before spotlighting real ads from real apps and explaining why each one either flopped or had users flying to the app stores to download. 

This is a show filled with practical tips and advice, from the three core elements of a strong creative and the tools Peter uses to edit his ads to why a soft sell rather than a direct ask might be the better option and the metrics to keep an eye on to evaluate campaign performance. Listen in now!

CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro

01:10 - Core of strong creatives

03:25 - Why CTA is so important

05:17 - Direct vs Indirect CTAs

07:34 - Gaming vs non-gaming apps

08:52 - App elements to consider in creatives

16:07 - The creative fishing formula

23:25: A checklist for great ads

27:29 - Effective or ineffective ad #1

30:24 - Effective or ineffective ad #2

32:00 - Effective or ineffective ad #3

35:00 - Effective or ineffective ad #4

36:42 - Effective or ineffective ad #5 

29:32 - Effective or ineffective ad #6

41:34 - Metrics to pay attention to

43:44 - Where does AI ad value?

46:10 - The secret to staying innovative

49:00 - Where to connect with Peter

Welcome back, App Growth Community, to High Five, a five-part mini-series where we spotlight five of the biggest minds driving the biggest bottom-line results in mobile today.

In this episode, we zoom in on Cameron Thom, Chief Revenue Officer of the Americas at Adikteev, a global leader in mobile app re-engagement and retention. Under Cameron’s leadership, Adikteev has shifted its focus to adaptive strategies, including a bold expansion into APAC with a new office in South Korea. 

He joins our host, Peggy Anne Salz, to share how prioritizing retention over traditional UA drives sustainable, long-term growth for mobile apps.  Drawing insights from Adikteev’s survey of 120 marketers, Cameron reveals the tools and tactics industry heavyweights are leveraging to predict churn, improve monetization, and minimize in-app friction. 

He dives into key findings from the report, like how over 58% of respondents have implemented personalized privacy prompts that not only improve opt-in rates but also present a unique opportunity to engage users in a brand’s voice. Plus, hear how retention strategies—like Duolingo’s predictive segmentation—can boost weekly active users by up to 70%.

It’s a data-dominated episode. Listen in as Peggy and Cameron unpack the common mistakes marketers make when measuring long-term retention and actionable solutions to fix them.

CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro 

01:03 - Eastern vs Western growth

04:00 - Before sustainable growth was trendy

05:41 - Rule-based approaches

07:30 - 2024 Retention Survey

12:51 - A cross-team approach

15:49 - Privacy and retention

21:40 - A shared love for data

23:17 - Cameron's personal inspiration

24:30 - What's next?

Welcome to the App Growth Show’s debut episode of High Five, a five-part mini-series where we spotlight five of the biggest minds driving the biggest bottom-line results in mobile today.

Today, we highlight Fred Saeidi, Founder and CEO of AppGuardians and App Growth Network. Since establishing AGN six years ago, he’s rocketed revenue for over 250 mobile apps through his laser focus on comprehensive product marketing for apps at every stage. 

A digital native with nearly 15 years of experience managing teams, Fred is an expert at fueling growth, and the numbers back it up. Under his direction, the company has achieved 220% user growth, a 149% boost in visibility scores, and a nearly 600% increase in ROAS and organic growth for its clients thanks to an all-in-one optimization platform that leverages proprietary algorithms and custom-built tools.

He joins our host, Peggy Anne Salz—Content Marketing Strategist, Forbes Seníor Contributor and Founder of MobileGroove— to share how rebranding, practicing patience, and returning to AGN's roots grew the brand's LTV by 3x. He defines what it means to be a "connector" and describes why building your network—and even befriending your competitors—is one of the best steps you can take to strengthen your business today.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

High Five is sponsored by App Guardians, an award-winning North American app marketing agency. 

Book a call with us: https://appgrowthnetwork.com/freeevaluation/

Listen to the High Five Mini-Series:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3CiqVMu7FcgQekcmBthjEd

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/app-growth-show/id1593950307

Follow us for more insightful tips!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/appguardians/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AppGrowthNetwork/

Twitter: https://x.com/App_Growth

Chat More With Our Speakers From Today:

Fred Saeidi (Founder & CEO, App Growth Network)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredsaeidi/details/recommendations/?detailScreenTabIndex=0

Peggy Anne Salz (Content Marketing Strategist, Forbes Seníor Contributor and Founder of MobileGroove)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyannesalz/

Hey, App Growth Community! Welcome back to the App Growth Show, where we host mobile experts to provide valuable and actionable insights on how you can grow your app. No matter where you are in your app growth journey, we are able to help you achieve your mobile growth goals.

Today we are so excited to be joined by Roi Nam, Co-founder and CEO of Airbridge. Mobile attribution solution Airbridge has become an official measurement partner of Meta. As one of the major accomplishments in his life, Roi has been awarded the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia. Roi is also an awarded engineer and entrepreneur. His value is his vast experience and industry knowledge after providing mar-tech consulting services to over 300+ companies.

Airbridge is a unified measurement solution featuring Mobile Measurement (MMP), Multi-touch Attribution (MTA), and Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM) packed into a single unified dashboard -- helping marketers to discover and maximize their true sources of growth while empowering them through tools such as deep-linking, real-time marketing analytics, audience builder, and fraud protection.

Discover how incrementally and multi-touch attribution plays a significant role in app user conversion!

The App Growth Show is sponsored by the App Guardians- the Marketing Agency Division of App Growth Network; we’re an award-winning app marketing agency based in North America made up of a team of mobile experts that help apps scale their business with customized app marketing strategies. If you are interested to learn more about how you can grow with us, book a free call with us here to start supercharging your mobile growth today!

Chat More With Our Speakers From Today:

Roi Nam ( CEO & Co-Founder @ Airbridge )

https://www.linkedin.com/in/roinam/

Jennifer Sansone (Content Head @ App Guardians )

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-sansone-143bba4/

Feel free to browse through our episodes and have a listen to one (or all!) of our talks about the many facets of what it takes to achieve mobile app success, from user acquisition to retention strategies and beyond.

Subscribe now to App Guardians podcast show to gain insight on the latest app growth strategies and secrets at your preferred podcast directory:

Want to chat with our team of experts today to supercharge your app growth? Book a call with us here!

Hey, App Growth Community! Welcome back to the App Growth Show, where we host mobile experts to provide valuable and actionable insights on how you can grow your app. No matter where you are in your app growth journey, we are able to help you achieve your mobile growth goals.

Today we are so excited to be joined by Cloé Dana, the CEO & Co-founder of Tempr. Cloé’s track record truly speaks for itself, and we are honored to be joined by such a leader in our industry. As one of the major accomplishments in her life, Cloé has been nominated by Forbes as one of the 30 Under 30. With over a decade of experience in the advertising and marketing world, Cloé shares with us the importance of prediction and automation.

Tempr is a global SaaS company that maximizes mobile marketers’ revenue and saves their time with the help of its prediction and automation technology. Tempr aggregates data from mobile marketing channels through APIs and generates accurate revenue predictions using AI. The platform recommends the ideal budget & bid based on its predictions, which can all be pushed directly into the various marketing channels with just a click of a button.

Get inspired by her take on the future of UA and women in tech, and discover how you can scale your app’s user acquisition strategy.

The App Growth Show is sponsored by the App Guardians- the Marketing Agency Division of App Growth Network; we’re an award-winning app marketing agency based in North America made up of a team of mobile experts that help apps scale their business with customized app marketing strategies. If you are interested to learn more about how you can grow with us, book a free call with us here to start supercharging your mobile growth today!

Chat More With Our Speakers From Today:

Cloé Dana ( CEO & Co-Founder @ Tempr.)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cloe-dana/

Jennifer Sansone (Content Head @ App Guardians )

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-sansone-143bba4/

Feel free to browse through our episodes and have a listen to one (or all!) of our talks about the many facets of what it takes to achieve mobile app success, from user acquisition to retention strategies and beyond.

Subscribe now to App Guardians podcast show to gain insight on the latest app growth strategies and secrets at your preferred podcast directory:

Want to chat with our team of experts today to supercharge your app growth? Book a call with us here!

Hey, App Growth Community! Welcome back to the App Growth Show, where we host mobile experts to provide valuable and actionable insights on how you can grow your app. No matter where you are in your app growth journey, we are able to help you achieve your mobile growth goals.

Today we are so excited to be joined by SC Moatti, the founder of Products That Count. SC’s track record truly speaks for itself, and we are honoured to be joined by such a leader in our industry. SC began her career working for the likes of Electronic Arts, Facebook, and Nokia with a focus on building apps. Over the last decade, SC has transitioned into investing in early-stage companies, writing a best-selling book called “Mobilized” and launching Products That Count.

Products That Count is one of the largest and undoubtedly the most influential global network of product managers. Over 300,000 product managers globally read, watch and listen to PTC’s 3,000+ blog posts, videos and podcasts. Thousands attend PTC’s 50+ events a year, and over 10,000 C/VP-level product executives, such as the Netflix Product VP, Coinbase CPO, and Box CPO, share their best practices on what it takes to build great products.

Get ready to hear from a true industry veteran and how the “Products That Count” community has helped educate people on what it takes to build a great mobile product in today’s competitive landscape.

The App Growth Show is sponsored by the App Growth Network, we are an award-winning North American app marketing agency. If you are interested to learn more about how you can grow with us, book a free call with us here to start supercharging your mobile growth today!

Chat More With Our Speakers From Today:

• SC Moatti (Founder @ Products That Count)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scmoatti//

Jennifer Sansone (Content Head @ App Growth Network)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-sansone-143bba4/

Feel free to browse through our episodes and have a listen to one (or all!) of our talks about the many facets of what it takes to achieve mobile app success, from user acquisition to retention strategies and beyond.

Subscribe now to AGN Podcast to gain insight on the latest app growth strategies and secrets at your preferred podcast directory:

Want to chat with our team of experts today to supercharge your app growth? Book a call with us here!