Growth Masterminds: mobile growth podcast

Should you be making web funnels for your mobile apps?

In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier chats with Igor Lyubimov, CEO of web2wave about the benefits of web funnels for mobile apps.

Igor explains how web funnels can significantly improve app revenue through better conversions, higher lifetime value (LTV), and more efficient marketing strategies. They dive into the intricacies of setting up effective web funnels, optimizing them for different app categories, and the role of platforms like Meta in achieving these goals.

Igor also highlights the common pitfalls and best practices in creating high-converting web funnels.

00:00 Introduction to Web Funnels

01:01 Understanding the Benefits of Web Funnels

02:02 Challenges and Solutions in Web Funnels

03:51 Optimizing Marketing and Attribution

07:51 Expanding Revenue Opportunities

13:17 Practical Tips for Small Startups

16:26 The Role of Meta in Web Funnels

21:16 Connecting Web to Mobile

26:56 Key Features of a Good Web Funnel

35:20 Exploring Different Verticals

39:10 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Does smart contextual data in CTV produce insane results? Host John Koetsier chats with Upwave's Chris Kelly about new research on CTV targeting and measurement that is showing some massive boost when you target ads to actual video content.

Chris explains the effectiveness of contextual targeting in increasing awareness, ad recall, and favorability, citing impressive case studies such as Carl's Jr.'s success. We also talk about the challenges and strategies of connecting performance branding with performance marketing, offering insights into measuring the real impact of brand advertising on future sales and customer lifetime value.

If you're a growth marketer looking to optimize your CTV ad campaigns, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice.

00:00 Welcome to Growth Masterminds

01:07 Understanding Contextual Targeting in CTV

03:51 Measuring Brand Outcomes with Contextual Targeting

09:04 Performance Branding vs. Performance Marketing

12:47 The Importance of Brand Building for Businesses

16:43 Connecting Brand Metrics to Sales

21:58 The Role of Advertising in Consumer Behavior

25:09 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

What are the best ad networks in the world? Where can you get the best ROI and the most ROAS? The Singular ROI Index is the longest-running global ROI report, and we've just released a new version for 2025 with all the answers.

In this solo episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier delves into the recently released Singular ROI Index for 2025. He highlights the extensive data behind the report, which includes trillions of ad impressions and billions of app installs.

John introduces new features such as the Singular ROI Quadrant and the separation of scaled versus growth ad partners. He also provides specific insights into regional ad networks and the rising trend of incentivized ad networks.

Additionally, he touches on the surprising resilience of X (formerly Twitter) in niche markets and the competition between industry giants like AppLovin and Moloco. This episode is packed with valuable information for marketers looking to optimize their ad spend and discover new high-performing networks.

00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds

00:56 Breaking Down Ad Networks

01:39 New Features in the ROI Index

02:34 Exploring the Singular ROI Quadrant

04:41 Regional Insights and Top Ad Networks

06:15 The Golden Nine and Apple Ads

07:24 Incentivized and Rewarded Ad Networks

08:18 Reddit's Advertising Potential

09:18 Twitter's Transition to X

10:11 AppLovin vs. Moloco

11:28 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Mobile attribution is getting better than ever before. And that's in spite of it becoming more and more complex.

There's so many measurement methodologies. Advanced SAN. AEM. Advanced AEM. Unified Measurement. SKAN. AAK. Privacy Sandbox. GAID. IDFA. Probabilistic. Modeled.

You name it, there's MORE of everything.

But in spite of all that, mobile attribution is getting better. Way better. And maybe, it's actually BECAUSE of all that. And the great news: it's also getting EASIER.

Makes sense?

Insane?

Impossible?

Check out this convo in Growth Masterminds between John Koetsier and Singular CTO Eran Friedman

🎧 Podcast Summary: The Future of Mobile Attribution & Measurement (2025)

🔍 Main Themes & Insights

• Shift from deterministic to modeled measurement due to privacy regulations like ATT, SKAN, and Privacy Sandbox.

• Major ad networks now offer advanced attribution solutions:

• Meta AEM & Advanced AEM: Modeled iOS conversions now shared with MMPs for deduplication and unified reporting.

• Google Ads: Long-standing conversion modeling now trending toward MMP integrations.

• TikTok Advanced SAN: Dual strategy with deterministic IDFA and shared touchpoints for probabilistic attribution.

• Snap Advanced Conversion & Advanced SAN: Combines modeled, deterministic, and shared touchpoint data.

🧠 Singular’s Role: Unified Measurement

• Singular aggregates and deduplicates data across all ad networks.

• Offers user-level attribution wherever possible, even post-ATT.

• Enables side-by-side comparison of SKAN, partner-reported, and Singular-attributed data.

• Allows auditing and troubleshooting—e.g., identifying gaps in advanced integration coverage.

📊 Emerging Technologies & Trends

• On-device measurement (ODM) is growing—especially on Android via Google Play Referrer, Meta Referrer.

• OEM app stores may bring iOS-style measurement to Android (e.g., Huawei, Samsung via Mobi, etc.).

• Apple Search Ads adds view-through attribution to deterministic model—now exposed via MMPs.

📈 Advanced Strategies for Big Spenders

• Incrementality testing (geo-lift, holdout, MMM) is increasingly important to assess true ROI.

• Especially useful in Apple Search Ads, where cannibalization of organic installs is a key concern.

✅ Key Takeaways

• Measurement is more complex than ever—but also more actionable.

• Marketers can now customize their complexity level: from simple unified views to advanced auditing.

• The future looks optimistic: more transparency, better deduplication, and increasingly complete attribution.

00:00 Introduction and Optimism in Marketing

00:50 The Evolution of Mobile Attribution

01:31 Deep Dive into Attribution Data

03:04 Meta's Advanced Attribution Solutions

06:16 Google's Ad Conversion Modeling

08:34 TikTok's Advanced SAN Integration

11:09 Snap's Advanced Conversion and SAN

15:17 Apple's Deterministic Attribution

18:59 Other Ad Partners and Modeling

25:05 Singular's Unified Measurement Approach

32:53 Incrementality Testing and Advanced Strategies

35:47 Conclusion and Future of Measurement

How good is UGC in AI-generated videos? We're seeing a lot more of it in ads, but does user-generated content work for video? Does it look super-fake?

Most importantly, does AI-generated UGC work: generate clicks & conversions?

Join John Koetsier on this episode of Growth Masterminds as he discusses the effectiveness of AI-generated user-generated content (UGC) with Alexei Chemenda, CEO of Poolday AI.

They explore the evolution and current state of AI UGC, its performance, common pitfalls, and the importance of testing different creative elements.

Hear insights on how variations in the hook, actor, gameplay, editing style, and music can significantly impact ad performance. Alexei shares real-world examples and emphasizes that, while UGC is a powerful tool, achieving high-performance results requires diligent effort and strategic testing.

This episode is a must-listen for growth marketers looking to leverage AI in their marketing mix.

00:00 Introduction and Background

00:42 Meet Alexei Chemenda: CEO of Poolday

02:28 The Power of Curiosity in Marketing

03:00 Generative AI for UGC: An Overview

05:29 Testing and Iteration in AI UGC

07:23 Success Stories and Best Practices

11:46 Who Benefits Most from AI UGC?

13:54 Creating Effective AI UGC Ads

21:58 The Future of Personalized Advertising

24:32 Ethics and Tagging in AI UGC

27:14 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

To win in mobile game marketing in 2025, you need creatives that crush it. And that means creative hooks that capture people's attention in just 2 seconds.

You have 2 seconds to win ... ouch!

In this episode of Growth Masterminds, we discuss innovative strategies and trends in growing mobile games in 2025 with industry experts Jesse Lempiäinen, co-founder of GeekLab, and Neils Beenen from Singular.

With host John Koetsier they dive into the effectiveness of AI-generated creative content, the importance of influencers and UGC, and the evolution of privacy measures affecting ad performance. Learn about the critical balance between high click-through rates and user retention, and how to stay ahead in the competitive game marketing landscape with effective partner and channel strategies.

00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds

00:51 Current Trends in Game Marketing

02:18 The Role of AI in Creative Development

03:37 Influencer and UGC Strategies

06:38 Challenges and Successes in Creative Marketing

11:55 The Future of Game Marketing

17:38 Innovative Approaches and Final Thoughts

France fined Apple $232 million or $150 million euros because France says the way Apple implemented App Tracking Transparency, or ATT is unfair and anti-competitive.

Third-party independent app publishers suffered as a result, and small app makers in particular.

In fact, France says, Apple could have easily integrated ATT and GDPR, the massive privacy regulation that governs digital commerce and advertising in the European Union.

Channel diversification for mobile games: where do you start, and how do you do it?

In this Growth Masterminds we bring not 1, not 2, but 3 seasoned growth experts to join host John Koetsier on how to scale smarter via better channel diversification for mobile games:

- Matej Lancaric from 2 and a Half Gamers

- Kyle West from Mistplay

- Brendan O’Connor from Moloco

When do you add new channels?

Which ad partners do you start with?

How important are rewarded ads?

Where do influencers fit? When?

CTV ... should you try it?

How do you test new UA channels

Look for all of this and more.

Whether you're a new game publisher or managing a large-scale game, this episode provides actionable insights for achieving sustainable growth in the ever-evolving mobile gaming industry.

00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds

01:49 Starting with Channel Diversification

03:10 Expanding Your Partner Network

06:19 Testing New Channels

12:54 Scaling and Diversifying Channels

19:18 The Rise of Rewarded Advertising

22:33 Influencer Marketing in Gaming

26:22 The Challenge of Influencer Marketing

27:51 Celebrity Endorsements: A Double-Edged Sword

30:01 The Rise of CTV Advertising

35:57 Future of Ad Partners and Channels

45:17 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

Mobile app retargeting is a huge part of engagement, monetization, and retention for top apps. Especially in categories like shopping, travel, and gaming.

What can you learn about mobile app retargeting from a 100M MAU app?

Lots.

In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier speaks with Subhadeep Chakraborty, Senior Manager for Growth at Ixigo. We chat about the importance and effectiveness of retargeting strategies in one of the most competitive markets – travel and booking in India.

Subhadeep shares detailed insights on how Ixigo leverages retargeting to maximize customer value, personalized messaging, and algorithm-driven data points to recommend the best options for users.

We also cover CRM channels, the role of analytics, and personalized customer engagement to boost retention.

00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds

00:52 Understanding Ixigo's Market and Services

01:15 Retargeting Strategies at Ixigo

02:40 Effective Retargeting Techniques

04:14 Timing and Channels for Retargeting

08:25 Personalization in Retargeting

10:06 Technology and Tools for Retargeting

11:38 The Importance of Retargeting

14:29 Real-World Retargeting Experiences

15:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

How do you achieve optimal revenue from ads in your game?

Ad monetization is an increasingly complex but necessary part of the business for mobile game publishers. In this video we dive into ad monetization for games with Felix Braberg ... part of 2 and 1/2 Gamers.

We discuss the perfect balance needed for successful game monetization strategies, focusing on hybrid and ad monetization. Felix shares invaluable insights into when to integrate monetization in the game development lifecycle, how to decide on the right models, and the importance of A/B testing.

Felix also delves into the challenges faced with ad durations, user acquisition, and segmenting users based on their purchasing behaviors.

We end by looking ahead in 2025 and offer tips for developers and publishers aiming to scale their games and increase revenue in the ever-evolving landscape of ad revenue models and e-commerce integration in gaming.

00:00 Introduction to Game Monetization

01:11 Current Trends in Hybrid Monetization

01:54 Building Monetization Models

02:22 Ad Monetization Strategies

06:00 Innovative Monetization Techniques

17:43 Challenges in Ad Measurement

23:49 Future Trends and Tips for 2025

29:22 Conclusion and Final Thoughts