GameMakers

The Ad Monetization Playbook: Fixing Leaky Revenue, Boosting CPMs, and Scaling Your Team with Kelly Kang


Listen Later

Why is your ad revenue flat even when your game's traffic is growing? Margins are getting squeezed by hidden fees, and old strategies of yelling at partners no longer move the needle. In this episode, we sit down with veteran ad monetization consultant Kelly Kang to get her modern playbook for building a resilient and profitable ad strategy from the ground up.

Kelly Kang has optimized ad strategies for some of the biggest names in mobile gaming, including Big Fish Games, Aristocrat, and Glu Mobile. She provides a masterclass on auditing your current setup, choosing the right tech stack, and understanding the metrics that truly matter for long-term growth.

In this episode, you will learn:

  • The #1 reason your revenue margins are shrinking (and it's not what you think).

  • A 4-point framework to audit your ad stack, from mediation to placements.

  • Why you should track Ad Engagement and Impression Depth over ARPDAU and CPM.

  • The most common (and costly) mistakes studios make when launching and operating ads.

  • Actionable "quick wins" that can immediately boost performance.

  • How to structure and scale your ad monetization team based on revenue, not workload.

Episode Chapters (Timestamps):(00:00:26) The Biggest Pain Point: Squeezed Margins & Hidden Fees(00:04:21) The Day-One Audit: A 4-Point Framework(00:07:37) Strategy: Header Bidding vs. Waterfall(00:14:25) The Metrics That Actually Matter (Beyond ARPDAU)(00:17:54) Ad Placement and Format Strategy(00:27:35) Launching a New Game: A Step-by-Step Plan(00:38:29) How to Structure and Scale Your Admon Team(00:49:03) Common Mistakes That Kill Revenue and LTV(00:55:49) Quick Wins to Boost Ad Revenue(01:04:08) The Future of Ad Monetization & AI

Follow Us:For more expert insights, subscribe to the Gamemakers newsletter: https://www.gamemakers.com/

Connect with our Guest:To learn more about Kelly Kang and her work, visit Game Plan Advisor: https://www.gameplanadvisor.com

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

GameMakersBy Joseph Kim

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

8 ratings


More shows like GameMakers

View all
The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch by Harry Stebbings

The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

536 Listeners

a16z Podcast by Andreessen Horowitz

a16z Podcast

1,094 Listeners

Deconstructor of Fun by Deconstructor of Fun

Deconstructor of Fun

101 Listeners

The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway by Vox Media Podcast Network

The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

5,565 Listeners

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg by All-In Podcast, LLC

All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg

9,904 Listeners

Dwarkesh Podcast by Dwarkesh Patel

Dwarkesh Podcast

505 Listeners

Naavik Gaming Podcast by Naavik

Naavik Gaming Podcast

24 Listeners

PocketGamer.biz Podcast by PGbiz Podcast

PocketGamer.biz Podcast

0 Listeners

Gamecraft by Mitch Lasky / Blake Robbins

Gamecraft

128 Listeners

The Fourth Curtain by Alexander Seropian & Aaron Marroquin

The Fourth Curtain

37 Listeners

AI For Humans: Making Artificial Intelligence Fun & Practical by Kevin Pereira & Gavin Purcell

AI For Humans: Making Artificial Intelligence Fun & Practical

270 Listeners

BG2Pod with Brad Gerstner and Bill Gurley by BG2Pod

BG2Pod with Brad Gerstner and Bill Gurley

504 Listeners

Prof G Markets by Vox Media Podcast Network

Prof G Markets

1,402 Listeners

Building Better Games by Benjamin Carcich

Building Better Games

10 Listeners

Game Economist Cast by Phillip Black

Game Economist Cast

7 Listeners