App campaigns make it easy to promote your apps across many Google properties. This includes Search, YouTube, Google Play, Discover on Google Search, the Google Display Network and AdMob along with many more publishers who host app ads.
You can choose from three campaign subtypes when you select 'App promotion' as your goal. Each subtype has different bidding strategies and actions. They are:
- App campaigns for installs
- App campaigns for engagement
- App pre-registration (Android only)
Learn more about App campaigns.
In some instances, App campaigns may seem to serve on certain networks over another. This article will explain how network distribution for App campaigns work.
Tip: App campaigns appear across all Google Networks, so upload a customised set of assets to ensure that the ads are suitable for as many ad placements as possible.
- Add independent lines of text of varying lengths.
- Create and upload engaging videos between 10 and 30 seconds and in different aspect ratios.
- Add interesting and relevant images to be used across the Google Display Network.
Learn how to make better creative assets for App campaigns.
How App campaigns network distribution works
App campaigns don’t tend to favour one network over another. Unlike traditional web campaigns, in which targeting is largely driven by what you input for your campaign, App campaigns are powered by machine learning while respecting your bids and budgets. There are times when there is no App campaign inventory on a specific channel, so the machine learning model must pursue traffic on another channel to obtain conversions. The system learns directly from user behaviour, which informs on inventory and how creative assets should serve in the future. Ultimately, App campaigns work to deliver the most conversions possible at or below your campaign budget.
App campaigns drive conversions based on your advertising and optimisation goals, budget, targeting and assets. Millions of signal combinations are used by machine learning to predict how likely a user is to convert. Signals and intent outside of the app that inform predictions could include: device targeting, location, search queries, placements and app usage. Some examples of interactions within the app that inform predictions may include: app settings, app engagements, app session durations and retention, web usage and referrals.
At times, the network your campaign is serving on may seem expensive compared to another network. Note that while a network may seem cheaper, it might not have inventory (advertisement space) to serve your campaign. In such cases, your campaign will be distributed on potentially more expensive networks, and also where you are more likely to get conversions. It may also be distributed on other networks to maximise towards your campaign goals within the bid and budget limits as applicable.
