MobileGroove

Building a great app is one thing. Turning it into a real business is another.Recorded live at Think Apps: The Google App Summit in APAC in Vietnam, this session brought together three industry insiders who have seen the app economy from very different angles and are not shy about saying what actually works.I sat down withBožo Janković, Head of Ad Monetization at GameBiz ConsultingÖmer Yakabagi, founder of GamigionLemon Choi, founder of HyperJoyto talk candidly about growth, monetization, AI and the mindset shift developers need to make if they want to survive and scale.This was not a slide-driven panel. It was a practical, no-BS conversation about what developers still get wrong, what they underestimate and where real opportunity exists right now.We get into:Why “build a fun game first, monetize later” is still breaking businessesHow hybrid monetization actually works in practice, not theoryWhat you should do with your first $100 marketing budgetWhy retention tells you more than downloads ever willHow small teams and even solo developers are using AI to do the work of entire studiosWhy ad quality and user experience now matter more than volumeWhat it really means to think like a business owner, not just a developerWe also dig into Tier 3 and Tier 4 market testing, one-person studios, “fake it till you make it (and make it properly),” and why focus beats chasing every shiny opportunity.If you are an indie developer, founder or early-stage studio trying to make sense of monetization, growth and AI without losing the joy of building, this session delivers practical advice, clear takeaways and a few laughs along the way.Chapters:00:00 Misconceptions About Monetization00:48 Meet the Panel of Growth Experts01:18 Careers in the App Economy06:32 Focus on Hybrid Monetization08:06 Common Developer Misconceptions09:37 Testing Low-Tier Markets11:25 Retention is Key13:58 AI's Leverage for Small Teams15:56 Monetization Model Advice27:38 The Business Owner Mindset*** Subscribe for More ***⚡On Point Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7020756661006925824⚡Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yFF2InbeIgkIRcxvDy3jm⚡Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-groove/id1585861460*** Let's Connect ***⚡ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyannesalz⚡ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peggyannesalz⚡Website - https://www.mobilegrove.com

Loyalty programs are usually built around transactions. PAYBACK believes they can also be built around behavior.In this episode of MobileGroove, recorded live at PGC London, I speak with Nico Winkelhaus, VP Digital Marketing at PAYBACK, about why Germany’s largest loyalty program expanded into gaming and what that move signals about the future of loyalty, rewarded engagement and super app strategy.PAYBACK has spent 25 years building scale in retail. Today it spans travel, banking, insurance and digital services inside one of Germany’s leading shopping apps. The move to expand into gaming in 2022 was rooted in user data and a clear understanding of how people already interact with the app.With more than 20 million smartphone gamers in Germany, the logic was simple: reward users not only for what they buy, but for how they spend their digital time.In this episode, Nico explains:• Why gaming was a natural extension of PAYBACK’s ecosystem rather than a leap into the unknown• How PAYBACK delivers incremental reach to gaming advertisers instead of recycling the same high-affinity rewarded users• Why adding gaming increases overall activity in the app rather than cannibalizing retail engagement• What personalization at scale actually means when you are working toward millions of differentiated offers• Why loyalty remains a low-involvement product and why simplicity, not feature density, determines success• How PAYBACK separates physical retail interactions from digital engagement within the same platform• What regulatory shifts and the rise of web shops could mean for loyalty platforms and studios• Why rewarded mechanics, first proven in gaming, may expand into other industriesIf you work in gaming, retail, commerce or growth, this episode offers a practical look at how loyalty, rewarded mechanics and super app ambitions intersect in the real world.Chapters:0:00 - Payback's Evolution and the Convergence with Gaming2:19 - Gaming as a Mass Market for Loyalty Programs4:11 - Leveraging Data for Targeted Rewards and Broad Reach7:43 - Relevancy, Hyperpersonalization, and Core DNA11:16 - Evolving to a Loyalty Super App and Maintaining Simplicity14:26 - Gaming as an Engagement Success Feature and the Future of Rewarded UA*** Subscribe for More ***⚡On Point Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7020756661006925824⚡Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yFF2InbeIgkIRcxvDy3jm⚡Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-groove/id1585861460*** Let's Connect ***⚡ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyannesalz⚡ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peggyannesalz⚡ Website - https://www.mobilegrove.com

What does it really take for indie developers to win in fast-growing app markets?Recorded live at Think Apps: The Google App Summit in APAC in Vietnam, I sat down with Killol Buch, Director India at Google, to talk about how developers in markets like India and Vietnam are building apps that scale, compete globally and stay sustainable.This conversation is about fundamentals that still matter, even as AI accelerates everything.We cover:- Why user experience beats everything else, especially for indies- How developers in India and Vietnam think differently about global and local users- What segmentation really means when users have very different spending power- Why ads are part of your product, not something you bolt on later- How AI is leveling the playing field for small teams and solo developers- The business skills indies need, not just the tech skills- Why retention and engagement matter more than chasing downloads- What sustainable growth actually looks like for early-stage studiosKillol also shares what continues to surprise him about the pace of innovation, where competition is heating up and how young developers can use ecosystems, communities and platforms to move faster without burning out.If you’re an indie developer or early-stage founder building in a crowded app economy, this session offers clear, practical advice on how to stand out and build something that lasts.0:00 Intro1:09 Google App Summit in Vietnam1:40 Learning Between Indian and Vietnamese Markets2:27 Quick Commerce: Solving Unique Local Needs in India3:45 Strength of the Developer Ecosystem in Vietnam4:39 Top Advice for Indie Developers: Focus on User Experience6:23 Essential Skills for Indie Success: Tech and Business7:34 Unique Challenges: Growing Competition and Limited User Time8:50 Google's Full Suite of Offerings for App Developers*** Subscribe for More ***👉🏻YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PeggyAnneSalz?sub_confirmation=1👉🏻Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yFF2InbeIgkIRcxvDy3jm👉🏻Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/28e1039b-4ead-4c48-aed7-8aceb5195fa6/mobilegroove👉🏻On Point Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7020756661006925824*** Let's Connect ***👉🏻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/peggy.salz👉🏻 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Website - https://www.mobilegrove.com*** What We Do ***MobileGroove: Mobile Marketing Insights, Trends & Growth StrategiesMobileGroove is a top-ranked destination for mobile marketing, app growth, and customer engagement strategies. We deliver expert analysis, custom research, and strategic content marketing to help mobile-first businesses and tech startups thrive in a fast-moving industry.My videos cover: • User acquisition (UA) best practices • App retention and lifecycle marketing strategies • Personalization and loyalty programs that drive ROI • The latest in mobile advertising and data-driven growth • Success stories from top marketers and mobile-first brandsPeggy is a recognized thought leader, named a Top 100 Mobile Influencer by Mobile World Congress, and the author of Apponomics (with InMobi) and The Everything Guide to Mobile Apps.Subscribe for weekly updates on mobile app marketing, growth hacking, retention tactics, and more.

What does leadership really look like for women in mobile today, across cultures, markets and stages of growth?Recorded live at Think Apps: The Google App Summit in APAC in Vietnam, this MobileGroove episode brings together three senior women leaders to talk candidly about what it takes to lead, be heard and create space for others in the app and mobile ecosystem.I spoke with: - Daphne Tan, Director, Global Partnerships, SellSide Monetization - Eunyoung Kim, Director, KR Sellside Monetization - Yukako Yokoyama, Director, Global Partnerships, Sellside Monetization – JapanThis is not a panel about titles or career ladders. It’s a conversation about leadership in practice, shaped by lived experience across Asia and global markets, with lessons that resonate far beyond APAC.In this episode, we talk about:What women bring to leadership in mobile and tech that often goes unrecognized- Why finding your voice matters, especially in cultures where speaking up is not the norm- How vulnerability, listening and empathy become leadership strengths- Why homogeneous thinking is a red flag, not alignment- What it takes to create work environments where women can thrive- How mentorship, sponsorship and simply opening the door can change careers- The differences and shared truths between leading in Eastern and Western culturesWe also explore how women shape innovation by bringing diverse life experiences into product thinking, why inclusion leads to better apps and better businesses, and how leadership evolves as purpose begins to outweigh ambition.If you’re a woman building a career in mobile, leading teams, mentoring others or simply finding your voice, this conversation offers perspective, reassurance and practical wisdom that travels across borders.*** Subscribe for More ***👉🏻YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PeggyAnneSalz?sub_confirmation=1👉🏻Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yFF2InbeIgkIRcxvDy3jm👉🏻Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/28e1039b-4ead-4c48-aed7-8aceb5195fa6/mobilegroove👉🏻On Point Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7020756661006925824*** Let's Connect ***👉🏻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/peggy.salz👉🏻 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Website - https://www.mobilegrove.com*** What We Do ***MobileGroove: Mobile Marketing Insights, Trends & Growth StrategiesMobileGroove is a top-ranked destination for mobile marketing, app growth, and customer engagement strategies. We deliver expert analysis, custom research, and strategic content marketing to help mobile-first businesses and tech startups thrive in a fast-moving industry.My videos cover: • User acquisition (UA) best practices • App retention and lifecycle marketing strategies • Personalization and loyalty programs that drive ROI • The latest in mobile advertising and data-driven growth • Success stories from top marketers and mobile-first brandsPeggy is a recognized thought leader, named a Top 100 Mobile Influencer by Mobile World Congress, and the author of Apponomics (with InMobi) and The Everything Guide to Mobile Apps.Subscribe for weekly updates on mobile app marketing, growth hacking, retention tactics, and more.

Rakuten Viber blocks around 2% of ads on purpose.At global scale, that is not a rounding error. It is a strategy. In this episode, we look at why one of the world’s largest messaging apps is willing to block demand in order to protect users, trust and long-term growth.I’m joined by Sebastian Totte, Programmatic Partnerships Manager at Rakuten Viber, to unpack how a people-first super app approaches ad quality, why ad experience is app experience, and why giving an external tool the power to block any demand partner is a deliberate and sometimes uncomfortable decision.Sebastian explains how Viber uses ad quality data to reduce user complaints, protect retention and even uncover new direct and PMP deal opportunities, all while operating across messaging, marketplace, dating and payments at massive scale.This conversation is part of PlayerFirst Perspectives, a MobileGroove mini-series powered by AppHarbr. It’s a series about fixing ad quality and developing ad policies so users stay in your app or game, and you can enforce what you believe is right for your players.👉 Join the conversation Be part of the Player First Collective on Slack, where marketers, product teams and platforms swap real examples of bad ads, policy fixes and UX wins, and compare notes on what’s working. Slack invite link - https://join.slack.com/t/playerfirstcollective/shared_invite/zt-3kcihn2oh-jXuCNSOYnqIFjynxegYUugIn this episode, Sebastian tells me:- Why Rakuten Viber treats ad quality as a growth lever, not a cost, and why blocking around 2% of ads is worth it- How a people-first super app thinks about monetization when ads are part of everyday communication, not just gameplay- How Viber uses AppHarbr by GeoEdge to scan ads across all demand partners and finally get a single view of everything running on its inventory- What granular ad policies look like in practice, including country-level rules, sensitive categories, domain controls and restrictions on redirects and auto-expand formats- Why there is no appetite for leeway on deceptive or sexually explicit ads, even when they could drive short-term revenue- Which metrics matter most when you take ad quality seriously, from fewer user complaints to better retention and cleaner app store reviews- How ad quality data can reveal which domains hit your inventory most often and where direct deals may actually make sense- What he’s watching next in ad quality, from AI-generated ads and more sophisticated scams to stricter regulation and ongoing enforcement challengesStay tuned for upcoming PlayerFirst Perspectives episodes on MobileGroove, where we continue to explore how publishers, platforms and partners are turning ad quality, policy and player trust into a real growth advantage.*** Subscribe for More ***👉🏻YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PeggyAnneSalz?sub_confirmation=1👉🏻Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yFF2InbeIgkIRcxvDy3jm👉🏻Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/28e1039b-4ead-4c48-aed7-8aceb5195fa6/mobilegroove👉🏻On Point Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7020756661006925824*** Let's Connect ***👉🏻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/peggy.salz👉🏻 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Website - https://www.mobilegrove.com

Vulcan Labs has quietly built one of Vietnam’s most successful subscription app businesses, and now it is doing the same with AI.Recorded live at Think Apps: The Google App Summit in APAC in Vietnam, I spoke with Trish Dang, CEO of Vulcan Labs, about the hard part of modern app growth: scaling subscriptions and ads without damaging user experience.Vulcan Labs has launched more than 60 apps globally and built one of the strongest subscription portfolios in Vietnam. In recent years, the team has also been an early mover in AI-powered apps, including an AI assistant and AI-driven health products, while keeping product quality and retention at the center.In this conversation, Trish and I cover:- How Vulcan Labs built subscription growth by prioritizing product quality- Why user experience comes before monetization decisions- How the team balances subscriptions and ads across markets with different willingness to pay- What it takes to integrate ads without breaking trust or disrupting flow- Why ad content, timing and quality matter as much as placement- How Vulcan approaches global distribution with smart localization- What Trish is seeing in Vietnam’s app ecosystem, including growing opportunities for women in mobileWe also talk about leadership, building sustainable teams and what it means to grow an app business from Vietnam for a global audience.If you are an indie developer, founder, or product builder exploring subscriptions, AI apps, and monetization without compromising UX, this episode offers practical insights from a team that knows how to scale. *** Subscribe for More ***👉🏻YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PeggyAnneSalz?sub_confirmation=1👉🏻Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yFF2InbeIgkIRcxvDy3jm👉🏻Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/28e1039b-4ead-4c48-aed7-8aceb5195fa6/mobilegroove👉🏻On Point Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7020756661006925824*** Let's Connect ***👉🏻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/peggy.salz👉🏻 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Website - https://www.mobilegrove.com*** What We Do ***MobileGroove: Mobile Marketing Insights, Trends & Growth StrategiesMobileGroove is a top-ranked destination for mobile marketing, app growth, and customer engagement strategies. We deliver expert analysis, custom research, and strategic content marketing to help mobile-first businesses and tech startups thrive in a fast-moving industry.My videos cover: • User acquisition (UA) best practices • App retention and lifecycle marketing strategies • Personalization and loyalty programs that drive ROI • The latest in mobile advertising and data-driven growth • Success stories from top marketers and mobile-first brandsPeggy is a recognized thought leader, named a Top 100 Mobile Influencer by Mobile World Congress, and the author of Apponomics (with InMobi) and The Everything Guide to Mobile Apps.Subscribe for weekly updates on mobile app marketing, growth hacking, retention tactics, and more.

Growth isn’t platform-to-platform anymore. It’s everything to everything.In this episode of MobileGroove, I spoke with Barak Witkowski, Chief Product Officer at AppsFlyer, about how growth teams are operating in a world where users move fluidly across apps, web, CTV, retail and alternative app stores, and why old mental models no longer hold up.Barak shares what AppsFlyer is seeing across the market right now, including the 15 distinct growth flows teams are trying to measure, why launching 10 products in parallel was necessary to support that reality, and how AI is moving from insight to action.We cover: Why growth is now everything to everythingThe 15 cross-platform flows teams still underestimateWhat it takes to launch 10 products at once and why it matteredWhy AI works best when you onboard it like a new hireWhere autonomous marketing is already delivering results, and where it is not ready yetWhat modern measurement looks like when you shift from devices to usersWhy data collaboration is becoming a growth lever rather than an experimentThis conversation builds on work originally developed in close collaboration with ConsultMyApp (CMA) and other industry partners, which is why Barak and I reconnect one year later. We trade hard truths and pressure test what actually scaled.Download the Sustainable Growth HandbookThis work was developed in close collaboration with ConsultMyApp (CMA) and other industry partners.If you are responsible for growth, measurement or product strategy and trying to make sense of AI, data and fragmentation without the hype, this episode offers a clear frame for what comes next.*** Subscribe for More ***👉🏻YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PeggyAnneSalz?sub_confirmation=1👉🏻Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yFF2InbeIgkIRcxvDy3jm👉🏻Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/28e1039b-4ead-4c48-aed7-8aceb5195fa6/mobilegroove👉🏻On Point Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7020756661006925824*** Let's Connect ***👉🏻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/peggy.salz👉🏻 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Website - https://www.mobilegrove.com*** What We Do ***MobileGroove: Mobile Marketing Insights, Trends & Growth StrategiesMobileGroove is a top-ranked destination for mobile marketing, app growth, and customer engagement strategies. We deliver expert analysis, custom research, and strategic content marketing to help mobile-first businesses and tech startups thrive in a fast-moving industry.My videos cover: User acquisition (UA) best practicesApp retention and lifecycle marketing strategiesPersonalization and loyalty programs that drive ROIThe latest in mobile advertising and data-driven growthSuccess stories from top marketers and mobile-first brandsPeggy is a recognized thought leader, named a Top 100 Mobile Influencer by Mobile World Congress, and the author of Apponomics (with InMobi) and The Everything Guide to Mobile Apps.Subscribe for weekly updates on mobile app marketing, growth hacking, retention tactics, and more.

In this episode of the Full Funnel App Growth Series powered by Aarki, Peggy sits down with Rajeev Ranjan, VP of Product at Aarki, to demystify one of the most misunderstood topics in mobile marketing today: SKAN and privacy-first measurement.As data becomes delayed, aggregated, and harder to interpret, many teams see SKAN as a blackout. Rajeev argues the opposite. When approached correctly, SKAN becomes a predictable timeline — one that helps marketers make better decisions, not worse ones.This conversation is part podcast, part masterclass, and focuses on what growth leaders actually need to know to operate confidently in 2026 — without drowning in technical detail.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why SKAN is not a loss of signal, but a shift in cadenceHow to treat postbacks as decision points, not just dataWhat to do (and what not to do) at Day 4, Day 10–15, and Day 30Why killing campaigns too early is one of the most expensive mistakes teams makeHow creative testing and retargeting still work under SKAN — just differentlyWhere AI helps, where it fails, and why black-box automation is riskyWhy full-funnel growth now means UA and retargeting working together, earlier than most teams expectRajeev also shares practical lessons from working with marketers across gaming and non-gaming apps, including why waiting too long to re-engage users can permanently cost you high-value cohorts.This episode connects directly to Chapter 4 of the Full Funnel Growth Playbook, where Rajeev lays out a clear framework for reclaiming your data advantage in a privacy-first world, without panic, denial, or guesswork.If you’re responsible for growth, budgets, or performance in a world where feedback loops are slower but expectations haven’t changed, this episode is required listening.*** Subscribe for More ***👉🏻YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PeggyAnneSalz?sub_confirmation=1👉🏻Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yFF2InbeIgkIRcxvDy3jm👉🏻Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/28e1039b-4ead-4c48-aed7-8aceb5195fa6/mobilegroove👉🏻On Point Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7020756661006925824*** Let's Connect ***👉🏻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/peggy.salz👉🏻 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Website - https://www.mobilegrove.com*** What We Do ***MobileGroove: Mobile Marketing Insights, Trends & Growth StrategiesMobileGroove is a top-ranked destination for mobile marketing, app growth, and customer engagement strategies. We deliver expert analysis, custom research, and strategic content marketing to help mobile-first businesses and tech startups thrive in a fast-moving industry.My videos cover: User acquisition (UA) best practicesApp retention and lifecycle marketing strategiesPersonalization and loyalty programs that drive ROIThe latest in mobile advertising and data-driven growthSuccess stories from top marketers and mobile-first brandsPeggy is a recognized thought leader, named a Top 100 Mobile Influencer by Mobile World Congress, and the author of Apponomics (with InMobi) and The Everything Guide to Mobile Apps.Subscribe for weekly updates on mobile app marketing, growth hacking, retention tactics, and more.

Footnote: Immersive in-game ads is currently in closed beta and is only available for selected publishersMost publishers are still relying on the same old ad formats and experiences. That feels safe, but it leaves money, premium demand and player trust on the table. In this episode, we dig into why traditional formats are overrated, why immersive in-game ads are underrated, and how a new hybrid monetization model can deliver both revenue and respect for your players.I’m joined by Fatma Gungor Okutan from Google, who works on partnerships with app and game publishers across EMEA. Fresh from the Google App Summit in Dublin, Fatma shares what she’s seeing in the market: publishers hesitant to change formats, brands demanding higher-quality inventory, and players who want ads that blend into the game rather than break the flow.We unpack what immersive in-game ads actually look like – from billboards on virtual race tracks to menu items and pause screens that become native placements – and how AI is shaping everything from creative design to targeting and localization so ads feel relevant, not random.Fatma also calls out the red flags: forced redirects to app stores, confusing or missing exit buttons and low-quality, over-frequent ads that might give you a short-term bump but destroy retention and brand value over time. She explains why even hyper-casual games now need to balance frequency, segmentation, and experience to achieve real, sustainable performance.When we talk about the future, Fatma doesn’t pick between ads, IAP or subscriptions. She puts her bet on a new hybrid model where IAP still dominates in absolute dollar terms. Still, ads take a bigger share – as long as publishers use segmentation, smarter formats and ad quality as a core design principle, not an afterthought.This conversation is part of PlayerFirst Perspectives, a MobileGroove mini-series powered by AppHarbr. It’s a series about fixing ad quality and developing ad policies so users stay in your app or game, and you can enforce what you believe is right for your players.👉 Join the conversation Be part of the Player First Collective on Slack, where marketers, product teams and platforms swap real examples of bad ads, immersive formats, policy fixes and UX wins. You’ll find the Slack invite link and more resources in the show notes.In this episode, Fatma tells me:Why relying too much on traditional formats is an overrated trend in mobile game monetizationWhy immersive in-game ads are underrated and how making every item or surface in your game a potential placement can unlock premium, brand-safe demandHow AI is already embedded in Google’s infrastructure, from auctions to new formats, and how publishers are using it for creative design, coding and end-to-end experience buildingWhat a high-quality immersive ad experience looks like for players and for brands that care how they show up in gamesThe ad quality red flags she watches for: too-frequent, low-quality, non-relevant ads that may boost short-term revenue but hurt retention and brand health in the long runHow segmentation by country, behavior and ad tolerance helps you design the right ad mix for different users instead of treating everyone the sameWhy she is betting on a new hybrid monetization model where IAP and ads work together, and quality, formats and segmentation decide who wins*** Subscribe for More ***👉🏻YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PeggyAnneSalz?sub_confirmation=1👉🏻Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yFF2InbeIgkIRcxvDy3jm👉🏻Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/28e1039b-4ead-4c48-aed7-8aceb5195fa6/mobilegroove👉🏻On Point Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7020756661006925824

For years, app and game growth felt like a sugar rush. Cheap installs, aggressive ads, quick wins. That era is over. Now we’re finally seeing hard data on what disruptive ad experiences really do to player retention – including how one bad ad can trigger instant churn and how repeat exposure can burn through half your audience.In this episode, I’m joined by Alexis de Charentenay, Director for EMEA App and Gaming at Google, live from the Google App Summit in Dublin. Alexis explains why he believes we’re in a post–sugar rush phase, what new ad quality data is revealing about user behavior and how AI inside Google’s stack is helping filter out the junk so publishers can protect players and performance.This conversation is part of PlayerFirst Perspectives, a MobileGroove mini-series powered by AppHarbr. It’s all about fixing ad quality and building ad policies that keep users in your app or game so you can enforce what you believe is right for your players.👉 Join the conversationBe part of the Player First Collective on Slack, where marketers, product teams and platforms swap examples of bad ads, policy fixes and UX wins. In this episode, Alexis tells me:Why he says the industry has been on a “sugar rush” and what changes in the post–sugar rush eraWhat new Google data shows about immediate churn after a single disruptive ad, and how repeat bad experiences can burn through half your audienceHow AI is built into Google’s ad stack to detect and filter low-quality and disruptive formats at scaleWhy publishers need visibility into how specific ad experiences affect retention, not just short-term revenueHow to push partners and networks on ad quality and make it part of your brand promiseWhy retention should be your North Star metric – and how to aim for both high ad quality and high performance instead of trading one for the otherStay tuned for upcoming PlayerFirst Perspectives episodes on MobileGroove, where we explore how publishers, platforms and partners are turning ad quality, policy and player trust into a real growth advantage.*** Subscribe for More ***👉🏻YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PeggyAnneSalz?sub_confirmation=1👉🏻Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yFF2InbeIgkIRcxvDy3jm👉🏻Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/28e1039b-4ead-4c48-aed7-8aceb5195fa6/mobilegroove👉🏻On Point Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7020756661006925824*** Let's Connect ***👉🏻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/peggy.salz👉🏻 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Website - https://www.mobilegrove.com*** What We Do ***MobileGroove: Mobile Marketing Insights, Trends & Growth StrategiesMobileGroove is a top-ranked destination for mobile marketing, app growth, and customer engagement strategies. We deliver expert analysis, custom research, and strategic content marketing to help mobile-first businesses and tech startups thrive in a fast-moving industry.My videos cover: • User acquisition (UA) best practices • App retention and lifecycle marketing strategies • Personalization and loyalty programs that drive ROI • The latest in mobile advertising and data-driven growth • Success stories from top marketers and mobile-first brandsPeggy is a recognized thought leader, named a Top 100 Mobile Influencer by Mobile World Congress, and the author of Apponomics (with InMobi) and The Everything Guide to Mobile Apps.Subscribe for weekly updates on mobile app marketing, growth hacking, retention tactics, and more.

Publishers are done being passive participants in their own monetization stacks.Recorded live at the Google App Summit in Dublin, this MobileGroove episode features two candid conversations with experienced publishers who are taking a clear, player-first stance on ad quality, trust and long-term value.I spoke with:Otto Simola, Head of Player Acquisition and Monetization at FingersoftAnastasiia Paliienko, Marketing Lead at 6037Together, we unpack how publishers are rethinking monetization as a product decision, and why ad quality, policy and trust are now central to sustainable growth.With Otto, I talk about:Why user acquisition and monetization must operate as one systemHow poor ad quality quietly erodes long-term retentionWhy publishers have more power than they think to push back on bad adsWhat clear value exchange gets right in rewarded experiencesWhy measuring retention over time matters more than short-term performanceWhere AI helps today in detecting low-quality and misleading adsWith Anastasiia, I dig into:What it means to scale subscription apps without compromising trustWhy hybrid monetization is becoming essentialHow ad policy and platform standards support better player experiencesWhere AI is already changing creative production and testingWhy value, honesty and relevance matter more than clicks aloneAcross both conversations, a clear theme emerges: publishers are shifting to a player-first perspective, where ad quality, trust and long-term value are treated as core growth levers, not trade-offs.PlayerFirst Perspectives on MobileGrooveThis episode is part of PlayerFirst Perspectives, a MobileGroove mini-series powered by AppHarbr.The series focuses on improving ad quality and developing ad policies so users stay in your app or game and publishers can enforce policies that are right for their players.👉 Join the conversationBe part of the Player First Collective on Slack, where marketers, product teams and platforms share real examples of bad ads, policy fixes and UX wins.*** Subscribe for More ***👉🏻YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PeggyAnneSalz?sub_confirmation=1👉🏻Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yFF2InbeIgkIRcxvDy3jm👉🏻Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/28e1039b-4ead-4c48-aed7-8aceb5195fa6/mobilegroove👉🏻On Point Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7020756661006925824*** Let's Connect ***👉🏻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/peggy.salz👉🏻 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Website - https://www.mobilegrove.com*** What We Do ***MobileGroove: Mobile Marketing Insights, Trends & Growth StrategiesMobileGroove is a top-ranked destination for mobile marketing, app growth, and customer engagement strategies. We deliver expert analysis, custom research, and strategic content marketing to help mobile-first businesses and tech startups thrive in a fast-moving industry.My videos cover: • User acquisition (UA) best practices • App retention and lifecycle marketing strategies • Personalization and loyalty programs that drive ROI • The latest in mobile advertising and data-driven growth • Success stories from top marketers and mobile-first brandsPeggy is a recognized thought leader, named a Top 100 Mobile Influencer by Mobile World Congress, and the author of Apponomics (with InMobi) and The Everything Guide to Mobile Apps.Subscribe for weekly updates on mobile app marketing, growth hacking, retention tactics, and more.

Publishers are facing some tough questions: why are there so many bad ads, who actually owns ad quality, and what can publishers do about it right now?In this candid backstage debrief, I’m joined by Božo Janković (Ad Monetization Consultant at GameBiz Consulting) right after we leave the main stage at the Google App Summit in Dublin to unpack the realities publishers face every day. We talk through a simple way to frame ad quality – from harmful content and deceptive templates to nonstop ad spam and hidden malicious code – and why ad experience is app experience for your users and your bottom line.Božo also shares insights from a Google / AdMob / Deloitte study showing that 1 in 5 players will quit a game after a negative ad experience. We also dig into what happens when the industry doesn’t fix this itself: user backlash, app store pressure and, eventually, regulation.This conversation is part of PlayerFirst Perspectives, a MobileGroove mini-series powered by AppHarbr. It’s a series about fixing ad quality and developing ad policies so users stay in your app or game, and you can enforce what you believe is right for your players.👉 Join the conversationBe part of the PlayerFirst Collective on Slack, where marketers, product teams and platforms swap real examples of bad ads, policy fixes and UX wins – and compare notes on what’s working. In this backstage episode, we talk about:Why there may be more bad ads than good ones – from disgusting or misleading creatives to malware, spyware and scams hidden under the surfaceA simple ad quality “stack”: ad content, ad templates and UX, ad implementation and frequency, and ad integrityWhat the Google / AdMob / Deloitte data reveals about churn, player choice and the real revenue impact of negative vs positive ad experiencesThe four key stakeholders in ad quality – advertisers, ad networks and mediation, publishers and app stores – and how responsibility and power are sharedWhy publishers have more leverage than they think: defining ad policies, insisting networks enforce templates and shifting teams from quantity to qualityHow communities help share solutions and push the industry toward higher standardsWhy ignoring ad quality is no longer an option if you care about profitable growth, valuations and building a business with solid, sustainable metricsStay tuned for upcoming PlayerFirst Perspectives episodes on MobileGroove, where we continue to dig into how publishers, platforms and partners are turning ad quality, policy and player trust into a real growth advantage.*** Subscribe for More ***👉🏻YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/PeggyAnneSalz?sub_confirmation=1👉🏻Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5yFF2InbeIgkIRcxvDy3jm👉🏻Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/28e1039b-4ead-4c48-aed7-8aceb5195fa6/mobilegroove👉🏻On Point Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7020756661006925824*** Let's Connect ***👉🏻 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/peggy.salz👉🏻 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/peggyannesalz👉🏻 Website - https://www.mobilegrove.com

Bad ads don’t just annoy users – they quietly drain your growth. Intrusive, misleading or unsafe creatives push players to churn, wreck trust and make your monetization look worse than it really is. This episode is about how to stop that leak and turn ad breaks into a player-first experience instead of a reason to uninstall.Berk Ulusoy works with leading app and game publishers at Google on the AdMob team. He shares what Google’s best-performing partners do differently: how they spot bad ad UX before it becomes a churn problem, how they use segmentation to protect high-value users and why clear ad policies have become a growth lever, not just a brand-safety checkbox.This conversation is part of PlayerFirst Perspectives, a new MobileGroove mini-series powered by AppHarbr. It’s a series about fixing ad quality and developing ad policies so users stay in your app or game, and you can enforce what you believe is right for your players.👉 Join the conversation: Be part of the Player First Collective on Slack, where marketers, product teams and platforms swap examples of bad ads, policy fixes and UX wins. You’ll find the Slack invite link and more resources in the show notes.In this episode, Berk tells me:Why one bad ad can be enough to make a player quit your app or gameWhat Google is seeing in ad UX across EMEA and how different markets approach experimentationHow to use segmentation (payers vs non-payers, regions, behaviors) to design smarter ad experiencesHow to think about formats, density and placements so ads feel integrated, not intrusiveWhy it pays to start conservative with monetization tests, then scale once you understand user expectationsHow to balance rewarded ads, IAP and other revenue streams without breaking UXHow to work with partners like Google AdMob and AppHarbr to clean up bad ads and enforce your policiesStay tuned for upcoming PlayerFirst Perspectives episodes on MobileGroove, where we dig into how publishers, platforms and partners are turning ad quality, policy and player trust into a real growth advantage.

Growing an app has never been harder. Privacy limits are rising, signals are shrinking, and marketers are expected to deliver more with less. In this episode, Nicoline Strøm-Jensen from Adjust tells me how teams can still grow with confidence when the data gets thin.Nicoline is an Engineering Operations Manager at Adjust and a Top 100 App Leader known for turning complex measurement into clear, actionable strategies. She explains why installs no longer tell the full story, how retention-led growth is reshaping budgets, and why user journeys now depend on transparency, trust, and deeper signals across the funnel.This conversation is part of the 2026 Full Funnel App Growth Series on MobileGroove powered by Aarki, where we unpack how growth really happens in a privacy first world — and why marketers need new playbooks, not just new tactics.In this episode, Nicoline tells me: What Adjust’s data reveals about global shifts in app growthWhy healthy growth now depends on engagement and retentionHow funnels are becoming continuous learning loopsWhy the value contract matters for trust and personalizationHow marketers can act on delayed or limited signalsHow deep linking rebuilds journey continuityWhere AI assists with faster, clearer decision-makingStay tuned for the upcoming Full Funnel App Growth Playbook and future episodes in this series, where we explore how marketers are turning privacy, performance, and creativity into a real growth advantage.🔗 Connect with Nicoline Strøm-Jensen (Adjust) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sinemdemiroz/ Adjust: https://www.adjust.com/

Rovio is showing the industry what’s possible when UA and re-engagement work together.In this new episode of the 2026 Full Funnel App Growth Series powered by Aarki, Peggy speaks with two of Rovio’s seasoned performance marketers, Martin Boccardi and Sinem Demiroz, to unpack how Angry Birds 2 is achieving exceptional results by rethinking segmentation, creative strategy, and predictive retargeting windows.🎯 Results They Achieved:Beat Day 90 ROI goals by 1.7x on averageHit their Day 365 LTV target in just 3 monthsIncreased retention and sessions even as installs dippedScaled retargeting operations through dynamic (daily) list uploadsUncovered high-potential “movable middle” audiences previously missedIn this conversation, Martin and Sinem share how Rovio:Shifted from static rules to predictive re-engagement thinkingIdentified audiences with high future value — not just past purchasesShortened inactivity windows despite higher organic overlapBuilt a creative flywheel where UA insights feed retargeting (and back again)Embraced nostalgia-driven creatives that perform across the funnelAdopted a testing culture where “don’t be afraid” is the growth mindsetThis episode is packed with learnings about segmentation, timing, creative strategy, and collaboration — and why retargeting is no longer an afterthought but a core growth lever in a privacy-first world.🔗 Connect with the GuestsSinem Demiroz (Rovio) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sinemdemiroz/Rovio: https://www.rovio.com/Martin Boccardi (Rovio) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-boccardi/ Rovio: https://www.rovio.com/

What happens when you treat retargeting like a real growth channel—not just an experiment?For Aleyna Cerrah, UA Manager at APPS, the result was a jump from 30% to 100% ROAS in just 28 days—powered by a creative-first strategy and close collaboration with Aarki.In this MobileGroove episode (recorded at MAU), Aleyna breaks down how her team achieved those numbers by combining smart segmentation, AI-generated creative hooks, and weekly iteration. Plus: why playables aren’t great for re-engagement, what KPIs matter most, and how retargeting became a bridge between UA and product.🎯 This is the full-funnel blueprint for turning retargeting into your next major growth engine.Aleyna Cerrah: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleyna-cerrah/APPS: https://apps.com.tr/#ROAS #Retargeting #AppMarketing #MobileGrowth #Aarki #MobileGroove #CreativeTesting #FullFunnelMarketing #UserAcquisition #PerformanceMarketing

Can a video game treat depression? Teach democracy? Help us remember history?In this special MobileGroove episode, we meet the creators who believe games can do all this — and more. Recorded at the POSSIBLE conference, Play with Purpose brings together three powerful conversations with game changers working at the intersection of entertainment and impact.🎮 Jukka from Soihtu shares how his team is designing a game to treat major depression — a title that’s already seen 1,000+ patients play for 46+ hours and is moving toward FDA approval.🇩🇪 Felix from the German Federal Agency for Civic Education explains how their agency is supporting indie games that explore democracy, media literacy, and social justice.🕹️ Luc from Of Light and Darkness tells the story behind his Holocaust education game, played by over 2 million people globally — and why it’s sparking conversations that outlast gameplay.If you’re a developer, brand, educator, or someone who believes games can spark change, this episode will challenge and inspire you.Jukka Laakso: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juklaakso/ Soihtu DTX: https://soihtudtx.com/Felix Zimmermann: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felix-zimmermann-07694a1a5/ and https://felix-zimmermann.net/ Germany Federal Agency for Civic Education: https://www.bpb.de/die-bpb/ueber-uns/federal-agency-for-civic-education/ Luc Bernard: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardluc/Voices of the Forgotten: https://www.voicesoftheforgotten.com/Other Mentions: Media Circus: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3868010/Media_Circus/Take Us North: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/takeusnorth/take-us-north/rewardsCompensation Not Guaranteed: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2795590/Compensation_Not_Guaranteed/The Darkest Files: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2058730/The_Darkest_Files/Glasshouse: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2244700/Glasshouse/Tears of Libya: https://www.voicesoftheforgotten.com/tearsoflibya

What happens when your audience becomes your investors—and your co-creators?In this episode of MobileGroove, recorded live at Gamescom, host Peggy Anne Salz talks with Dan Francis and Shem Selah of Fateless Games, the studio behind the upcoming game Godforge.It’s a deep dive into a community-powered game development model that’s raised $14M, attracted 50,000+ alpha testers, and brought together Emmy-winning talent and game veterans—all without traditional VC funding.They unpack:🎮 How their content creator roots shaped a community-first approach🧱 Why they designed the entire alpha as a tower-based competition🔥 What it takes to build not just a game—but a living, breathing IP and brand🎯 Why modern devs must master activations, narrative, and long-tail loyaltyIf you’re building a game, brand, or fanbase from the ground up, this is a masterclass in turning early engagement into lasting momentum.

Gaming is no longer a niche — it’s where culture, identity, and consumer attention all converge. In this MobileGroove x Gamescom special, Peggy Anne Salz sits down with Bastian Bergmann (COO of Solsten and author of Press Play) and Erika Wykes-Sneyd (Adidas, PlayStation) to explore how brands can truly show up in games — not just as logos, but as immersive, strategic partners in play.From building a 24/7 virtual store in Roblox to selling NFT-based avatars, Erika shares how she led Adidas’ gaming evolution and aligned internal stakeholders along the way. Bastian explains how Solsten helps brands move from stereotype to strategy — and why it’s time to treat gaming like the channel it is, not just an experiment.Whether you’re in marketing, brand strategy, product, or innovation — this is your playbook for getting gaming right.

Rewarded ads are evolving—and return on ad spend is just the beginning.In this episode of MobileGroove, host Peggy Anne Salz sits down with David Ruggiero from TyrAds to explore a more holistic approach to rewarded user acquisition—one that blends personalization, timing, and real user motivation.With firsthand experience on the publisher side, David shares how TyrAds is:Building a new SDK for level-based rewards and better segmentationApplying rewarded strategies across verticals—from mobile games to FinTech appsUsing data and loyalty loops to increase engagement and retentionHelping developers understand what makes rewarded ads work (or fail)Whether you’re launching a new app, optimizing monetization, or looking beyond ROAS, this episode is packed with strategies to help you grow smarter.David Ruggiero: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-ruggiero-810766100/TyrAds: https://tyrads.com/