Drive installs from users most likely to open your app, use it, and stay.
Getting your app built is one problem. Getting qualified users to install it, and keep using it, is another. We manage paid acquisition campaigns that go beyond install counts to optimise for the users who actually generate value.
Overview
What App Download Campaigns involves, and why it works.
Google App Campaigns are among the most automated campaign types in the Google Ads ecosystem. The distinction between install volume and install quality matters enormously for app businesses. We configure campaigns to optimise for the in-app actions that correspond to users who will remain active.
The problem
Most businesses with a mobile app either rely entirely on organic discovery or run Google App Campaigns with no audience signals: acquiring installs at unsustainable cost from users who open the app once and never return.
The result
Campaigns optimised for in-app conversion events rather than installs alone typically reduce cost-per-qualified-install by 30–50%. We track install volume, cost-per-install, and in-app conversion rates every month.
What's included
Everything you need. Nothing you don't.
Google App Campaign Setup
Full campaign setup across Search, Google Play Store, Display, and YouTube : Google's App campaigns run across all four surfaces automatically.
Asset Group Build
5 text lines, 5 landscape images, 1 square image, and video assets (optional but strongly recommended). The quality of these assets determines how aggressively Google's algorithm bids for your installs.
Audience Signal Upload
We upload your existing customer lists and CRM contacts as audience signals to tell Google's algorithm what your ideal user looks like.
Campaign Objective Configuration
Install-focused campaigns for new app launches; in-app action campaigns for apps with existing conversion data; pre-registration campaigns for upcoming launches.
Firebase ↔ Google Ads Integration
We connect your Firebase SDK to Google Ads so in-app events are tracked and reported as conversions, not just installs.
Monthly Performance Report
Installs, cost-per-install, in-app conversion rate, 7-day and 30-day retention signals, and what we're changing next month.
Who this is for
Businesses with an existing mobile app (iOS or Android) seeking to grow their South African user base through paid acquisition. Minimum recommended ad spend: R4,000 per month.
Not right for you if
Your app is not yet built or not yet live in the app stores. We can advise on pre-registration campaigns for upcoming launches, but we can't drive installs for an app that doesn't exist yet.
Works best alongside
Meta App Install campaigns complement Google App Campaigns for consumer apps targeting Facebook and Instagram users.
We also build the custom web and mobile applications that app campaigns promote.
App Download Campaigns are one of nine channels we manage under our Digital Marketing service.
See the work
Not just talk: browse the case studies.
FAQ
Common questions about App Download Campaigns.
We just launched our app : is it too early to run campaigns?+
It depends on your objective. For install campaigns, you can start immediately. For in-app action campaigns, you ideally want at least 50 conversion events per week before switching the optimisation target.
Do you also manage App Store Optimisation (ASO)?+
ASO is adjacent to but separate from paid campaign management. We can advise on ASO fundamentals but our core focus is paid acquisition.
Can you run App campaigns on Meta as well as Google?+
Yes. Meta App Install campaigns run across Facebook, Instagram, and Meta's Audience Network. For most South African consumer apps, Google and Meta campaigns complement each other.
Start your project.
CONTACTTell us about your business and what you're trying to achieve. No obligation, just a conversation to see if we're the right fit.
// We work with a small number of clients at a time. Every enquiry gets a considered response, not a template.