HOMA

The objective

Finding high-LTV users while keeping cost efficient CPIs

HOMA, a well known mobile game developer, gained recognition for their successful gaming titles like Merge Master or Sky Roller.

They have established a strong presence on TikTok and consistently saw success for their titles on the platform. With this track record in mind, when HOMA launched their latest title, Attack Hole, TikTok became an integral component of their media mix for game promotion.

Attack Hole is an engaging hyper-casual game where players navigate a black hole to consume various objects and attack enemies. Following the freemium monetization model, the game is free to download and play, offering the option "no ads" purchase to enhance the gameplay and remove advertisements.

The primary objective was to drive a substantial number of installations, both on Android and iOS14+, and attract high-value users with long-term value, all while maintaining a cost-efficient cost per install.

The Solution

Building comprehensive approach to drive user acquisition and creative innovation

As the campaign's objective extended beyond simply generating a high number of installations, but rather focused on acquiring players with a high LTV, a comprehensive full-funnel approach was necessary.

Also, the promotion strategy aimed to leverage the initial "honeymoon" phase of game scaling, where relatively low CPIs and notably higher LTV are observed due to the game's novelty. During this phase, mobile app install campaigns were launched and expanded across all 40+ target markets. Once a substantial number of installations and user base were achieved, the campaign shifted towards value optimization. This involved targeting users who had been actively engaged with the game for a longer period, as they were more likely to make in-app purchases and exhibit greater retention compared to non-purchasers.

By implementing this strategy, the campaign sought to maximize both short-term installs and long-term value, ensuring a robust user base with strong monetization potential. Additionally, the title promotion included App Profile Page, a TikTok solution that helps advertisers optimize delivery performance of iOS dedicated campaigns by collecting additional high-intent onsite signals. Already familiar with TikTok, HOMA recognized the significant role that creatives play in the overall success of a game.

To mitigate the risk of creative fatigue and effectively scale across numerous markets, they produced over 500 unique creatives. These creatives primarily focused on showcasing the gameplay and utilized various features offered by TikTok, such as text-to-speech functionality. Additionally, the creatives were thoughtfully adapted to multiple languages.

As the campaign progressed, HOMA sought to introduce fresh perspectives and innovative angles into their creative approach. This led them to implement the TikTok Creative Challenge (TTCC), an official creator monetization program, which enables TikTok creators to generate user-generated content-style ads for brands.

By leveraging TTCC, HOMA were able to generate +250 TikTok-native creatives, adding to the campaign the unique vision of TikTok creators. This approach further elevated the campaign's performance and brought an added layer of authenticity and engagement to their paid promotion on the platform.

The Results

Surpassing expectations and achieving cost-efficient performance

HOMA's campaign for Attack Hole TikTok promotion exceeded expectations. During 6 months of always-on activity, the campaign generated 6 million installs. This, of course, contributed to Attack Hole being the most downloaded game globally in Q1 2023.

HOMA succeeded in generating cost - efficient app installs both on iOS and Android, which were 36% and 29% respectively lower than platform average for similar titles in the US market. Also, the CVR was significantly higher for both iOS and Android, exceeding platform average for similar titles in the US by 48% and 25% respectively.

Additionally , the gaming publisher succeeded in building a strong organic presence on TikTok with 250K followers that were acquired organically.