How to drive app install campaigns for mobile games

Video game fans have been attracted to TikTok since the beginning, and today that community is larger than ever. All types of gaming fans check their TikTok feeds regularly: hardcore gamers and casual players alike. You can reach them with TikTok Ads Manager, the perfect place for app install campaigns.

Easily create video ads, choose your pricing, and target your audience with pinpoint accuracy. Create some buzz. Boost downloads. Drive in-app purchases. And best of all, the platform is simple to use, from editing your video ads to setting up the parameters of your campaign. Ready to play?

Why gamers flock to TikTok

Video game fandom and creativity go together like Mario and Luigi – and that’s especially true on TikTok. TikTok’s immersive short video format is perfect for showcasing clips of gameplay, sweet moments of victory, and hilarious facepalm fails. Players show off their mad skills, sing ballads about their favorite game, dance to its theme music, and even cosplay as their favorite characters.

Mobile gamers gather on their TikTok feeds to express their creativity and share their love for everything game-related – and that’s where your brand comes in, connecting with your target user right in the palm of their hand.

How TikTok In-Feed Ads work

Clickable, colorful and eye-catching, TikTok In-Feed Ads are 9 to 15-second video ads that appear natively in the For You feed, complete with your brand's profile pic and username. Viewers can like, share, and comment on your ad, or they can click the call-to-action button to jump to your app (or to any destination link you want).

For the most cost-effective option, choose auction ads. These flexible ads have low budget minimums and give you complete control over your bids. They also allow you to make optimizations in the middle of your campaign. In-Feed Ads are also available as reservation placements, which is best when you need guaranteed volume priced at a flat rate.

Whether you’re an online marketing pro or a total n00b, setting up your campaign is a breeze because TikTok Ads Manager walks you through the process step by step. You can use gameplay clips, sneak peeks of new features, or any other video content. We provide all the editing tools that you need to make your ad as attention-grabbing and engaging as possible. Show off your game’s “aha” moments, clever characters, new sound effects, and most of all – give users a feeling for the fun that they can have with your app.

But it’s not just fun and games – In-Feed Ads campaigns can be customized to achieve your specific marketing goals. Use granular targeting to optimize your ad to drive awareness, to drive clicks, or to drive sales with in-app purchases via App Event Optimization(AEO).

Let’s take a closer look at how two very different gaming apps used TikTok Ads Manager for app install campaigns:

Case study: MadBox app install campaign

MadBox is a mobile gaming company known for its casual, lighthearted hits like Sausage Flip and Stickman Hook. The Paris-based company wanted to take things up a notch with their latest title, Idle Ants – so they turned to TikTok's self-serve platform to run a series of auction ads. These biddable campaigns give you total control of your expenses. Simply set your targets in TikTok Ads Manager – and then sit back and let the algorithm find the most efficient, effective path to reach your goal.

MadBox’s goal was to scale up awareness and new app downloads. They created an ad with fun video clips of real gameplay; an enticing glimpse of Idle Ants that appeared directly in users' For You feed. And to top it off: a cool-but-compelling call to action for app installs.

High Score: More than 10,000 app downloads with a powerful 36% conversion rate.

Case study: Flaregames app install campaign

Flaregames is an award-winning mobile games publisher based in Berlin. Like MadBox, they wanted to boost awareness and downloads for their new release, Zombie Gunship Survival. But they also wanted to go beyond the install and increase in-app purchases at the same time.

It’s simple to do just that with the AEO feature in TikTok Ads Manager. With AEO, you can further optimize your ad by targeting users who are most likely to complete a specific action in your app – like make a purchase.

Flaregames used exciting videos of actual gameplay for their ad to give people a thrilling look at the zombie apocalypse. And thanks to AEO, they were able to connect with the most valuable (aka profitable) players.

High Score: 32,000 new users, a 22% increase in RPI (revenue per install), and a 17% increase in payer conversion rate.

Getting started is easy – and fun is essential

Score impressive conversion rates and new users, catch the attention of your target audience and drive up revenue – and have fun doing it. Because the more amusing and entertaining your video ad is, the better your results will be. Having fun is at the heart of gaming – and at the heart of TikTok, too. Together, we’re making playtime more rewarding than ever.

Learn more about launching your next app download campaign with TikTok and take your brand to a whole new level. [PLAYER START->]