“To be or not to be” was the Philosopher’s question. “To incent or not to incent” is the Mobile App Marketer’s question.
While opinions are divided on which form of mobile advertising is more superior, we believe that both incent and non-incent ads have their unique pros and cons and can be used to achieve specific marketing goals.
Simply put, incent ads are those which incentivize the user for completing an action. The action can be an app download, referring a friend, submitting an email ID, etc. The incentive or reward can vary depending on the advertiser and the publisher. It can be anything from a mobile recharge to a “life” in a game.
Non-Incent ads do not offer the user any reward on completing the action. The user engages with the ad out of choice or personal interest.
| Incent Ad | |
| Cost to the Advertiser | Less expensive |
|---|---|
| No. of Installs | Higher |
| Effect on App Rank | Exponential increase |
| Quality of User | Mediocre |
| Customer Lifetime Value | Less, as users are in it more for the reward |
| Churn Rate | Higher |
| User Engagement | Less |
| Non-incent Ad | |
| Cost to the Advertiser | More expensive |
|---|---|
| No. of Installs | Lower |
| Effect on App Rank | Gradual increase |
| Quality of User | High |
| Customer Lifetime Value | More, as users are in it out of personal choice |
| Churn Rate | Lower |
| User Engagement | More |
Both Incent and Non-incent ads have their respective usage in mobile app marketing. If you have launched a new app and want to grab some attention, incent is the way to go. More installs mean that you reach the top of the charts faster and gain more visibility. With more visibility, chances of organic installs also improves manifolds.
However, if you want more engagement, active users and better monetization, non-incent is the key.
An ideal mobile marketing plan should involve a healthy mix of both incent and non-incent.
If you would like to know which ad – incent or non-incent – is better for your app, contact us today! We would be happy to help!