Rewarded video ads have consistently shown strong performance for publishers and advertisers alike — and this isn’t limited to just gaming apps. Advertisers and app publishers from a variety of verticals can use rewarded video ads to give something back, gaining favor among users who receive a reward for their attention.
What are rewarded video ads?
Rewarded video ads offer users the opportunity to opt-in to watching a full-screen, non-skippable video ad in exchange for an in-app reward. For gaming apps, the reward is usually an item that gives the player a boost in the game (e.g., additional coins, extra lives, new levels, special tools, or objects). For non-gaming apps, incentives could vary from access to premium content, a free trial, or other types of free top-level features for a limited period of time.
Our In-app User Privacy Report, which surveyed 4,000 mobile app users, found that over 70% of users would prefer to watch an ad for a wide variety of additional in-app benefits.
Here’s a quick breakdown of why rewarded video ads are a win-win for everyone involved:
For the user
Rewarded video lets users have control over their experience within the app by providing the ability to choose when to watch a video ad. In return, they can enjoy premium in-app content in exchange for their engagement.
For the publisher
Since rewarded video ads offer some of the highest eCPMs of all video ad formats, apps leveraging this format can generate some serious revenue. Rewarded video ads also boast high engagement rates and can even improve user retention.
For the advertiser
Rewarded video ads are highly-viewable and non-skippable, so they’re a great way to get a message in front of an audience. They draw more attention and interest from the users compared to other ad formats, due to their opt-in nature and the reward that inevitably comes after engaging with it.
Integrating rewarded video ads into non-gaming apps
It’s clear that this ad format is embraced by gaming publishers for its seamless integration within the gaming environment. When thinking about implementing rewarded video in a non-gaming app, app developers have to identify specific moments where the user would want to gain a boost or reward, as well as figure out what a suitable reward would be. The right reward is one that delivers value to your users while also encouraging them to spend more time in the app. Put yourself in your users’ shoes and understand what they want. We’ve put together four examples below to get you started with some ideas.
1. Offer a premium product
If you have paid features included in your app, let users unlock the premium version in return for watching a rewarded video. Using the example of a music streaming app, you could offer users a rewarded video ad in exchange for a period of ad-free listening or playing.
2. Earn virtual currency to unlock paid features
Did you know that less than 2% of app users make in-app purchases? By offering users an option to experience paid features, you are providing the user with a positive experience, which in return increases user retention and session time. The reward in this case could be a virtual currency that the user can use to unlock certain features. For example, within a photo editing app, users could collect credits to unlock a filter or editing tool. For a fitness app, users could unlock new exercises or additional tracking functionalities.
3. Help users retain their user level
If your app does not have premium features built-in, you can still identify an existing or new feature that you can offer to your users in exchange for viewing a rewarded video ad. For example, in a cooking app, users can start building their user level from beginner to chef by logging into the app. Each consecutive day they log in counts towards their points, and if they miss a day, they have to start over again. This would be an opportunity to implement rewarded video ads to let your users get back their previous user level.
4. Create a rewarded video wall
If your app is also available in a premium version, you could still reward the user with a limited selection of features from the premium version. Choose a premium feature you want to offer and limit the amount of rewarded videos your users can watch within a specific period of time to ensure that the reward doesn’t lose its appeal. For example, within a newspaper app based on a subscription model, the reward for the user could be receiving three additional free articles for watching a video.
Find the right balance
Regardless of which category your app belongs to, you are likely to find a way to implement rewarded video ads in your app monetization strategy. As a non-gaming app, you might find yourself struggling to find the right value for the incentives you want to offer your users. Calculate the right balance between the user’s interest and your own. The reward just needs to be attractive enough for the user to opt-in and just unique enough to have the user continuously come back for more — all without affecting your premium app sales. If you’re not sure what works for your app, test out different rewards and strategies to identify which is best.
