Top takeaways from The 2025 App Publisher Halftime Show
We’re over halfway through 2025 already, which makes it a great time to ask what’s been working (and what’s not) in the world of app publishing and mobile marketing. To that end, we gathered five experts and asked them about the current state of app marketing, the strategies they’ve seen success using thus far in 2025, and the trends we should look forward to in 2026. We talked with: Read on for some of the takeaways from this lively conversation. Most overrated trend: alternative app stores While not everyone on the panel agreed, we heard from two experts that alternative app stores are the most overrated trend of the year. By getting your app into these stores, you supposedly gain access to new regions and audiences. But the results aren’t often worth the effort. Monetization is difficult enough as it is, and if you have to persuade users to try downloading from an alternative app store? That’s a lot more work with fewer rewards. In the first place, it’s tough getting users to switch from their preferred app store. But then you’ll have to maintain your app’s presence in multiple stores, creating more work in the long run. There are better ways to use that time and effort. For example: nurture direct relationships with users. Or, build alternative ways to transact outside of the app store and nudge your high-spending “whales” toward these transactions. Emerging monetization strategy: hybrid monetization Most of the panel agreed that hybrid monetization was one strategy gaining traction this year. By combining several revenue-generating models, an app can maximize profitability. This means you see apps offering in-app purchases alongside subscription models, and even sponsorships. One thing all our experts agreed on, though, is to lead with ad monetization. According to Alex Merutka of CRAFTSMAN+: “An easy way to make money quickly is to turn on ads.” Taking it a step further, if you want more people to engage with your advertising and stay inside your app, you’ve got to start using rewarded video ads to complement your other monetization strategies. These 30-second promos followed by a playable experience are effective because they’re opt-in and deliver immediate value to the user. Josh Chandley of WildCard Games shared: “If you’re in-app purchase only, best-case scenario is you’re going to monetize 3% to 5% of your players. If you integrate rewarded video and interstitial ads aggressively, you can be monetizing 95%. It just moves the needle.” Hottest ad format: playable ads It’s no surprise that the panel was enthusiastic about playables. This format allows users to preview a game directly from an ad. Users initiate a gaming experience without needing to download the app. It offers immediate value to the user. That’s why engagement is higher than other formats and conversion rates so effective that even non-gaming apps are getting in on the action. Merutka said: “In the last year, we’re probably up over 4X in inbounds around playables of companies you would never think would be doing playables.” Biggest challenge: creative fatigue The panel agreed that creative fatigue is a hurdle that every app publisher is contending with. Users are getting tired of seeing ads since every brand is fighting for engagement. But they’re also annoyed seeing the same ads over and over again. Hence, lower engagement. You can combat this creative fatigue by managing the ad funnel. The panel suggested investing in tools that let you create ads, test them, and implement them quickly. And finding the right SSP partners who can help you use new formats and channels that counter the “banner blindness” that sets in. A good partner helps you test new ideas and optimize. Buzzwords of 2026: generative video AI Finally, everyone on the panel had their individual ideas about which buzzwords would dominate 2026. But one stood out: generative video. With innovations like Google Gemini Veo 3, barriers to producing top quality video continue to come down. And we’ll likely see more new services emerge that enable mom-and-pop companies to create video content rivaling those of big brands. Generative video AI cuts down on the time it takes to produce content, leaving the only real challenge: stand out from the rest of the people using it. This will require being smarter and having real people add the human touch that turns AI video output into world-class advertisements. Want more? Watch the App Publisher Halftime Show on-demand For a deeper dive into what these experts thought were the hottest ad formats or what other app monetization strategies they recommend, feel free to watch the webinar recording anytime. Bonus: Get the report Watching the on-demand webinar also gets you access to the App Publisher Halftime Report! You’ll find the key results of our latest Publisher Pulse Poll.
