Mobile UA campaign management: 5 best practices to boost your performance 

Mobile UA (User Acquisition) campaign management may seem complex at first. But with the right strategies, it becomes a powerful machine for acquiring qualified, high-value users. At Addict Mobile, we apply these principles every day. Here are 5 key tips to optimize your UA efforts, supported by concrete examples and performance figures. 

What’s Inside?

• 1. Know your audience inside out
• 2. Multiply acquisition channels, strategically
• 3. Leverage creatives that truly grab attention
• 4. Optimize mobile UA campaigns
• 5. Track the right KPIs and optimize continuously 
• 6. Build user loyalty to maximize profitability

1. Know your audience inside and out

A successful UA campaign starts with a deep understanding of your audience. Clearly defining your targets helps you create relevant and high-impact ads. 

How? 

• Analyze your existing data to identify your best-performing users (age, location, interests, usage habits). 

• Create user personas to segment your campaigns. For example, a meditation app might target: 
  • Stressed young professionals (25–34) via Instagram 
  • Seniors looking for wellness (50+) via Facebook 

For this fitness app, visuals are tailored to both female and male audiences.

Example: 

A mobile game used lookalike audiences based on its most active players. Result: a 20% drop in Cost Per Install (CPI) and a 15% increase in Day-7 retention.

2. Multiply channels, strategically 

Relying on just one or two channels means missing out on big opportunities. Diversify your investments, but scale based on performance. 

Channels to explore: 

• Social Ads: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, great for reaching targeted audiences. 

• DSPs (Demand-Side Platforms): Ideal for running programmatic ads on niche audiences. 

• Apple Search Ads / Google App Campaigns: Perfect for capturing users who are actively searching for apps like yours. 

• Influencer Marketing: Partner with content creators to reach highly engaged audiences. 

Example:

A fitness app combined TikTok campaigns (for discovery) and Apple Search Ads (for active search intent). TikTok drove a high volume of installs at a low CPI (€1.20), while Apple Search Ads achieved a 30% post-install conversion rate. 

Tip: Start with small budgets across multiple channels, identify what works best, then reallocate budget accordingly. 

3. Leverage creatives that truly grab attention

In mobile UA, your creatives need to stand out in a sea of content. At Addict Mobile, large-scale creative production ensures this need is continuously met.

Creative best practices: 

• Use short, punchy videos (10–15 seconds). 

• Highlight your value proposition right away. 

• Add subtitles and visible CTAs. 

• Test multiple versions of the same message using different visuals. 

Example: 

A shopping app tested three formats on Meta:

• A demo video 

• An animated promo explainer 

• A user testimonial 

The promotional video achieved 2x higher click-through rate (CTR) and a CPI of $1.50 vs. $2.80 for the others. 

Tip: Rotate your creatives frequently to avoid ad fatigue. 

Boost your performance with creatives

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4. Optimize mobile UA campaigns

UA optimization isn’t just about reducing CPI. At Addict Mobile, this optimization also includes traffic quality, creative consistency, channel efficiency, and users’ long-term value. Here’s what a modern, performance-driven approach looks like: 

Think full-funnel from the media brief

Don’t stop at the install. Design campaigns to drive long-term engagement. That means aligning targeting, messaging, and channels with user intent, whether it’s discovery, consideration, or action.

Prioritize quality over volume

High install volume doesn’t guarantee performance. It’s better to acquire fewer, more qualified users who are more likely to convert or stay active. This means evaluating channels based on retention and ROAS, not just CPI.

Automate smartly

Platforms offer more automation than ever (bidding, targeting, dynamic creatives). The key isn’t to micromanage, it’s to feed the algorithm with strong signals (in-app events, audiences, creative assets) so it learns in the right direction.

Build consistent creative experiences

Consistency between the ad, the app store page, and the in-app experience is often overlooked, but it’s key to post-install conversion. Your goal isn’t just to grab attention, but to prepare users for what’s coming next.

Optimize in short cycles

High-performing campaigns are iterative. Test quickly (formats, messages, audiences), analyze without bias, and adjust continuously. For large volumes, optimization should happen weekly, if not daily.

5. Track the right KPIs and optimize continuously 

To run effective UA campaigns, tracking and adjusting based on data is essential. 

Key KPIs: 

• CPI (Cost Per Install): How much it costs to acquire a new user 

• ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): The revenue generated per euro/dollar spent 

• Retention rate: How many users remain active at Day 1, Day 7, Day 30 

• LTV (Lifetime Value): Total value a user generates over time 

• Post-install conversion rate: Key in-app actions like sign-ups or purchases 

Recommended tools: 

• MMPs (Mobile Measurement Partners) like AppsFlyer, Adjust, to attribute installs to the right campaigns 

• Google Analytics 4, to analyze in-app behavior 

Example: 

A health app noticed a $1.80 CPI on Snapchat but low LTV.  By reallocating 30% of the budget to Meta (slightly higher CPI at $2.10), the app doubled its ROAS.

6. Build user loyalty to maximize profitability

Attracting new users is great, but retaining them is what boosts ROI. Retention is key to making your UA campaigns profitable over time. 

Retention strategies: 

• Send personalized push notifications to re-engage users 

• Offer exclusive deals (discounts, premium access) to drive activity 

• Use gamification (points, badges) to encourage ongoing engagement 

Example: 

A delivery app launched a loyalty program for active users. The result: +25% Day-30 retention and an 18% increase in average basket size.

Tip: Higher retention also boosts your organic visibility, by improving your store rating and rankings. 

Conclusion

Effective UA campaign management relies on a deep understanding of your audience, a strategic choice of channels, impactful creatives, rigorous KPI tracking, and a strong focus on retention. At Addict Mobile, we apply these best practices, combined with regular testing and data analysis, to maximize your performance and turn your UA campaigns into real growth drivers for your app.