Unveiling Hacks, Trends And Industry Shifts From Gamesforum London 2024

Gamesforum London 2024 was packed with trending topics and insightful discussions between top gaming publishers and vendors. We've compiled key takeaways from the event, covering hacks, emerging trends, and industry shifts, to help shape monetization strategies for both new and established publishers. Let’s explore these insights. 

Hacks to Elevate Your Game

Explore In-App Advertising Early

Publishers should consider incorporating In-App Advertising (IAA) from the beginning of their monetization journey rather than introducing it too late in a user's app usage. This allows users to become familiar with ads early on, particularly in gaming apps, with transparency around how IAA helps keep the app free and relevant. 

Segmentation for Success 

Publishers are increasingly focusing on user segmentation to personalize experiences for both paying and non-paying users. A session lead by Božo Jankovic, Head of Ad Monetization at Gamebiz Consulting highlighted how segmentation helps identify how receptive users are to different ad formats. It also enables publishers to nudge non-paying users toward conversion while showing promotions and paid features to spenders only, reducing the risk of In-App Purchases (IAP) cannibalization by IAA.  

Look Beyond eCPMs—Leverage Data 

As the effective cost per mille (eCPMs) drop globally, it's crucial to go beyond just monitoring eCPMs, which tend to average out over time. Instead, consider tracking the first eCPM for new users and metrics like average revenue per user (ARPU) to measure long-term impact. Be data-driven by understanding the formats, placements, and metrics that matter most to your audience and test hypotheses before making strategic decisions. 

Trends to Keep an Eye On 

Thoughts echoed by publishers like Voodoo, Product Madness, Kyln, Kwalee and more: 

1. Emerging Ad Formats: In-game, audio, and offline ads continue to present exciting opportunities, but require further exploration and education to unlock full potential.

2. Rising Demand for Ad Quality Tools: Publishers are seeking tools that offer deeper visibility and control over bad ads. 

3. Deeper Integration of Product Teams: Product teams in gaming studios are becoming more integral, focusing on the game economy and assessing the broader impact of features and releases. 

4. Expansion Beyond Gaming: Larger gaming studios are exploring non-gaming and mobile web spaces to capture broader markets and remain relevant. 

5. Growth of Hybrid Monetization: The combination of In-App Purchases (IAP) and In-App Advertising (IAA) will continue to grow, with IAA gaining increased importance. 

6. Evolution of Alternative App Stores: Publishers are exploring alternative or custom app stores to reduce fees and retain more revenue, bypassing traditional app store commissions. 

Collective Call for Change: Ads Need to Be Tamed  

A recurring theme at Gamesforum was the increasing concern over bad ads and poor ad quality, highlighted in two sessions: Gamesforum Unfiltered Ad Monetization panel and the Fireside Chat Ad Quality x App Health. Panelists included publishers like Kwalee, 52 Entertainment, Product Madness and more. 

The panel advocated that ignoring ad content harms long-term retention, as the ads shown directly influence a game’s lasting success. Displaying fake or inappropriate ads to meet KPIs is equally unacceptable, and removing ads entirely isn't the solution. They spoke about the need to care for users and establish higher standards around ad quality and ad experience.  

As we prepare to wrap up 2024 and enter 2025, InMobi encourages publishers to embrace emerging trends and strategies to maintain a competitive edge in the rapidly changing mobile advertising ecosystem. InMobi is committed to being a key partner in this journey, offering solutions that simplify mobile monetization and beyond.