The Power of Playable Ads: Current Trends & Best Mechanics with Gökçe Oguz from Playable Factory.

Summary

In this Apptica Talks podcast, Gokce Oguz, co-founder of Playable Factory, discusses the rising trend of playable ads in the mobile industry. She emphasizes the importance of creating engaging, interactive experiences that leave users wanting more, while also highlighting the challenges and opportunities in the market. The conversation touches on the role of AI in future developments and Playable Factory's focus on self-service tools to make playables more accessible.

Takeaways

• 😀 The primary goal of a playable ad is to make the user enjoy the experience, not just teach them the gameplay rules.
• 🎮 Playable ads should be simple, interactive, and encourage user interaction to leave them wanting to try the game again.
• 💰 A low budget of $100 for a playable ad is insufficient as it may only result in a single click.
• 📈 Playable ads are gaining popularity, with a 2.7% growth on iOS from 2022 to 2023, indicating a positive trend in their usage.
• 🔍 Playable ads have a higher retention rate, with around 6% running for more than a month on both iOS and Android, compared to static banners or videos.
• 🌟 The interactive nature of playable ads makes them stand out against static and video ads, providing a real gameplay experience that users find more engaging.
• 🎁 Rewarded ads, where users watch ads to earn something, perform better with playable ads as they make the waiting time more enjoyable.
• 🚀 Technological advancements, such as increased download speeds and file size limits, enable the creation of higher quality playable ads.
• 💡 The ideal length for a playable ad is around 30 seconds, with the first few seconds being crucial for grabbing user attention and interaction.
• 🔄 Playable ads can be combined with other formats like video ads or user-generated content (UGC) to create hybrid ad units, enhancing user engagement.
• 🏆 Successful cases, such as Peak's Match Factory game, have shown significant increases in engagement and click-through rates with playable ads.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of a playable ad according to the discussion?

The primary goal of a playable ad is not to teach the gameplay rules to the user, but to make the user enjoy the experience, ensuring they feel the need to test the game again.

Why did Gokce Oguz and co-founders decide to enter the gaming industry?

Gokce Oguz and the co-founders decided to enter the gaming industry because they were passionate about gaming and wanted to earn money from something they enjoyed.

What was the gap in the market that Playable Factory identified and aimed to fill?

Playable Factory identified a gap in the market where playable ads were hard to obtain, often of low quality, and lacked the ability for users to control or test them as they could with video ads.

How has the growth of playable ads been observed between 2022 and 2023 on iOS?

The growth of playable ads between 2022 and 2023 on iOS was around 2.7%, indicating a positive trend in the adoption of this advertising format.

What is the significance of the share of creatives running for more than 30 days in the context of playable ads?

The share of creatives running for more than 30 days signifies that playable ads have a longer lifespan compared to static banners or videos, with around 6% of playable ads running for over a month on both iOS and Android, showing they are good performers.

Why are playable ads considered enticing for publishers despite the costly production?

Playable ads are enticing for publishers because they offer an interactive experience that users find enjoyable and less intrusive compared to static or video ads, leading to higher engagement and better performance in rewarded ads.

What is the ideal length for a playable ad according to the insights shared by Gokce Oguz?

The ideal length for a standalone playable ad is around 30 seconds, although it can be less if used in conjunction with a video ad, with an average playtime of 10 to 15 seconds.

How does the introduction of user-generated content (UGC) in playable ads affect the performance?

Introducing UGC in playable ads can create a more organic and relatable experience for users, potentially increasing engagement and performance, although the testing is still ongoing to confirm its effectiveness.

What are the benefits of using playable ads in non-gaming verticals?

In non-gaming verticals, playable ads can be used for gamification, enhancing brand awareness, introducing new products, or demonstrating app usage, while also allowing for data tracking to understand user preferences and behaviors.

How does the technical testing process for playable ads ensure better performance across different devices?

The technical testing process involves device testing on various real placements and partnerships with ad networks and DSPs to test playable ads in real environments, ensuring high-quality performance across a wide range of devices.

What is the role of AI in the future of playable ads creation according to Gokce Oguz?

AI is expected to play a significant role in the future of playable ads by simplifying the asset creation process, potentially allowing for the easy generation of playable ads based on user inputs or game visuals.

What is the minimum budget recommendation for starting to test playable ads in SDK networks?

For SDK networks, it is recommended to have a daily campaign budget of at least $500 to $1,000 before starting to test playable ads to ensure sufficient performance and comparison with other ad formats.

What is the impact of using a tool like Playable Factory's 'Flex' on the cost and speed of creating playable ads?

Tools like 'Flex' allow for the quick creation of playable ads from existing videos in about 10 seconds, making the process more cost-effective and faster compared to developing full playable ads from scratch.