The post Infographic: How to Target Your Mobile Ads on Father’s Day first appeared on Motive Interactive.

The post Infographic: How to Target Your Mobile Ads on Father’s Day appeared first on Motive Interactive.

It was an honor to be a founding member of this initiative along with Singular, Adikteev and Tapjoy. THRIVE was first conceived of by Susan Kuo, COO & Co-Founder of Singular, when she founded Singular 5 years ago and found herself in a position where there were few female executives within the industry to consult and collaborate with.

While strides have been made since then, women leaders in the tech sector are still few and far between. Only 5 percent of leadership positions are held by women and they make up only 7 percent of partners at top 100 venture capital firms. Additionally, more than 30 percent of women over the age of 35 are still in junior positions in the tech industry.

These statistics and many more including the gender wage gap and lack of of women of color and queer women at tech companies are why we started THRIVE.

THRIVE is a community that is focused on connecting and empowering women influencers in growth marketing. The goal is to connect women in mobile marketing so they can learn from each other’s accomplishments both in and out of the workplace, and — most importantly — come together to build meaningful friendships.

The THRIVE launch event took place at MAU 2019 at an exclusive residence at MGM called The Mansion. Our goals were 4-fold for the event:

• Hold a fun networking event
• Talk about key issues in our industry
• Provide opportunities for learning and leadership
• Open the door for successful women in growth to engage in mentoring others

The event was a huge success: twice the amount of women attended than was expected and countless women approached me asking about the next event we were planning. Some topics discussed for future events:

• How to implement programs that elevate and drive growth for women at your company
• How to negotiate a raise, promotion, etc.
• How to find a female mentor

A special thanks to Susan Kuo and Singular for including Motive in the launch of this important organization, as well as Carly Leviant and Kat Cooper from Singular, Katrina Bush from Tapjoy, and Nai Saeturn from Adikteev for coming together and making the execution of this event so seamless.

If you are interested in joining THRIVE or being notified about the next THRIVE event, please fill out this form.

The post Announcing THRIVE: A Community for Women in Growth Marketing first appeared on Motive Interactive.

The post Announcing THRIVE: A Community for Women in Growth Marketing appeared first on Motive Interactive.

In-app ads have become the fastest growing form of mobile advertising. In fact, in-app advertising is set to triple in the next few years – from $72 billion in 2016 to $201 billion in 2021.  Check out the list below for best practices for the top 5 ad formats that are used today.

Mobile Video

Surveys have found that video of all forms makes up 61% of app install budget allocation. Sixty-four percent of consumers are more likely to buy a product after watching a video. It’s clear that this is an effective advertising method for mobile advertisers, which is why it is important to get it right, whether that means hiring a third party vendor to create video content or creating your own in-house creative team.

• Reward users for watching

In a survey of mobile app users, 40.1% of those surveyed said rewarded video ads are the most acceptable ad format. 90% of marketers also said in a survey that opt-in video generates stronger engagement metrics for ads than other formats, helping marketers get more than just impressions data. For example, Spotify offers users the chance to pay for premium services in exchange for ad free streaming.

• Soundless Messaging

In 2016, 85% of Facebook videos were viewed with the sound off, which emphasizes the importance of making sure your message is conveyed without sound. Whether or not a user unmutes your video, your ad should have the same impact.

• Optimize video quality

This involves considering the various screen sizes and network connection differences that users experience. Using HTML5 will help reach a wider audience through video regardless of device or screen size, and keep in mind that video should be convertable between vertical and horizontal view. Generally it is also best to keep the video short and try to capture attention in the first 5 seconds.

Playable Ads

Playable ads are a great way to entice users with a branded experience or demo of your app prior to download, leading to higher LTV rate than static ad formats. Here are a few tips for ensuring your playable ads capture the user’s attention.

• Simplified version with the best features

The goal is to leave the best possible first impression, and for that, the ad should be a simplified version of the game app so users don’t get overwhelmed. At the same time, it should contain some of the best features of the game – characters or weapon upgrades that users can look forward to.  For non-gaming apps, branded playables can mimic an in-store experience like ordering or delivery.

• Let them win

A good playable ad will straddle the line between challenging and easy. You want the user to win, but not without putting in any effort. If the game is too easy, the user will get bored. If it’s too difficult, they’ll give up. The right difficulty is at the level that makes a user feel like they’re good at the game.

• “Download Now!”

The playable ad should tease the user into installing your app. Make sure that after the preview, there is a call-to-action to encourage the user to download the full game. This should be in the form of an easily visible link that takes them straight to the app store for easy install.

• Sizing your ads

Keep in mind that the user experience will vary depending on their network connection. Typically, it is a good idea to keep the size of your playable ad around 1 MB, which would work well with a 4G/LTE connection.

Rich Media Ads

Rich media ads leverage multimedia and interactive elements to drive engagement. This form of mobile advertising has been found to drive users to engage  3 to 6 times more than a standard banner. This ad format is a lot more versatile than the static banner ad, with the possibility of multiple interaction points. For example, IKEA took user engagement to the next level by creating an ad that uses IKEA instructions to lead the user to follow steps to build an ad.

• Branding and clarity

When designing an ad, make sure the company’s name and logo are highly visible. Links should be clear in supporting the message that is being conveyed. Use big buttons that are accurately labeled so a user knows what to expect by following the link. Achieve messaging clarity by sticking to one idea and creating a banner around that concept.

• Strong Call-to-action

Use only one call-to-action and ensure that it is visible at all times on all ad panels. Best practice suggests putting the logo on the left side of the banner and the call to action on the right.

Interstitial Ads

The interstitial ad covers the whole interface of the app and appears only at natural app transitions. This type of ad gives users the option to either click on the ad to find out more about what’s being offered or to click on a close button and continue ahead without engaging with the ad. They generally have higher click through rates due to their sizes and bigger impressions.

• Timing is everything

The best way to implement this type of ad is to have it show up only during natural transition points, like after a level of a game has been completed. They should never interrupt important tasks. Showing too many ads in a short time frame can create a negative user experience, which is why it is important to decide whether this type of ad is right for your app. If your app does not have “natural break points,” like a game level change or loading the next page, then it may be best not to use this type of ad.

• Importance of ad placement

Avoid loading and exit screens. Generally, you should not include more than one ad between every two user actions within an app. It is also important to avoid placement that will result in accidental clicks, which can lead to a negative user experience.

Native Ads

Native ads are made to look and feel like the app itself. They blend in and look like relevant content, complementing the app design. One of the main advantages of native ads is that they are less disruptive to the user experience. Research has shown that compared to standard banners, user engagement increases between 20% and 60% when native ads are used. In fact, according to the Facebook Audience Network, 63.2% of mobile display advertising will be native by 2020.

• Know your audience

What makes native ads engaging is their relevant content. It’s important to know your audience in order to show the right ads with the goal of ensuring users are able to enjoy an app’s content with the added option of exploring new things through a relevant, well-placed ad.

• Longer refresh period

Instead of the ad refreshing as soon as the user scrolls past it, give the user a chance to scroll back to your native ad. Ads that persist 60 seconds or longer give the user a longer time to interact and engage with your ad, in case users miss your ad by scrolling too fast.

• Branding and clarity

Brand awareness improved from 70% to 84% by adding a prominent logo and engaging headline while purchase intent increased from 64% to 75%, according to one study. At the same time, the aim should be to engage without being too loud about the brand. Headlines and content should feel authentic and should match the vibe of the app that the ad appears in.

Using these tips as best practices is a good starting point, but each ad format should be tested and optimized for higher user engagement. These settings will change depending on context, the nature of the ad, as well as the app or site it is being hosted on. Some of the key takeaways that are common across all ad formats include being aware of user interaction and knowing your audience, optimizing timing, ensuring high quality content, and emphasizing messaging and call-to-action clarity.

The post Best Practices for Designing the Best Mobile Ad Experiences first appeared on Motive Interactive.

The post Best Practices for Designing the Best Mobile Ad Experiences appeared first on Motive Interactive.

Welcome to the age of 5G. Today Samsung launched its Samsung Galaxy S10 5G in South Korea, making it the first major player to debut a 5G phone. The next generation of mobile networks was a favorite topic at Mobile World Congress this year, with companies showcasing their new 5G-capable devices. 5G is expected to be 10 times as fast as 4G. The rise of 5G promises a range of exciting new opportunities for mobile marketers to leverage high-quality video, AR/ VR content and faster app download speeds (from 4G’s 100 mbps to 10 gbps), to deliver impactful ad experiences to users.

Decreased latency

One  improvement 5G will bring is decreased latency, or the total time it takes for data to reach a device. Latency is a major issue for mobile marketing which 5G promises to solve with its high speed connection. Eliminating lag time is a crucial benefit, given that 46% of consumers say they would not purchase from a brand again after an “interruptive mobile experience.” The same study by Google found that when people have a negative brand experience on mobile, they would be more than 60% less likely to purchase from that brand again. A faster network means decreased loading times, lower bounce rates, and a better overall customer experience.

With lower latency, which is expected to be near one millisecond, interactive ads that require heavy data processing will be able to evolve newer and more innovative ways to engage with customers, whether that’s through AR or gaming methods. Being able to interact in real time is also an opportunity for new applications, like self-driving cars.

Key takeaway: 5G will bring more opportunities for marketers to provide immersive, interactive ad experiences to users.

Location-based advertising

While 5G is going to be super fast, it is also going to have a much shorter range than 4G. 5G networks will require higher frequency radio waves to transmit massive amounts of data . These high frequency waves will have a shorter range, requiring the installation of  more base stations. Verizon estimates 5G networks will need five to ten times more 5G base stations than what it currently uses – an increase of up to  2 million more 5G units in some cases to achieve nationwide coverage.

What this means for mobile ads is enhanced precision targeting and the ability to undertake  location-based advertising. Access to location data means the ability to serve timely ads to users  who opt in to receive notifications while they are in relevant areas like busy shopping centers. Given 60.1% of people surveyed rely on their phones to research products in store before making a purchase, this can be a powerful tool for app marketers looking to implement an effective omnichannel marketing strategy.

Key takeaway: 5G will provide marketers the ability to serve users more relevant ads based on their location and browsing behavior in real time.

Internet goes mobile – mobile devices become the main way people get online

Faster network access means  more people going online, and data shows that access will be through smartphones. In fact, in 2020, the number of smartphone users worldwide is expected to reach 2.87 billion. As of February 2019, mobile browsing  made up almost half of all global web traffic .

Mobile video has grown a lot over the past year – in 2018, 1.87 billion users are expected to watch videos on mobile phones, which is an 11.9 percent increase over 2017. The in-app share of mobile video is forecast to grow from 78 percent to 84 percent in 2023. 5G will enhance this experience, increasing viewership of in-app ads with its high speeds and high quality video. This will lead to new possibilities for ad formats, such as long video ad formats that  deliver higher resolution ads without buffering.

Key takeaway: People will continue to consume most of their information via mobile devices and much of it in the form of mobile video.

Brands will be able to leverage AR and VR immersive media formats

5G brings with it the ability to stream videos without buffering – an advantage that will take AR and VR to the next level. Augmented and virtual reality are anticipated to be a great tool for marketing opportunities, and 5G will be essential to the increased application of this technology in the marketing world. (Think virtual reality vacation demos, AR shopping, and all the marketing opportunities that come with them.)

The music industry is ready to hop on to the 5G band wagon as well, with AR/VR promising immersive concert experiences and musical collaborations that bring artists together without actually requiring them to physically be together – possible due to 5G’s low latency levels. In an IoT environment, the user listening experience has the potential to blend seamlessly, allowing the listener to transition across devices and locations without skipping a beat.

Key takeaway: Brands will be able to leverage the power of AR and VR-enabled immersive media formats in the age of 5G.

Internet of Things

One of the most talked about possibilities heralded by the arrival of  5G is an increase in the number of connected devices at relatively low levels of power and cost. With the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the advent of connected smart objects that consumers use on a daily basis, comes a wealth of data to help marketers understand and connect with users through everything from wearables to home appliances. What this means for mobile marketing is increased personalization and better targeting. Better connectivity also means improved real-time data capabilities, whether through location-based marketing or push  notifications. This could provide the opportunity for timely, targeted delivery of relevant information to connected users.

Key takeaway: Mobile marketers will be able to market at increasingly more touch points across the mobile user journey in the age of 5G.

5G promises to keep the marketing world on its toes with dynamic new application possibilities. Some carriers have already begun to phase in 5G networks, with AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon each deploying some form of 5G coverage in select markets. These versions, however, do not have the full capabilities of 5G, as they are each still operating on existing LTE networks. 5G networks will require significant infrastructure upgrades that will take time to complete.

The post How the Rise of 5G will Impact Mobile Marketers first appeared on Motive Interactive.

The post How the Rise of 5G will Impact Mobile Marketers appeared first on Motive Interactive.

Last week marked Motive’s 15th birthday. Fifteen years is an eternity in ad tech and, as such, we’ve been reflecting back on how Motive has prevailed through 15 years of innovation and change in the competitive ad tech industry. We’ll let you in on a little secret: it’s not millions of dollars in funding or a hundred person team spanning the globe that explains our longevity. The secret to our success: our culture.

Our Founder and CEO Brendan Smith talks often about the importance of having our culture at Motive upheld at all levels, by every teammate, in everything we do: whether that be writing an email, leading a meeting or simply walking down the hall. As he likes to say during our weekly All Hands meeting: “I envisioned our culture, but you built it”.

How did we build the culture here at Motive? We are a team of gritty innovators and self-starters. We built the culture to fit our need for agility and passion for building custom solutions that fit our client’s needs. Despite our rapid growth in the last couple years, our commitment to a lean team has been important to preserving the family atmosphere we’ve created at Motive. We commit to quality over quantity by only adding team members who uphold our values in everything they do. This is not to say we don’t require certain skill sets from potential recruits (we’re not going to hire a data scientist who has a great attitude but can’t can’t craft a beautiful algorithm!). But if it comes down to two equally qualified candidates, the one who embodies Motive’s values will receive the offer. Below find the recipe for creating a culture that can withstand the test of time, even in an ever-changing industry like ad tech.

• APPreciate your teammates every chance you get

At Motive, we thrive on building a culture of recognition and appreciation. Our tradition of high-fives encourages teammates to openly acknowledge other members of our team for acts that go above and beyond their core roles and responsibilities. High-fives are given during Motive’s weekly All Hands meeting and throughout the week on our internal communication platform. This practice also underscores our core value of Collaboration, that encourages teammates to go outside of their core roles to lend a helping hand.       

• Create a fun-loving environment

Herb Kelleher said it best in reference to the legendary culture he built at Southwest: “happy employees create happy customers”. We couldn’t agree more and, as such, work to create the happiest of work environments for our team. This includes obvious startup perks like catered breakfasts, unlimited snacks and a beautiful open-plan office space, but also fun-loving annual events like our Easter Boozer Egg Hunt and Del Mar Race Track Opening Day party.   

• Prioritize transparency

Part of what makes our culture unique is the commitment to transparency practiced from the top down. Our CEO and founders operate Motive with an open-door policy, inviting team members to come to them with their questions and concerns when they need to. Team members are encouraged to give regular feedback on Motive’s policies and operations in weekly evaluations. This streak of openness is also what has contributed to the family environment at work. It feels like you can bring your authentic self, thoughts, opinions to work everyday and feel comfortable expressing your needs to grow professionally .

• Make people feel like they belong

At Motive, each year an entire committee of people is appointed to uphold and safeguard Motive’s culture through employee wellness initiatives, team-building events and social activities. This Culture Committee meets regularly to discuss ways to ensure every single individual on our team feels included in Motive’s events and workplace initiatives and includes representatives from each department to encourage cultural initiatives across all teams.

• Empower everyone to be their own entrepreneur

The main core value we base all hiring decisions on is grit, or the passion to proactively tackle projects and problems as soon as they arise and persevere in the face of challenges. As our cornerstone core value here at Motive, we evaluate potential new additions to our team based on this value and also praise teammates regularly for their grasp of this trait. As such, we’ve built a team of entrepreneurial, gritty teammates who will stop at nothing to get sh** done no matter the challenge.

If you would like to join our growing teams in San Diego or San Francisco, check out our open job positions on our Careers page.

The post How to Thrive for 15 Years in Ad Tech first appeared on Motive Interactive.

The post How to Thrive for 15 Years in Ad Tech appeared first on Motive Interactive.