Uncovering Rewarded UA Part 1: What to Look For in Rewarded Platforms

In this series, we delve into rewarded user acquisition (UA) with insights from Yoni Nijboer, our Head of Partnerships. Drawing on her extensive experience in the rewarded engagement space, Yoni shares key recommendations for companies looking to partner with a rewarded UA platform.

Rewarded UA has evolved significantly over the past decade, with the number of platforms growing exponentially. This has made it increasingly challenging for businesses to differentiate between providers and assess the unique features and advantages they offer. For gaming companies looking to scale, selecting the right rewarded UA partner is essential. But what should you be looking for?

Experience

There’s more than meets the eye to cost-per-engagement (CPE) models, so it’s important to make sure the network you’re about to partner with is experienced with navigating CPE. A knowledgeable partner, with long-term experience in the space, can guide you on which campaigns are likely to be successful and why. The rewarded UA space can be highly nuanced, with varying engagement types, in-game interactions, and monetization opportunities. An experienced partner can guide you through the complexities of CPE and offer advice on which campaigns are likely to succeed, helping you avoid common pitfalls.

Whether it’s determining optimal reward structures or reaching the right audience, having an experienced partner ensures that you’re not just learning through trial and error, but benefiting from tested and proven strategies.

Transparency

Transparency is another critical aspect to look for in a rewarded UA partner. In any business partnership, but especially in user acquisition, you want to ensure the platform is open about their methodologies, approach, and the reasoning behind campaign decisions. Working with platforms that operate like a “black box” – where results are delivered without any explanation, can be a major warning sign.

A transparent platform will explain their decisions and walk you through their approach and optimization strategies. Understanding these insights is crucial for refining your campaigns and optimizing user engagement strategies in the long term.

Testing and Scaling Approach

Rewarded UA is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach, especially in gaming where user preferences and engagement can vary drastically from one title to another. Therefore, a successful partner needs to have a mindset geared towards testing and sustainable scaling. Instead of rushing into large-scale campaigns, a good UA partner will prioritize a testing phase to gather insights and data before making significant investments.

This cautious approach is vital for ensuring that initial campaign indicators are positive. Metrics such as user retention, progression, and ROAS need to be tracked and analyzed to make informed decisions. A collaborative partner will also focus on long-term growth rather than short-term wins, iterating on campaign performance to ensure sustainable growth and success.

Growth Strategies

In the ever-evolving rewarded UA space, it’s essential to partner with a network that brings flexibility and adaptability to the table. Every game has its unique mechanics and audience, so the team should have a strategy that suits the specific needs of each game. They should additionally develop individualized reward flows, aligning their approach with your game and goals to ensure sustainable growth and success.

A few years back, when rewarded UA had just emerged, rewarded networks weren’t necessarily the largest volume drivers. Thankfully, this has changed a lot nowadays – just have a look at the most recent Appsflyer Performance Index where rewarded networks have very impressive rankings in many categories, both in terms of power and volume. So besides delivering quality, you can also turn to rewarded networks for volumes.

A data-driven mindset is equally important – decisions should be backed by insights, and the network should actively support you in interpreting this data to refine campaigns. Ultimately, all of these elements come together to form a true partnership, where collaboration is key to finding the optimal setup and driving effective growth.

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Choosing the right rewarded UA platform is a critical decision for any gaming company looking to grow. By prioritizing experience, transparency, a strategic approach to testing and scaling, and flexibility, you can partner with a platform that delivers not only users but also long-term success. Rewarded UA is about more than just user acquisition; it’s about creating meaningful, engaging experiences that keep players coming back.

If you’re a gaming company interested in leveraging rewarded user acquisition for growth, reach out to explore how we can help you scale effectively.