With the mobile app and gaming industry more saturated than ever, publishers face significant challenges in capturing consumer attention and attracting new users. First, platforms like TikTok and Instagram are dominating the social media landscape, making whatever space is leftover even more valuable. Second, the loss of signal in audience tracking due to Apple’s privacy restrictions has made the process of targeting the right customers at the right time inherently more complex. Lastly, add in the summertime, when screen time usage rates typically decrease, and it becomes that much harder to gain eyeballs.

Most smaller game developers understand that they can’t win against the TikToks and Instagrams of the world. Last year, each app was downloaded more than 700 million times. But, with the right strategies in place, they can gain traction with the audiences they are looking to reach. Here are four ways mobile gaming developers and marketers can break through the noise to not only attract but sustain the attention of consumers.

1. Know your audience.

It bears repeating that not all games are made for all people, so it is essential to identify and understand your audience. This is especially true when it comes to preferences and behaviors. If you have a makeover game, for example, chances are that those users will respond much more favorably to an in-app ad for a cosmetic or hair care brand than they would an orthopedic shoe brand. Similarly, if you have a fantasy sports game, chances are that players would be open to engaging with other sports-centered games. The more targeted you can be with your engagement strategies, the more likely you will be able to get in front of the right person at precisely the right moment.

Audience-targeting technology can help play a crucial role in understanding user behavior. By analyzing data such as app usage patterns, in-app purchases and user feedback, this technology can provide valuable insights for building a value-based audience. It helps identify new customers and retain existing ones, which is especially important after the changes brought about by the iOS 14.5 update. Utilizing first-party data, mobile marketers and game developers can focus on their most valuable users, often iOS users, and offer them relevant information and experiences.

Additionally, this technology can identify users who frequently shop on mobile, helping to pinpoint those likely to make mobile purchases. Since mobile shopping behavior is similar to making in-app purchases (click and pay), these users can be particularly valuable to game developers.

When you want to identify new customers to play your game, make sure that the technology you adopt can effectively reach that type of audience. Not all tools are created equally in this space, so do your homework upfront. Look for technology that delves deep into your users’ data, collecting and analyzing things like patterns in app usage, in-app purchases and user feedback. All of this data can help unlock important insights about how to build a value-based audience.

2. Innovate with style and format to improve the experience.

Another way to stand out is to experiment with style and format to ensure the experience you are offering is as engaging as possible. Monopoly GO! (which hit the $2 billion mark in less than 10 months) is a great example. The developers managed to strike a balance between preserving Monopoly’s classic look and rule set and adapting it into a mobile clicker game. The game offers something unique to each type of player and creates a system in which the more friends you have, the more rewards you get, making it a fun experience whether you’re playing solo or with friends.

By attaching yourself to things people already like, whether it’s a classic board game, celebrity or cartoon character, you can build upon existing affinity to create a more memorable experience. Similarly, live-format games are gaining popularity. Inspired by the early success of apps like HQ Trivia, developers are incorporating live elements and "hosted by" formats modeled after popular game show hosts. This strategy enhances the game's rhythm and anticipation. Live formats also promote a sense of community and immediacy, encouraging users to actively participate and share their experiences with your app.

3. Leverage your best creative assets.

When it’s time to market your app, remember to invest in creativity. If you’re advertising on other platforms, be sure to use dynamic copy, messaging, graphics and video to create engaging ads that showcase the best features of your app, highlighting the value your users will receive. Show them how much fun they will have when they use your app by showing the game in action. When you invest in the creative process, you build intrigue and allure for your game while creating a powerful call to action to play it.

4. Don’t forget about Android users.

Many mobile publishers make the mistake of overlooking or discounting Android users when developing and marketing games. However, according to Backlinko, Android smartphones accounted for 56% of all smartphone sales worldwide in the fourth quarter of 2023. As of early 2024, Android had a 70.69% market share worldwide as compared to iPhone’s 28.58% market share. And because of iOS restrictions on tracking and privacy, mobile publishers actually have more visibility into tracking Android user behavior, which, in turn, allows for greater audience targeting. As such, tailor your marketing efforts to include platforms like the Google Play Store and Android-specific advertising networks.

Competition for consumer attention in the mobile app space continues to rise. Gaining a coveted slice of the pie (that TikTok and Instagram didn’t already eat) requires a multifaceted approach that integrates audience targeting, engagement through live formats and other "known quantities," creative visual content, and optimization for both iOS and Android users. When you can prove that you truly know your audience and are prepared to deliver what they want and need, you can help ensure that they keep coming back for more during the dog days of summer and beyond.