Mobile Software Promotion: Combining Push Notifications and Popunders

Mobile app revenue is rising. According to Sensor Tower’s app monetization stats, users spent $150 billion on apps last year alone. However, today, classic App Store Optimization (ASO) is no longer enough to guarantee mobile software promotion success. The new power couple is push ads combined with popunders. Below, we explain how they boost revenue and ROI.

Why Mobile Software Needs a Special Promotional Strategy

Apps and websites are promoted in different ways. This is because apps need to be installed. You have to convince users that your application is worth downloading by highlighting clear benefits, such as instant access, saved game progress, and one-tap fingerprint login.

But that’s not all. To even be discovered, your app first needs to be published on the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store, depending on the platform.

Competition in the App Store and Google Play

Millions of apps are fighting for user attention. If you don’t optimize your store listing, your new product risks getting lost in the noise. Therefore, it’s important to consider how store search and recommendation algorithms work. This will help drive both visibility and organic installs.

ASO and Advertising: Limitations of Classic App Store Optimization

To get noticed, you need App Store Optimization. Think of it as SEO (Search Engine Optimization), but for mobile apps.

To do this, you need to craft a description, choose keywords, design icons, and add screenshots. Then, get the first installs and ask users to leave reviews.

But ASO is just the first step. While it’s great for attracting organic traffic, relying on it alone is a strategic mistake. Breaking into the top charts is incredibly difficult.

Why Additional App Promotion Formats Are Essential

To survive and thrive, new apps often require a boost from paid acquisition channels. Mobile app advertising helps you build initial reach and provides the first push needed for growth.

We are sure these tips can help:

1. Use tools like Apple Search Ads and Google Universal App Campaigns (UAC) to advertise directly within the app stores, on YouTube, and across Google’s network.
2. Buy push and pop traffic from ad networks to reach a massive audience (120M+ daily clicks) and meet users at various points in their digital journeys.

Push Notifications as a Driver of Installs

Push ads are short, pop-up messages that appear on a user’s device, even when the app or browser is closed.

Features of Push Traffic

Push ads are ideal for app monetization because they can be timely, creative, and seasonal. Push traffic, which refers to the clicks generated from these notifications, increases the likelihood of app installs. Here are the numbers to back this up:

• Around 60% of users opt in to receive notifications. This figure is higher on Android (81–91%) compared to iOS (51–56%).
• Adding emojis and media (rich push) increases user response by 20% and 25%, respectively.
• The average CTR for push ads is 4.6% on Android and 3.4% on iOS.
• As Wisernotify states, 28% of users who click on a notification go on to make a purchase.

App Creatives That Convert

Push ads shorten the conversion funnel to the minimum: See Notification → Click → Land on App Store Page → Install.

So, it’s important for advertisers to ensure that users consciously click on push notifications. That click is a crucial micro-commitment that filters out uninterested audiences. Anyone who clicks can become a “warm lead.” That’s why marketers test different creatives for push notifications, which consist of a title, text, an emoji, and sometimes an image.

Based on our clients’ success at Kadam, this is the winning formula:

Personalization, simplicity, visuals, smart timing, and A/B or split testing will further improve your results.

Audience Segmentation Tips for ROI improvement

To show separate creatives to different user groups and increase conversions, we recommend using segmentation. The top offer selection factors include:

• GEO. International traffic from Tier 1 regions (like North America and Western Europe) is expensive, but typically has a higher conversion rate into paying users.
• Vertical. For iGaming traffic (betting ads), focus on bonuses and free bets.
• Traffic Type. The main type for promoting apps is mobile traffic. You can redirect traffic (where users are sent from one URL to another), as it is more cost-effective.

You can select different targeting parameters to accurately reach your desired audience.

Popunder Advertising Format for Mobile Apps

Popunder (or clickunder) is an ad format where a landing page opens in a new tab behind the user’s active window. You can easily create one with a landing builder, link it to your app’s store page, and pick campaign setup variables.

Advantages of Popunder on Mobile Traffic

Popunders are among the cheapest traffic sources available, with placement costs as low as $0.0002 and CPC bids starting at $0.001. 

Advertising networks offer billions of daily impressions and provide a truly global reach.

Also, you don’t need complex designs. A simple page can drive huge pop traffic volumes for a minimal budget.

As pops open in a new window, the ad doesn’t compete with the site content for user attention. This makes it more likely to be noticed later.

Pop Ads Frequency and Timing Control

To avoid annoying users, determine how often to show the landing page. We recommend no more than 1–2 times a day. You can also adjust the ad timing to reach your audience during peak activity hours.

Push + Pop Strategy: Combining Formats

A working option is a push and pop combination. The two formats complement each other and ensure higher ROI.

Why the Combo Works Better

It’s a nice idea to use push and pop ads simultaneously because they engage users at different stages of the awareness funnel:

• The first touchpoint (popunder). It introduces your app to a massive, broad audience.
• The second touchpoint (push). Later, users are more likely to click the push because they already have a flicker of recognition for your app’s name and icon.

In essence, popunders capture a cold, wide audience, while push ads effectively target users who have already opted in and are more receptive to advertising.

Examples of High-ROI Campaigns

Real push case studies and pop case studies confirm their effectiveness. For example, popunder advertising via Kadam has helped iGaming brands in Africa bypass blocks and achieve an ROI of over 324%. With a budget of $6,515, earnings amounted to $27,810.

Practical Campaign Setup Advice

To ensure high push and pop traffic, you can use special tools:

• Spy tools to monitor competitors’ ad campaigns.
• Auto-rules and auto-optimization to cut ineffective placements and creatives.
• Proxies to view landing pages exactly as users in different countries see them.
• A tracker to monitor clicks, costs, and revenues from different sources.

Success largely depends on choosing a good network, such as Kadam, and learning the principles of affiliate marketing.

Mobile Software Promotion Analytics and Efficiency

Campaign analytics can help you build a profitable campaign and increase lead generation. But which metrics should you track? We recommend looking at the following:

• CR and CTR. CTR measures your design appeal, while CR tracks the percentage of users who convert after a click.
• CPL and CPI. These show your Cost Per Lead and Cost Per Install so that you manage your budget effectively.
• CPC and CPA bids. These track your Cost Per Click and Cost Per Action. The lower they are, the more you earn.

Ad Optimization for Conversion Growth

If the CR falls below the target, it’s time for optimization. The goal is to accelerate conversion growth at minimal cost. This can be achieved by testing new designs and pausing underperforming campaigns. Both pop-up and push monetization require close monitoring of arbitrage bids and spending to keep an ROI above 100%.

Strategy for Mobile App Advertisers

Let’s tie it all together. To promote your app, start with a solid ASO foundation. Your app store page must be polished and ready to capture traffic. Don’t pour your entire budget into one format. We recommend you start by testing the powerful push + popunder combination.

Segment your audiences by GEO, OS, and browser, and track your metrics meticulously. Cut what’s losing money and scale what’s profitable. The mobile traffic market is always changing: stay informed, adapt quickly, and you’ll come out on top.

👉 Want to get over 10 billion daily impressions? Sign up with Kadam and launch your first campaign.

FAQ

Why is ASO alone no longer enough for mobile software promotion?

Due to the intense competition in the App Store and Google Play, organic optimization alone is rarely enough to stand out. You may need paid traffic sources.

How effective are push notifications for app installs?

Extremely effective. They are highly visible and have strong click-through rates. They can help you reach an engaged audience and motivate them to install applications.

When are popunders the best choice for mobile apps?

They are well-suited when you need to generate massive reach on a minimal budget. They perform well for apps in the iGaming, dating, and sweepstakes verticals.

Can you run push and pop campaigns at the same time?

Yes, it’s effective. The popunder introduces the product to a broad audience, while the push ad engages a “warmer” segment of that audience later on.

Which metrics are most important to evaluate performance?

The main metrics are CPI (Cost Per Install), CR (Conversion Rate), CTR (Click-Through Rate), ROI (Return on Investment), and LTV (Lifetime Value).