How to Design User-Centered Rewarded Video Ad Monetization Strategy
Think rewarded video ads in games are new? They aren’t. These ads have been a part of mobile games for a few years now. However, these ads are also gaining more steam as developers are diversifying the monetization models they use and adding rewarded ads to the mix. These ads have the benefit of monetizing non-paying games, increasing engagement, and making in-app purchases more likely. That’s why it’s important to have a solid strategy for rewarded video ads in your game.
Consider Ad Placement in the Game
As with any other type of monetization in a video game, rewarded video ads are going to create the highest level of success when they integrate well. The ads should offer a benefit to the core gameplay and the economy. If nobody is excited about the rewards that video ads offer, nobody is going to click on them more than once or twice. To ensure utilization and profit, these rewards need to be meaningful. On the other hand, you don’t want the ads to compete with your in-game purchases.
When to Offer Video Ads
Knowing when to offer ads is equally important since this has a huge difference in terms of being used. Ads at the start of the game can be useful since gamers get powerups or game currency that can be used to get going. These ads are also useful when a gamer is having issues meeting a goal. Offering a reward can create a situation where the gamer stays and keeps playing rather than getting frustrated and leaving. At the end of gameplay, rewarded video ads also work well.
Use the Right Sort of Rewards
Timing matters but so does the actual reward. The first rule here is to never make the rewards better than what is available through in-app purchasing. In addition, while you can offer currency or goods to your gamers, you can also try more innovated things like shortening wait times or offering extra lives. Another choice is to have various options and let the gamers decide which is right for them.
Watch Out for Oversaturation
You might think that having more ads is always going to be better. That means your players can constantly open an ad and bring in revenue to the developer. However, that isn’t entirely the truth and you should know that when designing a strategy. Successful game developers note that offering around six to eight ads per viewer per day as the best effect on the bottom line. The idea is that a user should be able to watch one video each time they log in.
Measurement is Crucial
Even after you get your rewarded video ads running and are bringing in money, you can’t just let things ride without paying attention to measurements. Take a look at ad viewership as well as frequency. If you notice that a particular ad is bringing in less money or causing more people to click away, you may want to test new ads and change things up. Rewarded video ads are a great option for games, but they do take some work to get right.
