Chapter #4 How One UGC-like ad Made the Utility App Top 1% of the Vertical in Performance Metrics in the US

If you haven’t been sleeping for the last 3 years, you’ve definitely noticed HOW CRAZY the world is about AI.

At the beginning so many apps and services managed to skyrocket by just including AI in the name, now however it’s really a challenge for app publishers to stand out among tons of other AI-driven apps via their product’s ads.

And such a challenge was accepted by PhotoApp & UGC Ninja and was successfully completed, resulting in the app ranking in the top 1% of search results in the utilities category.

?? Case Study Explained in 57 seconds

Objective

The objective of PhotoApp was to stand out in a competitive landscape and capture the attention of a global audience and get more paying users with good retention. Which is quite the same goal you have, isn’t it? From the UGC Ninja side, based on research it was decided to produce an organic-looking UGC-like ad that would resonate with the audience, create a feeling of peer- to - peer recommendation, spark the interest and make them want to go for more.

Internal approach

While creating such an ad, UGC Ninja went through the following steps:

- Implemented research to discover a viral and new organic trend;

- Brainstormed on best possible concepts luckily to perform

- Adapted the trend to a paid video format i.e. imitate viral TikTok sound & record it with a talent;

- Produced it quickly, as trends don't last long.

Approach

The campaign succeeded due to the collaborative approach. Producing it,? PhotoApp and UGC Ninja worked together closely. PhotoApp understands their product and audience well, while UGC Ninja provides expertise in performing mechanics in the vertical and picking suitable talents to reach the target audience.??

Final result of work in numbers

CTR: Avg: 0.43%?

CVR: Avg 9.73% that is Top 1% of the videos in the industry Utility Software in US.

CPC & CPA: NDA (higher than other top-performing creos)?

Impressions: 59,524,295

Clicks: 230,402

Average watch time: 2,41 sec

100% Retention: 260,335

50% Retention: 1,486,258

Results

The best result that was managed to achieve- bringing the PhotoApp’s creatives to the top 1% of the vertical in terms of performance metrics. It significantly increased user interaction, leading to a noticeable rise in both: app popularity & install rate.

?? Check out the creative, click here

Scaling and expanding lifecycle of a top-performer

Okay, now you found a top performer- congrats! What’s next? If you are not the first day in a position as a UA manager you know, even the best creatives burn out, sometimes they burn out FAST.

So, being brutally honest, finding a top performer is just a first step on the long journey of building a sustainable content flow for performance campaigns.

We at UGC Ninja aim to create long-term strategies of working with ideas and iterations and here are some tips you could imply to your approach:

• First of all, try to identify what made it work for you? Was it a creator that resonated with your audience? Was it a concept? Was it a script? Was it a trend implementation? What will be right to scale?

• Slightly different variations made through editing are a good way to nurture your top performing ad as the algorithm considers those as different assets. A good way to get improvements when you reach a plato or scale the ad that has good metrics.
• From the start it's best to always film with a creator at least several hooks, several bodies and several CTAs- by combining those you can get 30+ variations.
• Hooks testing. We all know the importance of the hook rate in performance so why not make 20-30 hooks and add them to your top performers?? Do not overthink the ways to make it a total match. Different clothes, talents, or location? No worries, it’s still going to work.
• Scale the message that worked with different talents. A great way to deliver it to all segments of the audience through talents they relate better to.?
• Having the assets that do not get the budget in a campaign might be a good thing, too. This type of unsuccessful ads might be a solid ground for your top-performer to show good metrics. Do not be afraid of having 5-10% of successful ads. The rest of them bring you data and cut the options to leave the best one.
• Note what is performing for you and don’t forget to note what is not, it is important as well! Before going to the next flow of brainstorming ideas, analyse previous campaigns and make conclusions.

?? Get our Free Guide to different testing approaches for UGC like videos CLICK HERE

Conclusion?

The goal was to produce an organic and unique video, and it was achieved, resulting in high levels of impressions, views, and retention. However, using an organic approach also resulted in expensive CPC, CPA, and low CTR (compared to industry averages). The video engages viewers, but the test results indicate areas for improvement to enhance performance metrics. And here are some insights:

* Unique Identity: Prioritise crafting a unique brand identity that resonates with the target audience's desires and emotions.

* Optimise Targeting: Refine audience targeting to reach users who are more likely to engage with the video, thereby improving CTR and reducing CPC.?

* Enhance Call-to-Action (CTA): Strengthen the call-to-action within the video to prompt viewers to take action, increasing conversion rates and lowering CPA.?

* Experiment with Creative Elements: Conduct A/B testing to evaluate different creative elements such as visuals, messaging, and tone. Identify which elements resonate most with the target audience and optimise the video accordingly to improve performance metrics.

* Test Ad Formats: Experiment with different ad formats, such as in-stream ads, display ads, or interactive ads, to determine which drives the highest engagement and conversion rates. Tailor the ad format to match the preferences and behaviours of the target audience.

?? Let't Talk Your UGC-like Ad Strategy

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UGC Ninja - We create UGC like ads to boost your performance marketing game, converting x5 times more. Reach out to us to level up your user acquisition efforts.

PhotoApp - PhotoApp is a mobile app accessible on both iOS and Android, enabling you to edit and enhance blurry photos or also generate different styles of AI photos from your selfies for example, it can be used for professional headshots, profile pictures or social media contents.