Meet the A-Team: Sheily Lee, Media Buying Manager
In our next interview of the "Meet the A-Team" series, we talk to Sheily Lee, our Media Buying manager, as she shares her experiences, inspirations, learnings so far, and all the good things she is looking forward to in the times ahead.
Tell us a bit about your background and what landed you at AVOW
Five years ago, I got the opportunity to join a Master's program at the University of Saarland in Germany. My original plan was to return to my home country (Malaysia) after finishing it. However, while writing my Master's thesis, I found a working student opportunity in mobile marketing based Cologne. This is how I started my journey in this innovative industry, which I am now very passionate about.
When Covid started in 2020, I had just taken on a new job in digital marketing and relocated to Berlin. It was exciting but extremely challenging because of all the pandemic restrictions and limitations.
I had been in touch with the AVOW team at different times, but timing was never a match for me to consider joining them. At this point, my back then employer, unfortunately went out of business, and since I had been hearing a lot about AVOW still growing their team and tapping into mobile OEM advertising, I reached out to Robert (AVOW’s CEO) to learn more about what they were focusing on… the rest is history! It has been almost a year since AVOW opened the door for me to join them, and I went from working on direct media buying only, to running all training and day-to-day support for the newest members in our Supply team.
I am very grateful to the company, particularly to Robert, for this opportunity and for the support I have been provided with so far.
What is it like working in a diverse team that caters to so many markets?
Frankly speaking, sharing such diversity is a great experience!
All of us come from different cultures and backgrounds and still have a very aligned way of communicating and making things happen.
I think one of the keys to success is that our team understands that when dealing with work, we are all in a professional environment, and we don't take things personally. This is especially important because we may have different ideas about how to achieve the best results for all sides of our business.
I am someone with a strong personality, who likes to get things done, so sometimes I may come across as very straightforward during meetings. These are the times when I appreciate our team culture and synergy, because people know how others tick, and we follow the motto of “being in this together to achieve a common goal.”
In addition, I think AVOW is doing a great job organizing our “Happy Hour” events with many themes that reference our cultural backgrounds. Our colleagues and friends get together at a party in our office to enjoy some good food, have fun, and celebrate our achievements.
What’s something that you experienced that can only happen here?
Clear goals and direction: Unlike big corporate companies, where the departments have different goals and follow an unclear mission, at AVOW, we work towards the same objectives, where we aim to deliver the best result for our business partners and to continue growing our company to become the biggest industry leader.
Transparency & trust: AVOW works with complete transparency towards its employees and business partners. Our team holds a monthly company-wide meeting to share important information, news that will impact our business and an overview of what we have achieved during the last period. This creates engagement and trust for us to support the company's direction.
Thoughtfulness and learning from mistakes: AVOW offers an environment that allows us to make mistakes and to learn from them in order not to happen again. As media buyers, we must try various methods to make the campaigns work. A lot of them are new or complex, and we will not always get the right ones on the first try. However, we are not blamed for this. Instead, we get the opportunity to learn from various methods, and then we optimize the campaigns to get the best results using our learnings.
Share three things that inspire you to do better every day.
Responsibility: I appreciate the combination of tasks and responsibilities assigned to me. I am here to help our team figure out solutions that help us achieve our company goals. The fact that I am not only dealing with numbers and campaign optimizations but that I also help train and oversee team members allows me to learn and grow my business and people-related skills, as well as to improve my way of communication (which is very valuable whenever you have an introvert personality, like me).
Flexibility: AVOW offers its employees an “open stage,” where we explore different ways to solve problems and discuss opinions and ideas freely, so we learn and grow together.
Challenges: Mobile advertising is a very challenging and fast-paced industry. Rules and regulations change all the time, and often this creates limitations and issues that need to be quickly tackled. Although solving these situations may sometimes be frustrating, this is also an opportunity to learn and gain satisfaction with your achievements.
Is there anything you are planning to do soon that you have never done before?
Not for now. At the moment, my priority is actually to do something a lot of us have taken for granted in the past and which I learned to appreciate a lot during these last two years - I am planning a trip to go back to Malaysia to visit my family and friends and to spend some quality time with them.
Earlier this year, I was able to go back to Penang Island, Malaysia, for the first time since the pandemic started, and I realized how important it was for me to see my loved ones after such a difficult period we all had.
At AVOW, there is a remote-work policy that grants a period of time you can work from anywhere. For international employees like me, this is essential to find a good balance and keep the connection to your home.
Mobile OEM, Aset Penting bagi Pemasar Seluler untuk Meningkatkan Bauran Iklan
Mobile OEM, Aset Penting bagi Pemasar Seluler untuk Meningkatkan Bauran Iklan
Dynamic Preloads on Mobile OEMs - a mobile growth channel every marketer needs to consider for their marketing mix
Before we explore the world of Dynamic Preloads, we recommend you read our comprehensive Dynamic Preloads Guide for valuable insights and strategies to maximize advantages for mobile marketers and app developers. Now, let’s delve into the essentials, starting with a quick overview of Mobile OEM advertising.
What are Mobile OEMs & Mobile OEM advertising?
Mobile OEMs, or original equipment manufacturers, are companies that design and produce mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and wearables. The mobile OEM market includes brands such as Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and realme, all of whom have launched their own (alternative) app stores, which have their own store fronts, app promotion and app discovery solutions. Covering 54% of the global android market share and providing access to over 1.5 billion daily active users, mobile OEMs offer a unique and scalable opportunity for app developers and mobile marketers as an alternative pathway to reach audiences that Google and Facebook cannot access.
Mobile OEMs in the Global Mobile Phone Market
In 2022, smartphone sales reached an estimated 1.23 billion units sold worldwide, with that number expected to increase by the end of 2023. Android OEMs maintain a stronghold in the global smartphone market, accounting for 79% of the market share with over 2.5 billion active android users. As competition intensifies in the mobile advertising arena, marketers must explore effective strategies to stay ahead. Major OEMs such as Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi, who represent 23.8% of the global smartphone market share as of March 2023, offer unique opportunities through Dynamic Preloads.
What are Dynamic Preloads?
Basically - dynamic preloads are apps that are installed on brand new smartphones. Dynamic preloads happen when the users activate the mobile device for the first time and are presented with the opportunity to download the app while the mobile setup occurs.
That makes dynamic preload apps a great and highly relevant way to amplify user acquisition strategy where mobile marketers can think of dynamic preloads as a premium way for user acquisition to stay ahead of their competition.
💡Pro tip: For a deeper look, read this in-depth Dynamic Preloads Guide.
How do Dynamic Preloads work - technically?
Mobile OEMs such as Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi can configure which apps will be recommended in the Google portal and which group of devices to reach and target. Google created an auto-install functionality - the Google Play AutoInstall (Google PAI) - within Mobile OEMs that automatically downloads apps from the Play Store.
In dynamic preload offering, mobile app download takes place directly from the Google Play Store, and it occurs over the air (OTA) where Android Application Packages (APKs) get automatically downloaded via the Play Store once the device is connected to a network. This is unlike any other preload offerings by companies where APKs are pushed for downloads and in the end, users might not get the latest version of the preloaded app even after doing multiple long-drawn-out processes.
Google uses an app bundle to generate and serve optimized APKs for each user's device configuration, so they can download only the code and resources they need to run your app. AVOW makes it faster, more agile, and better reliable for the overall user growth strategy of your app with Google’s Play AutoInstall (PAI) feature which is more efficient and effective than APK preinstall configuration.
Let’s say you are a game app developer looking to launch and promote your app heavily in India. The data for the mobile games market in India shows that the revenue is projected to reach US$3.83bn in 2022 alone, and the user penetration is expected to grow to 193.5 million by the end of the year.
Therefore, the mobile gaming category will continue to bear huge growth potential in this region in the coming years. As an Indian app developer or mobile marketer, one can gain the substantial competitive advantage one needs to launch a game app successfully - as dynamic preloads apps can create massive opportunities to gain new users each time a smartphone is activated by first-time users and elevate the app brand at the same time since the app is visible in a premium spot.
Dynamic Preloads vs. Traditional Preloads
As the mobile industry continues to innovate, app advertisers increasingly find themselves at a crossroads between using Dynamic Preloads or Traditional Preloads. The decision is not simply a case of one being better than the other, but rather what might be the best fit when taking into account one’s goals and budget.
Traditional Preloads can offer marketers a “guaranteed” volume of downloads, as the app would be pre installed in every phone that is shipped. This also increases the OEM inventory available to marketers and the inventory is not dependent on what competitors might be bidding for that inventory. Furthermore, many international markets are “dominated by carriers”. meaning, each dynamic preload campaign requires carrier consent to run. This obstacle is nullified when booking a factory preload deal. However, Traditional Preloads require a minimum yearly commitment, and does not have the flexibility in pricing that Dynamic Preloads offer. The beauty about a yearly commitment however lies in the negotiation power an advertiser has and the resulting lower Cost per Install (CPI).
Dynamic Preloads on the other hand operate solely on a Cost per Install (CPI) model, which forgoes “guaranteed” volume for a more curated approach, as users would still have to actively consent and choose to have the app on their phones. This also means that marketers have more flexibility with pricing and only pay for every installation of the app, thereby reducing their financial outlay and commitment from the outset. Dynamic preloads however have a smaller OEM inventory, with available inventory subjected to how much a marketer bids. Running a dynamic preload campaign also does not require any additional technical work as there no separate APK or testing is required. The campaigns can be set up straight from the user acquisition team.
At its core, the choice between the two boils down to needs and goals, as well as the available budget. In short, one could look at it as a quantity vs quality approach, with both solutions offering their own sets of advantages for different needs. This is where having market experts with years of experience in the industry can make the difference in helping you make the right choice when choosing the best preloads solution.
Seven things every mobile marketer should know about Dynamic Preloads:
- Users get the latest version of the app pre-installed once they use the phone for the first time.
- It takes smaller budgets as compared to regular factory preload advertising budgets to acquire users.
- App developers can see a quicker turnaround from the launch to app discovery.
- No SDK implementation or technical integration is required for advertisers.
- The advertiser pays for a launch which is (Cost per install).
- Users get an ‘opt-out’ functionality if they wish not to use the app.
- Ability to optimize based on device models after the initial launch.
Dynamic Preloads are the way forward
If you’re looking to get your app in front of most of the customers of these smartphone OEMs, dynamic preloads offer one of the most effective, exclusive, and direct routes to do so most reliably. And since your app is available to users by being on the device first, it gives your app strong visibility to be a ‘go-to’ app for a fresh set of users.
AVOW’s territorial exclusivity and partnership with OEMs can help you reach closer to your user acquisition goals with dynamic preload options. AVOW can effectively help app developers, and brands launch their apps on dedicated phones with specific geo-targeting depending on the markets they want to reach.
Connect with our team today to learn how AVOW’s unique offering can help scale your business by implementing dynamic preloads for user acquisition.
For an immediate dive into detailed strategies, explore this comprehensive Dynamic Preloads and Mobile Gaming Guide.
Never miss on Incrementality for your app: Alternative app stores are the way forward
Alternative app stores are the way forward for incremental growth
It is widely known that Google and Facebook have dominated the global mobile industry since their genesis in advertising. However, in recent years major android mobile OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) have launched their alternative app stores and started offering users a new channel to discover and download apps from.
As an Android user, you've probably noticed that your mobile phone has a branded app store on top of the Google Play Store. Samsung has its own Galaxy Store, and Huawei has its AppGallery and, this way going around their ban from Google. Xiaomi offers GetApps, Oppo’s is called App Market, and Vivo has the Vivo App Store.
These branded ecosystems have been extremely important in China, where so far users don't have the option of using the Google Play Store. Furthermore, the aforementioned mobile OEMs have recently been expanding in the entire SEA region with their alternative app store offering, and are also planning to grow significantly in the western markets in the coming years.
Recent statistics show that consumers worldwide downloaded 230 billion mobile apps to their mobile devices in 2021, representing an increase of more than 63% from 140.7 billion downloads in 2016. A large portion of this is attributed to alternative app stores, which significantly gained momentum and became highly relevant in providing app publishers with more than a billion daily active users.
Huawei's alternative to the Google Play Store, the AppGallery, hit 530 million active users as of March 1, 2021. The Chinese giant's application distribution center, which debuted to circumvent the absence of Google Play Services and offer a consistent experience among Huawei users, continues to grow in 2022 and plans to reach markets so far occupied by Google.
The following examples highlight these mobile OEMs' ambitions when expanding their territory outside SEA.
Recently, Vodafone and Oppo announced a partnership agreement to bring more Oppo products to the Europe markets. Just as strong, Xiaomi is growing its market presence across the APAC and EU regions and plans to expand extensively over markets in LATAM by opening numerous physical stores for its products and high-end digital devices.
On a side note, Vivo got the official sponsorship for the FIFA world cup of 2018 and 2022 and became the official partner for the UEFA Euro League of 2020 and 2024. This shows their commitment to making their presence felt across this region and growing their user base.
All these precedents clearly show the strongly growing presence of mobile OEMs, the impressive reach of their alternative app stores, and that there are a plethora of opportunities for mobile growth marketers to use these advantages to leverage untapped audiences.
Top benefits of publishing apps with alternative app stores
Better User Discoverability: As the number of users on alternative app stores keeps growing, it is easy to find your niche audience in a particular app category. Users of a specific mobile OEM are brand-loyal and will view the ads as more trustworthy. Beyond targeting the audience of a particular brand manufacturer, aiming for ads within Apps installed on those devices, most mobile OEMs offer their private placements to serve Ads globally.
Broader Distribution Capability: Mobile marketers can reach larger audiences through alternative app stores, including a suitable amount of additional organic installs. Some mobile OEMs focus on specific market regions where Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store do not offer services.
Campaign Setup: While setting up the advertising campaigns, integrations can be seamless and available with the majority of MMPs (Mobile Measurement Platforms), such as Adjust, Appsflyer, Singular, etc., where mobile marketers can track all activity - from impression to install - as well as the post-install activity, to understand the user journey and performance of each new channel available.
Fraud-free Ecosystem: Marketers gain access to a fully fraud-free and transparent user-acquisition ecosystem simply because there are no additional layers between the budget holder and the mobile OEM itself - reach advertising placement is fully controlled by the mobile OEM.
Cost-Effective Strategy: Alternative app stores of mobile OEMs enable marketers to grow globally by reaching new audiences and accessing new markets. With mobile OEMs, marketers pay lower cost-per-install for higher levels of user acquisition, and the costs are lower than that of the traditional app stores.
With exclusive access to these untapped markets, a fraud-free ecosystem, and verification from mobile measurement providers (MMPs), working with a strong agency specialized in alternative app store advertising is the key to broadening your user base. Leverage one agency partner as your single source of truth that can help you reach closer to your UA and marketing goals.
Reach out to our team today to know more about how you can scale your user acquisition goals by not missing out on incrementality with alternative app stores.
Why go for an Alternative App Store?
Over the years, Google and Facebook dominated the mobile marketing industry with monopolized market shares until recently, in 2020, four of the biggest mobile OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers), Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi, and Vivo, signed a GDSA agreement to move beyond Apple and Google’s duopoly with the launch of their own app stores - also called as alternative app stores.
Alternative app stores provide brands, advertisers, app developers, and mobile marketers with a unique and scalable alternative to the app stores of Apple (App Store) and Google (Play Store) for publishing, launching, marketing, and scaling their apps. Alternative app stores possess the capability to tap into local audiences that are above and beyond the reach of Google and Facebook.
Mobile OEMs have provided great liberty for app developers and mobile marketers to showcase their apps on alternatives to the app stores - GetApps Store by Xiaomi, V-Store by Vivo, Oppo Store, and Huawei’s AppGallery, where app marketers get diverse choices to advertise their brand’s mobile app. The biggest advantage of an alternative to the app store is the incremental user engagement that apps can gain from having unique ad placements within mobile devices to interact with users on multiple touch points. Unique advertising placements help app marketers to scrutinize and understand which placements work the best for their brand’s app marketing strategy.
Alternative app stores offer a mixture of features to attract users
Alternative app stores provide a plethora of features to gain trusted users who are brand loyal to the mobile OEM. App marketers can interact with users at various points within the mobile OEMs, such as the app store featuring and app store optimization.
Moreover, a variety of display and pre-install ads can help mobile marketers and advertisers understand how unique advertising placements across the alternative app stores of Xiaomi, Huawei, Oppo, and Vivo work the best for their mobile apps. Alternative to the app stores offers display ads which are priced at Cost Per Click (CPC) and Cost Per Mille (CPM).
There are different types of display ads, such as Banner Ads, Splash Ads, Native Ads, and Intent-Based Advertising. Another opportunity comes with Preloaded or preinstalled apps, allowing marketers to have their mobile apps preinstalled on the mobile device before the user switches on the mobile device for the first time.
App Store Optimization helps scale user reach within the alternative app store
App Store Optimization (ASO) is a similar practice to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), but in this case, apps compete to rank on top of the app store search when users search for a specific app in a particular app category. The goal of ASO is to generate more app installs and drive growth. App Store Optimization also intrigues advertisers with app publishing in native languages. There are traditional tactics that advertisers can apply to elevate their app store presence and improve performance, like app name, title, description, URL optimization, and keyword research, to name a few.
Some additional benefits are:
- Brand exposure increases significantly.
- App reviews and ratings show positive improvements.
- Audience engagement amplifies.
- Marketing channel that enables massive app growth with cost efficiency.
Benefits of using alternative app stores
- Achieve scalability goals: Mobile OEMs enable marketers to grow globally by reaching new audiences and accessing new markets. For example, the e-commerce app Joom leveraged OEMs to drive 60,000 new installs and increase ROAS by 150%. In addition, we are driving more than 100,000 monthly paid downloads via alternative app stores. This is in addition to getting listed in these app stores, which significantly impacts a company’s organic downloads.
- Reach acquisition targets: Mobile OEMs offer higher user acquisition while paying lower CPI (cost-per-install).
- Enter a fraud-free ecosystem: Marketers can access a fully fraud-free user-acquisition ecosystem. This is because there are no additional layers between the budget holder and the OEM, and reach advertising placement is fully controlled by the OEM.
- Create trust with your audience: Users who are brand-loyal to the OEM will view ads as more trustworthy.
Furthermore, if you are an app developer looking to scale your app in local regions of a particular territory, alternative app stores can help you address users' needs in particular demography and enable the app content in native languages. It also helps users to navigate through and understand your app features better.
How can mobile apps tap into the alternative app stores and scale?
AVOW partners with mobile OEMs across the world to help advertisers and app developers get the most out of their advertising spend. These partnerships with leading mobile OEMs can expand mobile marketers’ reach and unlock new revenue streams. We also help clients with a consultative approach, guiding them through the entire campaign cycle. This includes everything from how to get listed on each OEM app store, to distributing and tracking campaign performance.
Clients can also benefit from AVOW Performance Optimizer (APO), which optimizes OEM on-device inventory in real-time. This in-house solution optimizes inventory toward your KPI goals and engagement levels. This consequently improves campaign performance and boosts ROAS (Return on Ad Spend). All OEM on-device inventory is verified by the leading mobile measurement companies in the industry (MMPs), offering a process that uses automation to our client's advantage.
With exclusive access to these untapped markets, no fraud, and verification from mobile measurement providers (MMPs), working with an alternative app store is the key to broadening your user base.
Follow this link to learn more information about alternative app stores and how AVOW can help your app scale within these alternative app stores.