Mobile App Growth for Wetter.com
Weather is one of the most universal mobile use cases. From planning a commute to deciding whether to bring an umbrella, millions of users check weather apps multiple times a day. But building growth for a weather app presents a unique challenge: demand can spike dramatically based on real-world conditions.
In this episode of Behind the Apps: Mobile Marketing Talks, host and marketing expert Cindy Oran sits down with Alexander Brumbauer, Head of Performance Marketing at wetter.com, one of Europe’s leading digital weather platforms.
Alex shares how wetter.com approaches mobile app growth across multiple markets, why diversifying user acquisition channels has become critical, and how OEM partnerships complement traditional performance channels like Google, Apple and Meta.
The conversation also explores how user behavior shifts with the weather, why sessions are the most important metric for publisher-style apps, and why creative testing remains one of the most powerful levers for scaling campaigns.
What you’ll learn in this episode
- How wetter.com differentiates itself from pre-installed weather apps
- Why relying only on Google and Meta can limit mobile growth
- How OEM partnerships fit into a diversified UA strategy
- Why sessions matter more than retention for publisher-style apps
- Why creative testing and visuals play a critical role in scaling campaigns
Watch the full interview
Watch the full interview below or on AVOW’s YouTube channel. Scroll down for the complete transcript.
Interview Transcript: A Conversation with Alexander Brumbauer from wetter.com
Cindy Oran (Behind the Apps Host):
Welcome to Behind the Apps Mobile Marketing Talks, a video interview series brought to you by AVOW where we go behind the scenes of mobile marketing with some of the smartest minds in the industry. I’m Cindy Oran, and today I’m joined by Alexander Brumbauer, Head of Performance Marketing at wetter.com.
Alex, welcome to the show.
Alexander Brumbauer (Performance Marketing Lead at wetter.com):
Thank you very much, Cindy, for the great introduction and thanks for having me.
As Cindy mentioned, I’m Alex. I’ve been with wetter.com for seven years now. I started my career there as a Senior Performance Marketing Manager, and today I lead the performance marketing team across international markets.
In my role, I’m responsible for the strategic development and execution of performance marketing activities across all countries where the wetter app operates.
wetter.com is one of Europe’s leading digital weather platforms, reaching millions of users every day across apps and TV. We have a strong presence in multilingual European markets and provide reliable weather forecasts, data-driven insights, and premium weather content for both consumers and business partners.
I’m very much looking forward to the conversation today.
Everyday Apps and Weather Habits
Cindy (Host)
Before we get into channels, data, and performance, I always like to zoom out for a second and start on a more human note. What is one app or digital service unrelated to work that you use every single day? This can be a fitness tracker, a language app, a smart home tool – anything like that.
Alexander (wetter.com):
It will sound boring and maybe a bit bland, but since I’m working for a weather app, obviously I’m really using it. It’s one of the first apps I check, especially during winter.
The reason is my smart home setup. I need to open the roof shutters, and if it’s icy outside, then I cannot do that.
So weather is always relevant for me as well. It’s either wetter.com or my smart home app where I can open everything here or turn on the heating. So yeah, it’s nothing special – it’s wetter.com.
Why Users Download wetter.com Instead of Default Weather Apps
Cindy (Host)
Most phones come with a weather app pre-installed, often right there on the home screen. From your perspective, what’s the key value proposition that convinces a user to go to the app store and download wetter.com instead of sticking with the default?
Alexander (wetter.com):
That’s a good one. I would say it’s the most accurate forecast you can get. That’s what we aim to provide for all the countries we operate in.
Another point is how we generate forecasts. There are different models available for weather forecasts, and we use several of them.
We also provide a real rain radar. Some other apps show static pictures or simplified visuals, but we actually calculate and display radar data. That means you can see where the clouds are and where the rain is, and what you can expect for the next five to ten minutes up to about one and a half hours.
We also produce real content in-house. For example, forecasts for today, tomorrow, the next three days, and seven days ahead. This is something we do every day.
Even on weekends, we get updates from our editorial team about what’s happening with the weather. In special cases, we produce even more videos.
And we also have real meteorologists. You can see them on TV, in our apps, and on other platforms like radio as well.
Being the “Weather Friend”
Cindy (Host)
Just out of curiosity, does that mean you’re the friend everyone messages asking whether they should bring an umbrella?
Alexander (wetter.com):
Of course – especially with our rain radar.
Sometimes it’s not that easy to predict everything per minute, but I would say it’s one of the most reliable weather apps out there.
If you’re using the rain radar in the app, you can see when the rain is coming, when it’s over, how heavy it will be – or if it’s snow instead of rain.
So yes, we can definitely tell you when you might need the umbrella.
Diversifying User Acquisition with Mobile OEMs and Preloads
Cindy (Host)
Now let’s zoom out and talk growth. Weather is always relevant, but demand isn’t always predictable. At what point did you realize that relying strictly on the big two – Google and Meta – could be a risk to your growth?
Alexander (wetter.com):
Relying on just two channels is something I would never recommend.
If you do that, you basically have to take what you get.
For us, OEMs and pre-installs – as we call them internally – are already a huge part of our strategy and a real pillar for us.
I would say it’s almost equal to channels like Google or Meta. Performance is strong there, and we see real potential to grow further.
Especially with some new OEMs entering the market and with the existing ones, this has always been a focus for wetter.com.
Growing in a Weather-Driven Environment
Cindy (Host)
Weather demand is volatile by nature. How do you build a stable growth engine when your daily KPIs are influenced by something as unpredictable as the forecast?
Alexander (wetter.com):
Of course, as a weather app we rely on the weather.
The funny thing is when the weather goes crazy, all the numbers go crazy and users go crazy as well.
But the good thing is that weather is always relevant.
There are seasons where it’s slightly less relevant, but that can change immediately. Even during those times people still check the weather — maybe not ten times a day, but once or twice.
Another interesting thing is that there is no real target group for weather. It’s everyone.
If you have kids, weather is relevant. If you have a dog, it’s relevant. If you work outside, it’s relevant.
Even if someone says they don’t care about the weather, someone else will care because they need to know if it will rain or not.
So there is always a reason for weather.
Rapid Fire Round
Cindy (Host)
What is the very first app you check when you wake up and the very last one before you go to sleep?
Alexander (wetter.com):
The first is most likely wetter.com. The last one is probably Instagram.
Cindy (Host)
Do you check the weather app as a user or as a marketer?
Alexander (wetter.com):
More as a user.
My whole day is related to weather, so I constantly see forecasts or hear about the weather. So maybe I’m not checking it as often as expected, but I would still say more as a user.
Cindy (Host)
One thing that used to work in app growth that no longer does?
Alexander (wetter.com):
Focusing on just one or two channels.
You need more channels now – display campaigns, video campaigns, social media channels, and OEMs. If you rely on just one or two platforms, you depend completely on them.
So I would say more is better.
Cindy (Host)
What’s one metric you trust the most and one you’re skeptical of?
Alexander (wetter.com):
The most important metric for us is sessions.
We are 100% a publisher, and as a publisher we rely on sessions because sessions equal revenue.
So if you have more sessions per user, your lifetime value also increases.
The metric I’m most skeptical about is retention rate. It’s interesting, but it can also be difficult depending on the timeframe and how users behave.
Cindy (Host)
What’s your number one piece of advice for an app marketer who is struggling to scale today?
Alexander (wetter.com):
Focus on visuals and testing.
Creative testing is really important. If something isn’t working, sometimes it’s better to restart the campaign instead of optimizing it forever.
And always think about what kind of story you want to tell with your banners or videos.
Cindy (Host)
Before we wrap up, where is the best place for people to follow your work?
Alexander (wetter.com):
The easiest place is LinkedIn. You can follow wetter.com there, and if someone wants to connect with me, they can find me on LinkedIn as well.
Note: This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity and readability.
Key Takeaways from This Episode
- Weather apps have no single target audience, making broad user acquisition strategies essential.
- Accuracy and real-time radar data are key differentiators for wetter.com.
- Relying only on Google and Meta can limit growth, making diversification important.
- OEM partnerships and pre-installs serve as a major acquisition pillar for wetter.com.
- For publisher-style apps, sessions matter more than retention because sessions drive revenue.
- Creative testing and visuals remain critical for improving campaign performance.
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