What Are Playable Ads?

How Do Playables Work?

Playable mobile ads usually take up an entire mobile screen and last between 15 seconds and a minute and exhibit an app’s most important sequence or feature. This is how they work:

• A user uses an app
• The user (ideally) has a natural break in the in-app experience, such as between levels in a game
• The user sees a playable ad on the screen
• The user interacts with the playable 
• The ad concludes with an end card, displaying a call-to-action, driving the user to install the app or take another action

Sometimes, a user might also receive rewards in exchange for interacting with the ad – they’ll receive in-app currency in the app they’re currently engaging with for doing so.

While it might seem obvious, it’s important that advertisers A/B test how intuitive and compelling their playable is. If the ad is a minigame, for example, that the user can try out and play, they should ensure that the difficulty is just right in order to keep them interested and make the install.

Which Types of Playable Ads Are There? 

There are two types of playable ad units: HTML and interactive video ads. 

HTML ads recreate a snippet of a mobile game to ensure that the user has a solid understanding of the game and demonstrates a more accurate gameplay experience. They are called HTML ads because ad developers build their creatives in HTML5 to ensure fast loading times and a better user experience – all of which will ideally lead to a conversion, such as a purchase, download, or signup. 

Interactive videos use videos taken from the game to create the ad. It’s easier to develop but isn’t always as engaging as an HTML ad. While they can have impressive graphics, they require larger files and therefore risk frustrating users with less impressive latency than HTML ads. 

What Are the Benefits of Playable Ads?

App downloads, while they are still growing year over year, are harder to come by within the competitive app market.

This is why playables have become a nonnegotiable ad unit for both publishers and advertisers. With their ability to showcase an app in the best-possible most dynamic way playables better convert users at the awareness stage of the conversion funnel. 

Other reasons this ad unit is popular include the following:

1. Better Retention, Conversion, and LTV Metrics

Playable ads – especially HTML playables – deliver better retention and LTV metrics than other static ad formats, such as banner ads or interstitials. 

Their immersive qualities mean that users can get an accurate flavor of the app before installing it, meaning they’re less likely to churn because they have a good idea of the app’s UX. Playables give the user a fair representation of the app and they are also more likely to trust the publisher and the app. 

2. Higher ROAS

Being able to deliver good retention and LTV metics means that advertisers benefit from a higher return on ad spend is also higher. This is because the advertiser is less likely to waste their budget acquiring users who end up churning from the app and demonstrating poor retention. 

1. Better Retention, Conversion, and LTV Metrics

Playable mobile ads – especially HTML playables – deliver better retention and LTV metrics than other static ad formats, such as banner ads or interstitials. 

Their immersive qualities mean that users can get an accurate flavor of the app before installing it, meaning they’re less likely to churn because they have a good idea of the app’s UX. Playables give the user a fair representation of the app and they are also more likely to trust the publisher and the app.

2. Higher ROAS 

Being able to deliver good retention and LTV metics means that advertisers benefit from a higher return on ad spend is also higher. This is because the advertiser is less likely to waste their budget acquiring users who end up churning from the app and demonstrating poor retention.

3. Greater Brand Awareness

Playables offer advertisers greater brand awareness. And since trust is the new currency among consumers, this is important. If an advertiser’s playables are able to draw brand recognition and familiarity from users after they have interacted with their ads, they will be more likely to connect with the brand and convert. 

The most successful advertisers drive brand awareness through colors, fonts, and messaging.

4. Higher Engagement and Revenue

Capturing the time and attention of mobile users is a priority for both publishers and advertisers. Rewarded playables, as an interactive opt-in ad unit, remove the passivity in the ad experience. 

When users can engage with a brand through its playable ads, they are more likely to become aware of the brand and either install the app there and then or at a later date. Without this engagement, publishers will find it difficult to monetize their users.

Conclusion

Incorporating a variety of ads, including playable ad units, is essential to capture a diverse user base, increase brand awareness, and enhance the user’s ad experience. 

But to achieve the right balance and avoid excessive competition, advertisers should perform A/B testing on ad placement, frequency, and the content of the ad to ensure they are exhibiting their app in the most appealing way.