Mastering Mobile Ads for Gaming: Concept and Version Testing Insights — Series Part 1

Mobile game marketing is more than just flashy ads; it’s a thoughtful strategy, much akin to game design. Consider “concept testing” as deciding which plants to grow in a garden: tomatoes, peppers, or potatoes. The real challenge lies in discerning what your audience truly craves. Once you’ve pinpointed that, “version testing” becomes about fine-tuning the recipe: mashed potatoes, fries, or baked?

During my tenure at IronSource’s creative studio, collaborating with gaming studios across all genres, I’ve witnessed the confusion firsthand. Many, including seasoned marketers, grapple with these testing nuances. Yet mastering them? That’s the secret to elevating campaigns and fostering seamless teamwork.

By the end of this article, I guarantee you’ll clearly understand the distinct differences between concept and version testing, all brought to life with real gaming ad examples. Ready to dive deep? Let’s begin!

Concept Testing

The core principle of concept testing is rapidly grasping your audience’s preferences and pinpointing their motivations to discern what truly resonates with them. Let’s delve into an example from “Royal Match” by Dream Games and examine the ad concepts they’re currently running:

Now, lets breakdown this 3 concepts and understand their core difference in approach and targeting:

• “Gameplay”: Bright, colorful, and all about the action. This ad puts the match-3 fun front and center. It’s for those who love the thrill of making those tiles explode and getting lost in the game’s core mechanics.
• “Save the King”: Drama, anyone? This one mixes the gameplay with a mission: save the king. As Royal Match’s signature concept, it’s unmistakable to anyone familiar with mobile gaming. This ad is for those who want a touch of narrative alongside their gameplay.
• “Influencers/UGC”: Simon Cowell playing “Royal Match”? Yep, that’s a thing. By bringing a star into the mix, this ad targets those who think, “If it’s good enough for Simon, it’s good enough for me.”

Now that we’ve explored the different ad concepts that ‘Royal Match’ utilizes, let’s peel back another layer. Within each concept, there exists a world of versions — each tailored to enhance a specific aspect of the ad or target a distinct player base. Welcome to version testing: where we tweak and twist to discover the perfect iteration.

Version Testing

After identifying a winning concept, version testing becomes the heart of the ad optimization process. This phase is where the bulk of the effort lies, as teams tirelessly iterate to find that “Hero Creative”.

This dynamic relationship between the UA and creative teams. Constant communication is paramount. The UA team, with its pulse on performance metrics, provides invaluable feedback on the success or failure of different ad versions. For instance, if one game mechanic consistently outperforms another, it’s crucial that this insight reaches the creative team promptly. Armed with this knowledge, the creative team can refine their approach, focusing on what truly resonates with the audience. This iterative feedback loop ensures that every new version is grounded in data-driven insights, optimizing the chances of campaign success.

Now, let’s imagine for the sake of this example that the UA team has indicated, after analyzing performance metrics, that the “gameplay” concept shows promising potential. Given the green light to proceed to the iteration or version testing phase, the creative team, armed with this insight, begins experimenting with different ad creatives. [Following this is a screenshot of three distinct gameplay ads. One displays the original gameplay concept that resonated well, another showcases a grass-covered board awaiting clearance, and the third presents tiles designed as pumpkins- perhaps a holiday theme]

Now, let’s say the ‘Save the King’ concept showed promising results. With this feedback, the creative team worked on different variations of this theme: saving the king from a fire, from drowning, or from a snake.

Now, let’s explore the third concept. Suppose that the ‘Influencers/UGC’ concept also demonstrates potential. Here, leveraging the power of celebrity endorsement can appeal to a vast audience who trust or admire the influencer.

One might show Simon Cowell engrossed in a match, another could feature a different celebrity tackling a challenging level, and yet another might depict a behind-the-scenes look of a star’s reaction after achieving a new high score. Each version taps into the fanbase of the influencer, but also offers different angles on how the game integrates into their lives.

In Conclusion

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing and gaming, success hinges on understanding and resonating with your audience. Concept testing lays the foundation, but through version testing and careful iteration, ads truly shine. With a blend of data-driven insights and creative flair, every campaign can become a masterpiece. As you dive deeper into optimizing your ads, may these insights guide you towards consistently resonant campaigns.

Bonus: Iteration Cheat Sheet

Feeling stuck? Here’s a quick-fire list of iterations and A/B test ideas to jumpstart your creative process:

1. Levels: Dive into various game levels. Early stages might appeal differently than intense, advanced ones.
2. Characters: Introduce a range of characters. The resonance of a female protagonist might differ from a male or an elderly versus a younger character.
3. Solo vs. Opponents: Measure the draw of solo gameplay against the thrill of competition.
4. Background & Colors: Alterations in backdrop or color palettes can redefine the ad’s appeal.
5. Initial Hooks: The inaugural 3 seconds are pivotal. Experiment with various attention-grabbing scenes.
6. Difficulty: Present gameplay from simple, beginner stages to the intense, hair-pulling levels. Gauge the engagement levels.
7. Boss Battles: Spotlight varied bosses in action games. Determine which enemies or scenes are most exhilarating.
8. Win vs. Lose: Illustrate both, the euphoria of winning and the agony of a narrow loss. The journey can be as enticing as the result.
9. Holiday Themes: Customize ads for special occasions. Seasonal themes like Christmas or Halloween can boost engagement.
10. Narrative vs. No Narrative: A storyline can be contrasted against pure gameplay to discern which holds more allure.
11. Silly Sounds: Leverage trending sounds from platforms like social media. Unique auditory elements can amplify memorability.
12. Emoji/Memoji: Infuse popular culture elements. Emojis or memoji integration can modernize your ad.
13. Influencers/UGC: Highlight influencers or user-generated content. If a celebrity loves it, maybe the audience will too.
14. Save the Character: Rescue missions, like saving a king from various dangers, can introduce a narrative angle to gameplay and elicit emotional engagement.