Twitter is launching a brand new type of ad targeting that allows users to be targeting based on the apps they already have installed on their smartphones. While this new targeting type will make advertisers pretty happy, some users might not be quite so happy about being targeting based upon their apps.
This new ad targeting allows advertisers to target users based upon the types of apps a person already has installed on their smartphones. They can target app areas such as games, entertainment, health, and comics, along with multiple other app categories. It does not allow targeting based on specific apps.
Advertisers can also view their campaign metrics by category, allowing for easier targeting based on the types of users who tend to have a higher install rate while weeding out those who don’t. This can be used to improve ROI with their install and engagement campaigns, so advertisers can target the most cost-effective groups while eliminating the most costly ones.
Twitter also mentions another unique way of targeting these new ads, by determining the types of apps installed by users who install apps in your primary app category. This allows advertisers to target those categories as well for expanded yet targeted coverage.
There are multiple ways to leverage these powerful insights. For example, if you’re running a campaign targeting users who have installed entertainment apps, you can use this reporting to identify other types of apps they also have installed — and then explicitly target those new categories.
Or, you can identify which app categories yield the strongest install rates and lowest cost per install, and use this data to target high performing app categories in future campaigns.
Twitter says they have been beta testing this with a group of advertisers, including Acords, Mercari, and Fablic.
While this new targeting should mean that many users will tend to see the type of app ads for apps that are more directly targeted to them, there will be some who don’t like the thought of being targeted based on the fact they have Tinder or Candy Crush installed on their phones. Users can disable this new type of ad targeting by deselecting the “Tailor Twitter based on my apps” option from within the settings option in the Twitter apps for both iOS and Android.
This ad targeting is now available to all advertisers worldwide who are currently running mobile app campaigns for iOS and Android.
Jennifer Slegg
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