Vungle gives mobile gamers incentive to watch video ads.
While ads keep mobile gaming apps free, one of the main complaints mobile gamers have with regard to these advertisements is that they pop-up while they are playing and this disrupts the game. However, in-app advertising platform Vungle has created a technique that actually gives gamers incentive to watch the ads.
Vungle delivers ads without interrupting the player’s gaming experience.
The ads that Vungle puts inside a mobile game promote other games or smartphone apps. That said, unlike other traditional forms of in-app advertising that disrupts the game, Vungle provides an opt-in approach that also includes a benefit for the player.
Ville Heijari of Vungle explains that “when we do an opt-in approach, people actually want to see the ads.” He also went on to say that “gamers download the other applications that are being advertised, but they also gain some kind of benefit within the game or app.”
Vungle helps game developers make money from free mobile gaming apps and provides advertisers with a new audience.
The in-app video advertising company is helping developers of mobile games earn money from mobile users who, on average, are not interested in paying for apps. It also provides advertisers with a mobile audience for their ads.
For instance, RGB Express is a puzzle game on the Vungle platform. The games developer, Markus Kaikkonen, says that while the game was launched as a paid app for Apple devices, he decided to offer the Android version of the app for free in December 2014. In order to make money from it, Kaikkonene joined Vungle, which places video ads inside his game that rewards players with a game credit or hint, simply for watching a 15-second ad.
Kaikkonen explained that in the Android version, “the player can use hints to watch the solutions for the problems.” He added that the player can purchase more hints if they desire, but if they want to continue enjoying additions to the game for free, they can watch a Vungle video ad and obtain a hint at no cost.
In order to create space to plug in advertisements for consumer brands, Vungle’s strategy is to build up a customer base and boost overall mobile gaming app usage. Half of the ads Vungle puts into mobile games promotes games and smartphone apps, and the other half of the advertisements on the firm’s platform are paid for by companies like Nokia and Unilever.
