The mobile app market isn’t just growing, it’s evolving. In 2025, app marketers face more competition, higher user expectations, and stricter privacy frameworks than ever before. But with every challenge comes opportunity. From AI-powered personalization to new loyalty-building tactics, brands that embrace innovation and data-driven decision-making are poised to break away from the pack.
So what does it take to truly accelerate growth this year? Based on what we’ve seen across campaigns, channels, and user behavior trends, here are five strategies that are helping apps not just grow, but thrive.
Despite economic headwinds, the advertising market remains strong. According to Magna’s latest global ad forecast, global advertising revenues for media owners are expected to reach $979 billion in 2025, a 4.9% increase from 2024.
Retail media and search advertising are the top growth drivers, projected to grow 8% and reach $359 billion. These newer channels are not just replacing old ones, they're bringing in new dollars, especially through formats like short-form video and digital out-of-home.
As Vincent Létang, EVP of global market intelligence at Magna, explained, retail media is strengthening the market by redirecting marketing budgets into digital formats. This growth is happening despite the International Monetary Fund revising its global economic growth forecast from 3.3% to 2.8% for 2025 due to major policy shifts and rising tariffs.
While traditional media channels such as radio and print may see declines, the digital advertising ecosystem continues to expand. For app marketers, this means there's still plenty of opportunity to grow if you're using the right strategies.
The era of one-size-fits-all is over. Today’s users expect relevance, and AI is the key to delivering it. Seventy-three percent of marketers say AI is essential for crafting personalized experiences that convert.
By leveraging AI, marketers can:
For instance, campaigns using AI-driven segmentation saw a 38% boost in conversion rates through app retargeting. Meanwhile, marketers who layered AI on top of their creative testing frameworks reduced cost-per-acquisition (CPA) by double digits.
Whether it's in your push notifications, email flows, or CTV ads, AI helps you meet users with the right message at the right moment—without exhausting your creative team.
Word-of-mouth still reigns supreme, especially when it comes from friends. But in 2025, referral and loyalty programs are getting smarter and more personalized.
In the QSR world, we’ve seen loyalty make a measurable impact—even in a tough quarter. Despite Q1 2025 challenges, brands like Raising Cane’s and Taco Bell saw visit lifts thanks to creative marketing and well-timed loyalty nudges.
The lesson? Loyalty programs perform best when they’re tied to value and reinforced through retargeting. Top apps are:
Loyalty doesn’t happen by chance. It’s built through ongoing, relevant engagement. When users see clear rewards, personalized reminders, and brand consistency across screens, they’re more likely to stay—and refer others to join them.
As users hop from screen to screen, your messaging has to follow. That’s why mobile and CTV retargeting is one of the most powerful growth levers today.
A mobile game using YouAppi’s CTV App Sync saw:
What’s more, 35% of users say they’ve been influenced to shop by what they see on TV. When you retarget those same users with a relevant mobile CTA, you close the loop and capture more conversions.
Pro tip: Use CTV for awareness and mobile for conversion. That full-funnel journey makes performance marketing smarter, not just flashier.
Creative is no longer just an aesthetic choice—it’s the single most powerful lever in your retargeting toolkit. With over 46 million creatives in circulation and creative fatigue setting in faster than ever, it’s critical to stay fresh, relevant, and platform-aware.
YouAppi’s recent work with VIZOR, the studio behind Klondike Adventures, is proof. By designing a high-impact, cross-platform creative strategy that combined vertical video, interactive features, and behavioral targeting, YouAppi helped VIZOR achieve:
What made it work?
Whether it’s a short-form video optimized for vertical viewing, a playable ad with tap-to-reveal elements, or a contextual CTV ad with a QR code, great creative is what turns attention into action.
App installs are only half the battle. More than 1 in 2 apps are uninstalled within 30 days, according to AppsFlyer’s 2025 report. That makes retention just as important as acquisition.
Top-performing apps in 2025 are:
Retention is about reinforcing why your app matters. Whether through in-app offers, helpful reminders, or relevant content, the goal is to turn casual users into committed ones.
If 2024 was about survival, 2025 is about strategy. The mobile marketers who will win this year aren’t just chasing installs—they’re building experiences that keep users coming back.
Here’s what to remember:
Explore how YouAppi can help you launch smarter retargeting campaigns across mobile and CTV. Contact us today to get started.