Unlocking Growth in APAC: Mobile Retargeting Strategies for India, China, and South Korea
Why Emerging Markets in APAC Should Be in Your Growth Strategy
As mobile adoption accelerates globally, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region continues to lead the way in mobile-first engagement. Emerging markets within APAC—namely India, China, and South Korea—offer massive opportunities for app marketers looking to scale. With millions of mobile-first users, high digital penetration, and rapidly growing advertising markets, APAC is a fertile ground for mobile retargeting.
However, each of these markets comes with its own unique user behaviors, regulatory landscapes, and mobile ecosystem nuances. To drive maximum engagement and retention, app marketers must tailor their retargeting strategies to each country’s characteristics. In this guide, we break down the key characteristics of the APAC mobile market and share best practices for mobile retargeting in India, China, and South Korea.
The APAC Mobile Market: A High-Growth Opportunity
The Asia-Pacific (APAC) mobile market is a global powerhouse, both in terms of scale and economic impact. With 1.73 billion mobile subscribers and projections to reach 2.1 billion users by 2030, this region represents a massive opportunity for mobile marketers and app developers looking to expand their reach. By the end of the decade, the APAC mobile industry is expected to be worth nearly $1 trillion, underscoring its economic significance.
Despite this growth, APAC remains a highly diverse and fragmented region, with both mature markets—like South Korea, Japan, and Australia—leading in 5G innovation, while nearly 47% of the population still lacks access to mobile internet, particularly in emerging markets such as Indonesia and Vietnam. This digital divide presents both a challenge and an opportunity for mobile marketers: brands must tailor their strategies to reach both high-tech consumers and first-time smartphone users.
Source: Mobile Magazine
- Massive User Base: APAC is expected to surpass 2.8 billion smartphone users by 2025, making it the largest mobile market globally.
- High Mobile Internet Penetration: Countries like South Korea and China boast mobile internet penetration rates of over 95%.
- Booming Digital Advertising Spend: APAC's digital ad market is set to reach $240 billion by 2026, with mobile advertising taking the lion’s share.
- Diverse App Ecosystem: Unlike Western markets, APAC is home to a fragmented app store landscape, with multiple local app stores dominating distribution.
Given these dynamics, a one-size-fits-all retargeting strategy won’t work in APAC. Instead, let’s explore the best retargeting strategies for India, China, and South Korea.
India: A Mobile-First Market with Explosive Growth
Market Overview
India is home to 700 million smartphone users and one of the fastest-growing mobile app ecosystems in the world. The country’s app market is expected to reach $791.98 billion by 2030, with digital advertising spending exceeding ₹620 billion by 2025. With Android as the dominant OS and a surge in mobile gaming, social commerce, and fintech apps, retargeting strategies must focus on cost efficiency and user retention.
Best Practices for Mobile Retargeting in India
- Optimize for Low Data and Low-End Devices
- Many Indian users access apps on budget smartphones with limited data. Mobile retargeting campaigns should prioritize lightweight creatives, compressed video ads, and non-intrusive formats that won’t slow down the user experience.
- Example: YouAppi’s dynamic creative optimization (DCO) ensures ad formats are optimized based on user bandwidth and device type.
- Leverage Regional Language Targeting
- India is a multilingual country with over 22 official languages. Retargeting campaigns that use local languages can see a notable increase in engagement rates.
- Example: Segmenting users by preferred language and serving ads in Hindi, Tamil, or Telugu can significantly improve re-engagement.
- Tap Into UPI & Wallet-Based Engagement
- With eCommerce transactions growing to $145 billion in 2025, and the majority of those transactions happening via mobile payments (UPI, Paytm, Google Pay), retargeting campaigns should integrate seamless in-app payment prompts and limited-time discounts for wallet users.
China: A Walled Garden with High App Stickiness
Market Overview
China is the world’s largest mobile app market, with 1.4 billion smartphone users, with the average Chinese mobile user installing around 65 apps and engaging with them approximately 5.1 hours a day. However, due to strict regulations, Google Play is absent, and local app stores (Tencent, Huawei, Oppo) dominate distribution. Mobile games, fintech, and social apps drive the highest engagement.
Best Practices for Mobile Retargeting in China
- Use App Store Retargeting Instead of Traditional Web-Based Strategies
- Since China lacks Google Play, leveraging in-app inventory from local app stores is crucial. Running app-store-specific retargeting campaigns helps re-engage users effectively.
- Harness Super Apps Like WeChat for Retargeting
- With 1.3 billion active users, WeChat is the go-to platform for social commerce, payments, and engagement. Running WeChat mini-program retargeting campaigns could vastly enhance conversion rates.
- Navigate China’s Privacy Laws with First-Party Data Strategies
- Due to China’s Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL), retargeting must prioritize first-party data. Leveraging AI-driven contextual targeting is key to ensuring compliance while maintaining campaign effectiveness.
South Korea: A Mobile Powerhouse with High Digital Spend
Market Overview
South Korea has one of the highest smartphone penetration rates globally, with over 51 million internet users. It also boasts one of the world’s largest digital ad markets at $10.81 billion, with 53% of spend going toward mobile advertising. Gaming, eCommerce, and OTT apps dominate engagement.
Best Practices for Mobile Retargeting in South Korea
- Leverage High Mobile Engagement with CTV Retargeting
- With 60% of web traffic coming from mobile and high video consumption, CTV retargeting presents a strong opportunity to re-engage users who have previously interacted with mobile ads.
- Example: YouAppi’s CTV App Sync drives a 15% increase in app reopens by linking mobile campaigns with connected TV engagement.
- Utilize Gaming and Entertainment Apps for Cross-Promotion
- 81.5% of Koreans play games across different devices, and gaming apps see the highest retention. Running cross-app retargeting on high-engagement platforms can drive incremental reactivations.
- Personalize Retargeting with AI-Driven Ad Creative
- South Korea’s audience is highly responsive to localized creative strategies. Using AI-powered dynamic creatives tailored to user segments can boost conversions significantly.
Final Thoughts: Winning in APAC’s High-Growth Mobile Markets
With mobile-first economies and booming ad spend, India, China, and South Korea present a high-impact opportunity for mobile marketers. However, success depends on tailoring retargeting strategies to each market’s characteristics, optimizing creative assets, and leveraging platform-specific insights.
At YouAppi, we specialize in high-growth, high-impact mobile retargeting campaigns across APAC, helping brands maximize engagement, retention, and ROI. Whether it’s CTV retargeting or mobile campaigns optimized for long-term retention, our team can help you leverage emerging market trends to drive results. Get in touch with us.