Video ads for mobile apps
Non-gaming app ads must make an interface interesting, which it rarely is on its own. The ads that work open on the problem the app solves, then show the app solving it in a few readable taps. Screen recordings need to be composed for a phone screen, with the important part enlarged and annotated, not shrunk into a frame.
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Make the screen readable
- Record at the device's native vertical resolution.
- Zoom into the part of the screen that matters for each step.
- Add a short caption per step: what just happened and why it helps.
- Show a hand or a person using the phone in some shots, so it reads as real use.
Concepts that fit
| Concept | Opening |
|---|---|
| Problem first | The annoying situation the app removes |
| Three taps | 'Here is how fast this is' with a timer |
| Before and after | The messy old way, then the app |
| Use case | One specific job, such as splitting a bill |
| Social proof | A user explaining why they kept it |
Install campaigns
App-install ads send people to the App Store or Google Play rather than a website, so the store page acts as the landing page. Keep screenshots and the first lines of the description consistent with the ad. Judge results on retention and paying users, not installs alone, since cheap installs from a misleading ad churn fast.
Subscription clarity
If the app has a free trial that converts to a paid plan, the price after the trial should be clear in the ad or store page. Subscription terms that surprise people lead to refunds, complaints and store review problems.