6 strategies to grow your app with performance marketing

Intro

If you’ve been around the app marketing world long enough, you know that installs don’t mean much unless people actually use your app. At Mars Media Group, I’ve spent the last 8 years working with app-developers, from growing startups to some of the biggest names in the space, to help them get not just users, but the right users.

This is a straightforward breakdown of what I’ve seen work best when it comes to growing an app through performance marketing.

1. Know who you’re after, and go after their lookalikes

One of the first things I ask when I’m on a call with an advertiser is: who’s your ideal user? Not just age or gender, but what other apps are they using? If you’re in food delivery, for example, maybe you’re competing with five other apps. That list is gold. It tells us exactly where your users are already spending time, and who we need to win over.

At Mars Media Group, we use internal tools and experience to help partners reach audiences that are more likely to be a good fit for their app. Whether it's a delivery app or a finance tool, we look at broader patterns and behaviors to guide where and how we run campaigns. It’s not magic, it’s just smart media planning.

This strategy works across verticals, games, finance, shopping. The key is understanding behavior, not just demographics.

2. Focus on what happens after the install

You don’t want someone who downloads your app once and never opens it again. What you really want is someone who registers, makes a purchase, or keeps coming back.

That’s what we call down-funnel optimization. We work with advertisers who pay not just per install, but also for events, first purchases, repeat orders, in-app milestones. And that changes the way we run campaigns.

It’s not about volume. It’s about value. The tech behind it, AI tools, campaign segmentation, real-time feedback, helps us spot which traffic sources bring in the users who actually do what you want them to do.

3. Use every screen available, mobile, web, CTV

The way people interact with content has changed. It’s not just mobile anymore. A user might see your ad on their smart TV while watching a game, then download the app later on their phone.

CTV is something I really believe in. It doesn’t deliver huge traffic volumes, but the quality is through the roof, not to mention the strong branding impact. Picture a living room with three or four people watching a match. One of them sees a promo from a delivery service, maybe a code for a pizza discount during the game. They scan the QR, download the app, and order.

We’re running campaigns like that. The CR (conversion rate) speaks for itself.

4. Don’t underestimate creatives

Don’t underestimate creatives. Some advertisers send over two banners and call it a day, but to really get results, it’s essential to have a variety of formats and designs. Different types of traffic require different types of creatives, and we’ve seen time and again that when we have those options, performance improves. With our in-house creative team, designers who work closely with our campaign managers, we know what tends to work across different verticals and can tailor assets to fit the channels we’re using.

Creative A/B testing is constant. Sometimes, the smallest visual tweak brings a better ROI. And often, having more options just opens up more doors, especially when working across platforms.

5. Track, analyze, and adapt on the go

There’s no such thing as “set it and forget it.” Good performance marketing means constantly reading the numbers, retention, event rates, ROAS (return on ad spend). It’s almost like managing an investment portfolio.

Let’s say we’re running a CPI campaign. If we see one channel bringing in users who register and purchase, and another one where installs come in but no second-phase actions like sales or engagement happen, we’ll shift budgets, change the bid, or kill the source entirely. That’s how we get smarter over time. And AI helps a lot with that, finding the signals in the noise, fast.

6. Don’t overlook owned and operated supply

This is something a lot of agencies don’t offer, and honestly, it makes a big difference.

At Mars Media Group, we gain traffic from multiple sources, including DSPs, but we also work with owned & operated websites and placements. That means it’s our own inventory. It doesn’t overlap with what most advertisers already buy through DSPs or other networks. For app developers and brands, this opens up access to users they’re not already reaching through the usual media buying.

It’s a way to reach new users through placements most advertisers don’t have access to, giving us more control over where and how your ads appear.

I’ve been doing this for years, and so has the team I work with. We’ve seen trends come and go, what sticks is experience, knowing how to read the numbers, and being able to move fast when something’s working.

Whether it’s launching with a new channel, testing creatives, or optimizing post-install events, we’ve probably seen the scenario before. And that helps us make better decisions, quicker.

Final thought

This industry moves quickly. What worked a year ago might be outdated today. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that staying close to the data, and knowing how to act on it, is what makes the difference.

I hope this helped give a clearer picture of how I approach app growth and performance. If you’re scaling and looking for smart ways to reach real users, I’m always happy to talk.