Time-Based Rewards: The Ultimate Engagement Strategy for Mobile Games -

Time-Based Rewards: The Ultimate Engagement Strategy for Mobile Games

Time-Based Rewards ultimate guide is ready!

Competition continues in the mobile gaming industry, and customer engagement has become essential for long-term success! Many apps have turned to loyalty programs to encourage repeat business and build a strong customer base. One effective loyalty strategy that has gained popularity in recent years is time-based rewards. Time flies when you’re having fun, but it really flies when you’re getting rewarded!

Now, let’s explore what time-based rewards are, why they are important for customer engagement and retention, and how to implement them successfully.


What are time-based rewards?

As the name implies, time-based rewards are rewards that customers receive if they spend a certain amount of time in an app. A variety of rewards can be given to users, such as in-app currency, points, discounts, free products, or exclusive offers that they can access. It is possible to use time-based rewards in a wide variety of apps, from gaming to e-commerce.

Keeping users in your app is not always an easy task to achieve. App developers must implement different incentives to give users a reason to spend more time in the app. This is where time-based rewards come in! Time-based rewards are an effective way to keep customers engaged and loyal to your business. They offer a tangible benefit that customers can work towards and achieve, creating a sense of anticipation and excitement. By offering rewards tied to time, apps can encourage customers to visit more frequently, spend more money, and stay loyal to the app. Lastly, time-based rewards are user-initiated, meaning they don’t disrupt the user experience.

How do time-based rewards work?

Time-based rewards include different types of campaign types:


  • Playtime ad units
  • Rewarded playtime
  • Rewarded engagement

They may sound similar, but wait till we get down to the details!

Rewarded Playtime

Rewarded playtime (aka play-to-earn) campaigns allow players to receive points for the time they spend playing the game. What’s catchy about this model is that players redeem the points they earn for real-world money, gift cards, and so on. 

Rewarded playtime campaigns are run on different platforms that serve players various offers. Players can choose from these different offers, and start earning by installing and spending a certain amount on your game. The offers come in horizontal video or static ads placed throughout the platform. Regular reminders are also sent to players, motivating them to return to the game. Another handy feature of Rewarded Playtime is that app owners don’t need to share creatives or create new visuals, as they can be taken from the play stores. 

Benefits

  • Retain high-quality players
  • Increase in-app purchases
  • Boost retention and LTV

Rewarded Engagement

Rewarded engagement campaigns work on offerwalls (on websites or in apps) and include various engagement offers from different apps. Let’s say that a player wants to earn in-app currency or points for their game, and your mobile game has offers on that app’s offerwall. The player checks out the offerwall and sees an offer of ‘’Get to level 25 for 500 points’’ from your mobile game. They then install your game and start playing. 

What’s excellent about Rewarded Engagement is that the campaigns are conversion-based. App owners pay only for conversions, meaning that if a player doesn’t complete the task, you don’t pay for that user. This leads to inevitable ROAS+ results as the player watches ads or even makes purchases even though they don’t complete the tasks. Compensating for your ad spend has never been easier! 

Additionally, you can run A/B tests for offers and target locations to optimize your campaigns. Learn how AppSamurai’s excellent account managers craft the best strategies for your mobile game here. 

Benefits

  • Guaranteed ROAS+ results
  • Increased engagement
  • Improved ARPU

Playtime ad units

You can think of playtime ad units as a combination of Rewarded Engagement and Rewarded Playtime campaigns. They are time-based units that reward users with in-app currency for the time they spend in your mobile game. When a player is out of currency, an in-app teaser pops out and asks the user to opt-in for customized offers and time-based rewards. This is where your game is presented to the most relevant and qualified users to incentivize them to spend time in exchange for rewards. The more they spend time and earn rewards, the more they watch ads, make in-app purchases, and more. 

Benefits of playtime ad units

  • Target your ideal users
  • Receive high-quality traffic
  • Increase engagement 
  • Go ROAS+ and hit your LTV goals

Click here for AppSamurai’s REWARDED PLAYTIME CASE STUDIES

Overall benefits of time-based rewards

  • Time-based rewards can increase customer engagement and retention by creating a sense of anticipation and excitement. Customers are motivated to visit or purchase more frequently to earn rewards. Time-based rewards can also create a sense of exclusivity and reward loyal customers, further increasing their loyalty to the brand.
  • Time-based rewards can increase customer loyalty by offering tangible benefits that customers can work towards and achieve. 
  • Time-based rewards can differentiate your app from competitors by offering unique and exclusive rewards that others don’t offer. Time-based rewards can help your business stand out in a crowded market by incentivizing players to choose your game over others.

 Steps to follow to implement time-based rewards 

Implementing time-based rewards requires careful planning and execution. Here are some steps:

  1. Define your objectives: What do you hope to achieve with your time-based rewards program? Do you want to increase customer retention, encourage repeat visits, or drive sales? Defining your objectives will help you create a program tailored to your business goals.
  2. Choose the right rewards: Choose valuable and appealing rewards for your target users. Consider what the users want and what motivates them to make repeat purchases or visits. Make sure your rewards are achievable so that customers don’t become discouraged or frustrated.
  3. Run campaigns with a trusted partner: Since time-based rewards are relatively new compared to traditional app marketing campaigns, you’ll need an experienced partner to create the best, tailor-made strategies. 
  4. Monitor and analyze your data: Use data analytics to monitor the performance of your program and make adjustments as needed. Look for patterns in user behavior and use this information to improve your program.

 

It takes an innovative mindset to make your app stand out from the competition, and reach new mobile users!

Time-based rewards are an effective way to keep players engaged with your mobile game. The reward system encourages customers to visit the game more frequently, watch more ads and make purchases. You must carefully plan and execute time-based rewards by defining goals and choosing the right campaign type. 

Check out how we grow mobile games around the world here!


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