Women are 79% more likely to complete an in-app purchase after installing a mobile game, according to a new study by mobile app marketing specialist Liftoff.
The company’s 2018 Mobile Gaming Apps Report suggests that app marketers should reconsider how they view and pursue potential new players.
Although the typical gamer is often assumed to be male, growing numbers of women are playing mobile games and a comparison of acquisition costs and engagement rates reveals that males cost more and engage less than females.
Looking only at install costs ($3.66 for males and $3.84 for females), you might think males are a safer bet – but a closer examination of the figures shows that female players are more valuable.
Take the middle-funnel stage of registration, Liftoff says. At $7.51, females cost 20.2% less than males to acquire. What’s more, the conversion rates for females are 26% higher than for males.
And when it comes to in-app purchases – the “holy grail for app marketers”, according to Liftoff – the differences between males and females point to a huge opportunity. At 16.7%, the install-to-purchase rate for females is 79% higher than for males.
The company cites recent data from games research firm Newzoo which shows that women are playing more mobile games than ever before, meaning more opportunities to engage them with effective campaigns. However, these opportunities are not yet being taken.
One thing to bear in mind is the type of games men and women typically prefer. Game analytics consultancy DeltaDNA observes that “women have a strong preference for puzzle games, while men prefer strategy and action games.”
Creating user-acquisition campaigns targeted at women will be key for marketers, Liftoff CEO Mark Ellis told GamesBeat.
“Women are a lucrative audience, and it takes a different strategy to target women,” Ellis said.
Tags: Mobile, mobile games industry, Mobile gaming
