Latest News

X (formerly Twitter) as a traffic source for mobile applications

Published

1 year ago

November 21, 2023

Wladimir P.

x-(formerly-twitter)-as-a-traffic-source-for-mobile-applications

Reading Time: 6 minutes

WakeApp is back with its “Source of the Month” – an educational guide for mobile app marketers.

According to information gleaned from Statista, app stores are currently swamped with applications: Google Play includes 2.6 million apps while there are almost 4.5 million in the Apple App Store. So, what does it take for an app to rise to popularity among its users? It surely is no longer the case of uberizing a program capable of connecting clients to a service. This is where our highlight tool of the month comes in.

At WakeApp, we’re always ready to lend a helping hand to novice marketers, partners and specialists in the mobile application promotion market to keep abreast of the latest GEO trends, traffic sources and promotion features. This time, we’re introducing our readers to the highly popular advertising platform for media buyers and app marketers, X (formerly Twitter)!

European Gaming Congress 2024 (Warsaw, Poland)

X is an American microblogging service and social network where users post and interact with messages known as “tweets”. X, Inc., which is based in San Francisco, California, provides the service and has over 25 offices worldwide. Tweets were initially limited to 140 characters, but in November 2017 the limit was doubled to 280 for most languages. Audio and video tweets remain limited to 140 seconds for most accounts.

Facts about X

X has almost 368 million monthly daily active monetizable users (data for 2022), and this figure is constantly growing.
X users are predominantly male. According to Statista data for January 2023, males account for 63% of social media users while 37% are women. Almost 40% of them are aged between 25 and 34.
X’s audience is mainly mobile: according to X, about 80% of social network users access X from smartphones and 93% of video views on X occur on mobile devices.
As of January 2023, X is most popular in the United States, Japan and India.

How can marketers use X?

Since there are not as many ads on X as on other social networks, users are less likely to experience banner blindness. Therefore, the likelihood that the ad will be noticed is higher.

At the same time, the majority of X users are consumers, not content creators, which means they are looking forward to the opportunity to participate in discussions, download applications, and are also ready for interactivity and a gaming format of interaction.

It was on April 13 back in 2010 that X introduced advertising. This advertising was limited only to banner advertising. Four years later, on April 17 2014, X officially announced the launch of a platform for advertising applications using the MoPub mobile traffic exchange system, having acquired this service six months earlier.

This service made it possible to install promotional applications directly from the X news feed. Ads were simultaneously shown on X through a promotional tweet system and on users’ mobile devices through MoPub.

What does the X advertising account look like?

Level 1. Goals.

There are a total of seven goals on X: Reach, Video Views and Pre-Roll Views, App Installs, Website Transitions, Interactions, Readers, Repeat App Interactions.

Level 2. Campaign.

After selecting a goal, you need to set your settings at the campaign level, namely: give a name to the campaign, set the daily budget, total budget, start and end dates of the campaign, and the pace of impressions.

Level 3. You will be taken to the ad group settings that you will need to set: Group name, Start and end time of impressions, Total ad group budget, Bid type.

What can you target on X?

User demographics. To target demographics, set users’ gender, age, location, and language.
Device data. In this section, select what devices your target audience uses—desktop computers or smartphones on iOS, Android, or other operating systems. You can also specify information about the operator and device model.
Custom audiences. On X, you can create custom audiences based on your contact list, website or app activity, and combined audiences based on app activity. In the same section, you can create look-alike segments by checking the “Include users similar to your selected custom audiences” checkbox.
Targeting options. You can target by interests, events, conversation topics, movies and TV shows, and reach users similar to followers of a specific account. Interests and activities can be selected from a drop-down list.
Keyword targeting is also available, allowing you to include or exclude campaign users from your advertising who enter certain words in X searches or use them in publications.
In additional settings, you can set up retargeting for those users who interacted with or saw posts. You can enable audience expansion, or add users who are already following your account to your audience.
Depending on the purpose you choose, impressions may be available in your home feed, profile, search results, and X Audience Platform which is a network of popular apps. Connecting the X Audience Platform allows you to expand your advertising reach. When setting up impressions in the Audience Platform, you need to add an advertising category (cars, restaurants, education, etc.), add a link to the site, and, if necessary, exclude applications in which you do not want to appear.

When choosing targeting, focus on test results and analytics. If you haven’t run X ads before, create ad groups for each target group.

When using keyword targeting with the “Include” option, add at least 25 keywords, as per X’s recommendations. When selecting the Exclude option, remember that too many words will narrow your coverage.

Advertising formats

X advertising comes in three formats:

Promoted Tweets. They look like regular posts but are marked as “Advertising”. Users can like, repost and comment on them just like organic posts. Promoted posts are shown in X search results, in the news feed, in the profiles of users and official partners of the site.

A promoted post can contain an image or video. The video plays automatically in the News Feed and loops if it is less than 60 seconds long. You can also insert a link to a website or application into your ad to attract traffic or motivate users to convert:

2) Promoted Accounts. This type of advertising is needed to direct traffic to a brand account, increase activity and the number of subscribers. Ads with promoted accounts are displayed in the news feed, in search results and in the “Who to Read” section. They are marked with an “Advertising” icon and contain a “Subscribe” button.

3) Promoted Trends. Promoted trends involve placement in the trend list on the side of the page. Advertising will be at the top of this list.

How do we use X at WakeApp?

X makes up one of the 30+ sources that WakeApp uses to promote applications.

We have been using this traffic source ever since its appearance on the advertising market, and turn to X when our clients’ goal is to attract a young, but already solvent audience.

X’s main audience is 25-34 year olds who tend to be mature, progressive and technologically inclined. This audience type is especially relevant to brands with paid applications as such an audience are usually more willing to respond to and purchase an application/subscription for a service they need.

What’s more, promoting on X comes at an average market cost which allows even promoters with a tight budget to promote brands.

About our guide: Every month, we publish helpful promotion guides where we discuss promotion features in a particular region according to traffic sources and GEO traffic. We also seek to keep our readers up-to-date on tips, as well as restrictions and bans about promoting on certain sources.

Think of it as a mobile marketer’s desktop guide!

About us: WakeApp is an international mobile marketing agency with over 9 years of experience in the market, and is leading the development and promotion of gaming and non-gaming mobile applications in the e-comm, video streaming, food delivery, sport, utilities, and finance verticals. In 2022, WakeApp received The Media Agency of the Year at the SiGMA Asia Awards, and in 2021, WakeApp placed in 5 categories in the 13th edition of the AppsFlyer Performance Index XIII.

Latest News

Russell Ferris appointed Managing Director at Racecourse Media Group

Published

3 hours ago

April 2, 2025

George Miller

russell-ferris-appointed-managing-director-at-racecourse-media-group

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Racecourse Media Group (RMG) has appointed Russell Ferris to the new role of Managing Director.

Russell, currently CEO of Weatherbys Ltd, will be joining RMG on August 18.

He can count on more than 20 years of senior management and directorial experience in the racing industry, including as Managing Director of Limerick Racecourse and Director, Ireland for At The Races. He joined Weatherbys Ireland in 2016 and was promoted to Weatherbys Ltd Group CEO three years later.

Nick Mills, CEO of RMG, said: “Russell is highly regarded within the industry and will bring a wealth of expertise, experience and enthusiasm to RMG. Russell will oversee and further align the Commercial and Broadcast departments and help take the business to new levels in terms of innovation, engagement and revenues. I very much look forward to welcoming Russell to RMG in August.”

Russell, who also sits as a Non-Executive Director on the Boards of Racing Digital and Venture Bio, said: “I am delighted to be joining a great team at RMG and very much looking forward to the new challenge. RMG play a pivotal role within the industry both domestically and internationally, and I am excited by the company’s vision to further enhance the sport’s appeal, reach and engagement to ensure a bright future for all.

“I’d like to thank the Weatherbys family for the opportunity provided to me. It has been fantastic to see the business develop and diversify in recent years, and I know that I leave it in great hands with Sharon O’Regan and a talented team across the business.”

The post Russell Ferris appointed Managing Director at Racecourse Media Group appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Industry Awards

SOFTSWISS Named Online Casino Innovator in CEE 2025

Published

6 hours ago

April 2, 2025

George Miller

softswiss-named-online-casino-innovator-in-cee-2025

Reading Time: 2 minutes

SOFTSWISS, a global tech provider, won the Online Casino Innovator in CEE title at the GamingTECH CEE Awards 2025 with its forward-thinking Game Aggregator. The award celebrated companies that drive innovation, excellence, and leadership in the iGaming and tech landscape across Central and Eastern Europe.

SOFTSWISS continues to lead online casino innovation in the CEE region with its Game Aggregator – one of the largest and most advanced game hubs in the iGaming industry. The solution offers over 27,800 exclusive games from 280+ leading providers, supporting more than 1,250 brands. Operators can integrate it via a one-time API as a standalone product for any third-party platform or as part of the SOFTSWISS Casino Platform.

The Game Aggregator offers a vast portfolio of RNG and live games for desktop and mobile, including slots, table games, crash, and casual games – many optimised for crypto gameplay. The content is fully localised to suit operators’ target markets, supporting multiple languages, currencies, and regional preferences.

The Game Aggregator is certified to operate across key markets in Europe, Africa, and Latin America, with licenses or compliance in countries like Greece, Romania, Spain, Brazil, Nigeria, and South Africa. The platform provides powerful innovations that help operators grow their business effectively:

Tournament Tool: A versatile tool that enables operators to launch custom competitions in five simple steps. With mechanics like total bets, highest multiplier, and total wins, this solution saw an 80% growth in adoption by operators in 2024.
Crash Games in Tournaments: A new integration that elevates engagement.
Non-Monetary Prizes: Enhances reward variety with trips, gadgets, and more.
GGR Report Builder: Aggregates performance data across all games and providers.
Jackpots for Crash and Live Games: Implemented via the Jackpot Aggregator integration, leading to over 50% growth in average total player value.

Alena Bekus, Deputy Head of SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, comments on the win:
“This award is a meaningful recognition of our team’s continuous efforts to build not just a product, but a powerful ecosystem that supports our partners’ growth. We constantly listen to our clients, innovate based on their needs, and work to deliver a flexible, scalable, and forward-thinking solution that meets the evolving demands of the iGaming market.”

By focusing on operator success, player engagement, and industry adaptability, SOFTSWISS continues to deliver forward-thinking solutions that set new benchmarks. Winning this award reaffirms the company’s role as a true innovator in iGaming.

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international technology company with over 15 years of experience in developing innovative solutions for the iGaming industry. SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides comprehensive software for managing iGaming projects. The company’s product portfolio includes the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with over 27,800 casino games, the Affilka Affiliate Platform, the Sportsbook Software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS revolutionised the industry by introducing the world’s first Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution. The expert team, based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia, counts over 2,000 employees.

The post SOFTSWISS Named Online Casino Innovator in CEE 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Latest News

BAFTA and DCM release star-studded cinema trailer to celebrate the art of video game storytelling

Published

7 hours ago

April 2, 2025

George Miller

bafta-and-dcm-release-star-studded-cinema-trailer-to-celebrate-the-art-of-video-game-storytelling

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Actress Susan Wokoma stars alongside Baldur’s Gate 3 duo, Samantha Béart and Neil Newbon, Doug Cockle (Witcher 3), Jane Douglas (games presenter), and Sir Ian Livingstone, co-founder of Games Workshop.
The trailer launches in cinema ahead of the 21st BAFTA Games Awards on Tuesday 8 April.
Research conducted by BAFTA found young adults say video games are important to their wellbeing and a form of social connection (YouGov)

BAFTA and DCM (Digital Cinema Media) have teamed up with award-winning actress Susan Wokoma to create a national cinema advertising campaign that promotes and celebrates the art of storytelling in video games. It’s the third campaign delivered by the partnership and is releasing in cinemas ahead of the 21st BAFTA Games Awards on Tuesday 8 April 2025.

The 105 second trailer was produced by Common People Films and DCM Studios, with Jennifer Sheridan directing the film. Susan features alongside famous faces from games – such as Samantha Béart and Neil Newbon from Baldur’s Gate 3 – who share their love for video games with cinema audiences nationwide.
Jeremy Kolesar, Creative Director, DCM Studios, “We’ve seen a flourishing intersection between games, film and TV in the UK. Whether it’s a franchise-inspired series or film, a narrative-driven game, or an engaging acting performance, each medium strengthens the other. We’ve tried to capture this in our third cinema campaign with BAFTA, which draws from the diverse UK games industry to inspire the next generation of talent with an adventurous cinematic experience.”

World-renowned for its annual Film Awards, BAFTA has been celebrating the craft, skill and creativity of the games industry for over 20 years, spotlighting the best games and talent in its annual Games Awards ceremony.

The cinema trailer explores the connectivity between film, games and TV, highlighting the depth of video game storytelling and the many varied games that captivate audiences worldwide.

Tony Roberts, Founder/ EP, Common People Films: “This is the second time BATFA and DCM have asked us to bring their brand and message to life and we’re incredibly proud of the work we deliver for both of them. Having a diverse roster of talent, it was exciting to get our directors to write with a focus in games this time round and we think Jennifer has captured something very special. The games industry is a jewel in the crown of British industry and should be celebrated. Another great collaboration.”
BAFTA and YouGov research

As an arts charity, BAFTA supports the next generation of screen talent through various initiatives, bursaries and scholarships. Three alumni of BAFTA’s programmes were given paid roles on the production of this trailer – Jade Fabiyi (camera), Reece Grant (Art Department) and Shona Hart (Stagehand).

This ethos is reflected in the UK cinema placement of the campaign, which targets 16-34 year-olds during the preshow for multiple blockbuster releases. This includes the new A Minecraft movie, based on one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time.

Recent research conducted by BAFTA with YouGov found that:

Adults aged 18-34 consider video games as important to wellbeing, with a third (31%) citing video games as a form of self-care (higher than Film – 28% or TV – 27%) and 39% of 18-34s consider video games as a form of social connection (compared to 30% Film/TV).

Over half of UK adults see games as ‘a form of entertainment’ (54%). However, only 1 in 5 consider games as great storytelling (20%) and there is lower awareness that games contain meaningful messages about today’s world (9%) compared to TV (33%)

Over half (53%) of 18-34s would trust the quality of a game that has been nominated or won a BAFTA Games Award.

Two thirds (62%) of UK adults were not aware that some of the world’s most celebrated games are made in the UK, and 1 in 5 would be more likely to play a game made in the UK (21%).

Donna Mathews, Executive Director of Engagement, Marketing and Communications at BAFTA said: “BAFTA is known for celebrating excellence in the screen arts and games are no exception. Our members recognise the craft, skill and creativity that goes into making every game and our Awards showcase the incredible variety of games on offer. Like TV and film, games are a way to explore stories and learn about the world around us and young adults see games as more than a form of entertainment, with many considering games important to their wellbeing and social connection. The UK games industry is a world-leading creative force, with talented people making games up and down the country, so with thanks to DCM and Common People Films we are putting games on the big screen to share our appreciation of this art form with audiences nationwide too.”

Susan Wokoma said: “Film, TV and games are connected by the passion of the people who make it. It takes so many people to make these things and seeing people really take ownership of their story and their passion, that’s the thing that threads throughout all of those mediums.”

Jennifer Sheridan, director, said: “What makes gaming so captivating is its ability to fully immerse you in the story. It invites you to engage with the narrative interactively. The beauty of storytelling in games lies in how your experience can be completely unique, even if you’re playing the same game as someone else. This film celebrates that diversity and the incredible journeys that games can take you on.”

The post BAFTA and DCM release star-studded cinema trailer to celebrate the art of video game storytelling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.