Developers are encouraged to focus on long-term user value across the full app journey

SINGAPORE, Sept. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mobile app growth is often managed across separate teams, with user acquisition focused on bringing users in and monetisation focused on generating revenue.

BIGO Ads, a deep learning-based advertising platform under JOYY Inc. (NASDAQ: JOYY), believes these functions need to be viewed more closely together. Rather than judging growth through cost per install (CPI), eCPM or short-term ROAS alone, developers should assess the full user journey — from acquisition and onboarding to retention and monetisation — and whether each stage contributes to long-term user value.

"A cheaper install is not necessarily a better user, and a higher eCPM is not necessarily a healthier business," said David Ruggiero, Business Development Director, Europe at BIGO Ads.

Cheaper users are not always better users

CPI remains an important measure of acquisition efficiency, but it says little about what happens after a player installs a game. A low-cost user may leave quickly or generate little revenue, while a higher-cost user can still be a better investment if they stay longer, engage more and generate value through advertising, in-app purchases or subscriptions.

UA teams should look beyond install cost and early conversion signals. Retention, engagement, revenue, LTV, ROAS and payback period provide a fuller view of campaign quality.

Higher ad rates do not always mean higher value

The same principle applies to monetisation. A higher eCPM may look positive on a dashboard, but it does not automatically mean total revenue or player value has improved. Removing lower-value impressions can raise eCPM while total ad revenue falls. Increasing ad pressure may lift short-term revenue but hurt session length, retention or purchase conversion.

Developers should assess advertising revenue alongside fill rate, ARPDAU, impressions per user, retention and total LTV.

For games that combine advertising with in-app purchases or subscriptions, monetisation is also a product decision: ad placement, frequency and audience can affect user experience.

One player journey, one view of value

The biggest risk comes when UA and monetisation teams optimise toward separate goals. A UA team may acquire users who reach an early ROAS target but do not retain well, while a monetisation team may increase short-term ad yield while weakening engagement. Both teams can improve their own numbers while the overall business becomes less efficient.

BIGO Ads believes the answer is a shared view of player value that brings together acquisition cost, advertising revenue, in-app purchase and subscription revenue, retention, payback and long-term margin. This is important in Europe, where privacy rules and measurement changes have reduced user-level data.

Paid growth should amplify strong fundamentals

Paid user acquisition remains important, but it works best when scaling a product that already retains and monetises players effectively. It cannot sustainably offset weak onboarding, poor retention or an immature monetisation model.

BIGO Ads supports advertisers with user acquisition solutions designed to reach and optimise toward valuable users, while helping publishers monetise their apps through global advertiser demand and real-time in-app bidding. The aim is not simply to improve one metric at a time, but to help developers make growth decisions based on the long-term value of the users they acquire.

About BIGO Ads

As a deep learning-based intelligent advertising platform for advertising and monetisation under JOYY Inc. (NASDAQ: JOYY), BIGO Ads leverages full-stack AI capabilities, mature oCPC and ROAS bidding models, and cutting-edge in-app bidding technology to empower global clients to achieve efficient user growth and maximise advertising revenue.

For more information, visit bigoads.com.

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