The Fundamentals of Non Conventional UA Channels
2025 is slated to be a big year for app and game marketers. Sensor Tower data suggests consumers are spending more time on mobile devices than ever, and increasingly making purchases.
But the landscape is extremely competitive, fueled by AI enabling easier and quicker creation and updates.
Consumer spending on apps is expected to climb further in 2025. But the 2024 landscape provides a deeper insight into how this spending will be directed. Whilst in-game purchase revenue went up by 4% in 2024, downloads were down 1%.
If you’re an app or mobile game marketer, this is a key sign that your UA and marketing efforts have to –
- Be distinctive and memorable
- Reach and Attract valuable users and players with purchasing power
- Emphasise the long-term value of the app/game
Traditional UA channels are still the core of most game marketing mixes – but unfortunately, this is the case with every game and app. This means traditional channels are oversaturated with ads for similar games and products. The saturated landscape has also led to ad-fatigue amongst consumers and them displaying ad-avoidance behaviours.
This has made it more important than ever to craft game marketing strategies that not only reach valuable audiences, but do so in relevant and attention-grabbing ways.
This is where non conventional UA channels show particular promise for promoting mobile games and apps.
They offer a means to reach consumers with purchasing power in a memorable and impactful way that distinguishes your brand.
Our Chief Growth Officer, Sara Guerola, former SocialPoint, FunPlus, and Bandai Namco Mobile alum, breaks down more key tips, tricks, tactics and trends for mastering non-conventional UA channels in this feature for Pocket Gamer.biz.
But if you’re new to the concept of non-conventional channels, in this article, we break down the fundamental things you need to know about non-conventional channels and leveraging them in 2025.
What are non-conventional UA channels for game-marketing?
Traditionally, mobile gaming and app marketing have relied on channels like Facebook, Google ads, or App Store promotions. These tend to be more strictly performance-based, relying on deterministic attribution methods or programmatic buying. These channels have been around for a long time and the strategies that tend to guide their adoption are based on more traditional ideas of ad creatives and consumer behaviour – with effectiveness typically based around copy, colour, visual aspects, targeting, and so on.
Non-conventional channels, on the other hand, refer to innovative methods that go beyond these traditional advertising platforms. These have emerged only recently, particularly with the boom of the creator economy and new entertainment mediums like Podcasts and Connected TV.
Some examples of these non-conventional channels include Influencer Marketing, Podcasts, Connected TV (CTV), and Gamified ads.
For some of these channels, particularly those like Influencer Marketing and Podcast advertising, relationships tend to play a more important role in effectiveness over ad creatives. In fact, leveraging these channels involves banking on a content creator’s relationship with their audiences to craft an ad creative that is uniquely effective for this segment.
In fact, whilst we can establish broad patterns, the ultimate ad creatives tend to be subjective – one creator’s way of selling a game to their audience could be entirely different from another’s – but their strong relationships with their audiences and influence over their opinions and choices could mean they are both equally effective for their respective segments.
These means of reaching audiences often come across as less invasive than some traditional channels and often see better acceptance. For instance, it is common for many YouTube viewers to skip through the paid ads that play before a video, but they will sit through a sponsored segment baked into their favourite influencer’s content.
Essentially, changing consumer patterns across social and digital media have flipped the formula for how effective certain types of advertising is, but have also opened up new opportunities – like with these non-conventional channels.
What is the benefit of non conventional UA channels?
Non-conventional channels offer a means to reach niche audiences, combat ad fatigue, and adapt to factors like changing privacy regulations. In fact, niche categories have been identified as key opportunities for market growth, and non-conventional channels like Influencer Marketing and Podcasts are key ways to reach these niche audiences that are highly engaged.
At the end of the day, these channels are not meant to replace traditional channels, but to supplement them. Historically, apps and games that have built themselves purely on traditional channels have not stood the test of time.
Diversifying the marketing mix with these non-conventional channels not only adds another source of new user acquisition, but also enhances the performance of traditional channels and provides a competitive edge and drives performance in the long run.
How can Game-Marketers integrate non-conventional channels into the marketing mix?
Since these non-conventional channels are relatively new, they tend to see some resistance. There is often a gap in mainstream or internal knowledge around the tools and optimal strategies for these channels, which keeps many marketers from confidently investing.
But the reality is, there is a formula to optimising these channels and setting them up for maximising ROI. Here’s where working with an experienced partner when you’re starting out can offer a massive advantage- whether it’s consultants, agencies, or freelancers.
At first, it can seem like an additional cost to employ external partners. But at the end of the day, they bring a critical focus and strategic insight to your campaigns from the very outset.
Whilst you may be new to these channels and lack the internal data, it doesn’t mean there is absolutely no data out there. Competitor data and general industry benchmarks and trends are still such key considerations for your strategy, and the quickest and most reliable means to access these is by getting a partner.
For instance, many may still consider Influencer Marketing a non-conventional channel, but the reality is, it has been around for a long time. And the best influencer marketing agencies will have compounded their learnings over the years and built models and tactics for optimising returns from these channels.
Agencies typically will support you from the very initial strategy down to analysing the results. This means you aren’t shooting in the dark when you start out. And it cuts down on much of the time and money you would have to invest in testing and gathering relevant data if you were to do it all yourself.
An experienced and trusted partner can not only help ensure your optimising your strategy and approach, but also help with internal sign offs on these channels. This is another common area of resistance when it comes to adopting these channels – as higher ups will often want to see hard data, projections, and comprehensive strategies.
If you’re working with an agency with game marketing experience, they will demonstrate a clear understanding of your KPIs and priorities and provide comprehensive guidance – right from testing frameworks and budget calculators down to projection and attribution models.
Summing up: Non Conventional UA Channels for Mobile Gaming – 2025 Trends
It’s important to remember that ‘non-conventional’ doesn’t mean these channels are any less effective. However, we ARE seeing shifting attitudes, and it’s important for game marketers to ensure they don’t get left behind.
Channels like Influencer Marketing, which have been around for a while, have now become a more acceptable investment. Meanwhile, newer platforms like Connected TV (CTV) are gaining rapid momentum, whilst channels like Podcasts have been slower to see adoption. These platforms present a prime opportunity for game marketers to establish an early mover advantage and capitalise on a growing medium with brilliant potential for attracting valuable audiences.
2025 will be yet another defining year for app and game marketers. It’s the ones that recognise the value of non-conventional channels that will be able to prime their marketing mixes to drive profitable growth in the long-run.
Our Chief Growth Officer, Sara Guerola, former SocialPoint, FunPlus, and Bandai Namco Mobile alum, breaks down more key tips, tricks, tactics and trends for mastering non-conventional UA channels in this feature for Pocket Gamer.biz.
If you’re keen to explore Influencer Marketing or Podcast advertising for your mobile game, book a free consultation with our expert team here!