The coronavirus pandemic and changes set to be implemented in the forthcoming iOS 14 are the latest shocks to an evolving app economy. This report will look at how these changes have altered developer monetization strategies and advertiser options.

Creators now have more ways than ever to make a living online. This report explores how brands should approach and engage creators for partnerships in the new monetization ecosystem.

It looks likely that apps and other service providers will pursue more varied monetization strategies this year. Traditionally, apps mostly pursued two strategies: in-app purchases and in-app advertising. Over the past couple of years, many developers have combined the two, but we’re increasingly seeing them use subscription-based models, as well as coupons or other incentives for viewing advertising, such as rewarded video. This shift will continue into 2021.

If one thing became clear about Instagram in Q4, it’s this: The app is determined to take and keep its share of the social commerce pie. As of December, all of Instagram’s features—the Feed, Stories, Live, IGTV, and Reels—are shoppable. Influencers will benefit, too; the platform has also released a series of updates to help amplify branded content. Monetization.

According to a March 2019 survey from mobile ad and app monetization company Tapjoy, 69% of US consumers said they would rather give up social media apps or TV than lose their favorite mobile games.

As much as consumer behavior and the wider economic situation influence the app economy, Apple and Google do as well. With their commissions on in-app purchases (IAPs) and subscriptions, and with their rules surrounding data and advertising, they can make or break different monetization strategies. The changes set to take effect in early 2021 under Apple’s iOS 14, especially, have upended app monetization.

Tipping comes to Clubhouse: The social audio app will now let users tip hosts, likely a play to keep creators on the platform as they’re in danger of being poached by bigger players like Twitter and Twitch.

US mobile ad spending will reach $96.07 billion this year, lower than our pre-pandemic estimate of $105.34 billion. eMarketer principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Yoram Wurmser joins host Nicole Perrin to discuss why despite this year's blip, mobile ad monetization is on a better trajectory than before, how advertisers will deal with the SKAdNetwork, and what the future holds for contextual in-app advertising.

Some quick-service restaurants (QSRs) and retailers, for instance, now offer discounts to sandwiches or products that are redeemable on their websites, which is a notable shift in the past year, according to Jonathan Harrop, senior director of global marketing and communications at app marketing and monetization platform AdColony. “There's no App Store middleman,” he said.

Today’s smartphone users can choose from millions of mobile applications. But with so many apps available, user acquisition can be challenging for app developers, and analytics-based engagement and retention strategies are critical.

As more people watch video content on their mobile devices, the nature of mobile video monetization is changing. This is particularly the case for programmatic advertising, which we define as an automated, technology-driven method of buying, selling or fulfilling digital display ad placements. Overall, mobile video ads sold programmatically generated $19.93 billion in revenues in 2019 in the US and will generate $24.87 billion in 2020.

Every quarter, we compile the most important product, commerce, and monetization developments for the major social platforms and explain what they mean for marketers.

The publishing platform could help Facebook entice more creators to use its app, while also providing more legitimate news sources to its users—a win-win for the company. Monetization Product and Ad Targeting Updates. Here are the key monetization product and targeting updates for Facebook in Q1 2021:. Sticker Ads in Creator Stories.

eMarketer principal analyst Debra Aho Williamson and junior analyst at Insider Intelligence Blake Droesch discuss Snapchat's surprising Q3 earnings. They then talk about the current TikTok debacle, how Facebook is monetizing WhatsApp, and the development of Facebook Gaming.

“The only drama is what percentage of web monetization exists in each of those three tiers,” Kershaw said. The situation on the iOS side differs because Apple will soon require each app to ask users if they would like to opt in to sharing the IDFA. Without an explicit opt-in to share an IDFA, app developers and advertisers won’t be allowed to do any type of user-level cross-channel tracking.

Here’s how marketers can navigate Q3 2021’s product, commerce, and monetization changes on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Twitter.

The New York Times gained 669,000 digital subscribers in Q2 2020—pushing digital revenues into the majority for the first time, per our recent Mobile App Monetization 2020 report. Read More. US Disney+ Viewers on Track to Surpass Hulu by 2024. Apple's Subscription Bundle is Economical—But May Not be Enticing to Those Not Already in its Ecosystem.

Apple launched its subscription gaming service Arcade in late September as part of the company’s wider iOS 13 release, betting big on subscription gaming services and joining others like Google and Microsoft. As more adults spend time with mobile gaming apps daily, these companies are steadily developing their mobile gaming strategies.