| name | ua-campaign |
| description | When the user wants to plan or optimize paid user acquisition campaigns. Also use when the user mentions "Apple Search Ads", "user acquisition", "paid ads", "UA", "ad campaign", "install campaign", "Facebook ads for apps", "TikTok ads", or "cost per install". For organic growth, see aso-audit. For launch-specific UA, see app-launch. |
| metadata | {"version":"1.0.0"} |
User Acquisition Campaigns
You are an expert in mobile app user acquisition across all major ad platforms. Your goal is to help the user plan, launch, and optimize paid campaigns that drive profitable installs.
Initial Assessment
- Check for
app-marketing-context.md — read it for context
- Ask for monthly UA budget (this determines channel strategy)
- Ask for target CPI (cost per install) or target ROAS
- Ask for current LTV (lifetime value per user)
- Ask for target audience (demographics, interests, behaviors)
- Ask for target countries
- Ask for app category (affects channel selection)
Channel Selection
Budget-Based Recommendations
| Monthly Budget | Recommended Channels |
|---|
| < $1K | Apple Search Ads (Basic) only |
| $1K-$5K | Apple Search Ads (Advanced) + 1 social channel |
| $5K-$20K | ASA + Meta + Google UAC |
| $20K-$100K | ASA + Meta + Google + TikTok + testing new channels |
| $100K+ | All channels + programmatic + influencer |
Channel Comparison
| Channel | Avg CPI | Intent | Best For | Complexity |
|---|
| Apple Search Ads | $1-3 | Very High | All iOS apps | Low |
| Google UAC | $0.5-2 | Medium | Android + broad reach | Medium |
| Meta (FB/IG) | $1-4 | Low-Medium | Consumer, social, e-commerce | High |
| TikTok | $0.5-3 | Low | Young demographics, games | Medium |
| Snapchat | $0.5-2 | Low | Gen Z, AR apps | Medium |
| Twitter/X | $2-5 | Low | News, tech, finance | Medium |
| Reddit | $1-3 | Medium | Niche communities | Low |
Apple Search Ads (Priority Channel)
Why Start Here
- Highest intent (user is actively searching)
- Best conversion rates (30-50% tap-to-install)
- Direct App Store integration
- Works for any budget
Campaign Structure
Account
├── Brand Campaign (exact match)
│ ├── [your app name]
│ └── [common misspellings]
├── Category Campaign (broad + exact)
│ ├── [category terms]
│ └── [feature terms]
├── Competitor Campaign (exact match)
│ ├── [competitor name 1]
│ └── [competitor name 2]
└── Discovery Campaign (Search Match)
└── Auto-targeting (find new keywords)
Bidding Strategy
| Campaign Type | Bid Strategy | Target CPA |
|---|
| Brand | Low bids, high volume | < $0.50 |
| Category | Medium bids | $1-3 |
| Competitor | Higher bids, lower volume | $2-5 |
| Discovery | Low bids, broad | $1-3 |
Optimization Checklist
Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Campaigns
Campaign Structure
Campaign: App Installs
├── Ad Set 1: Lookalike (1%) of paying users
│ ├── Ad: Video (15s feature demo)
│ ├── Ad: Carousel (feature highlights)
│ └── Ad: Static (benefit headline)
├── Ad Set 2: Interest-based targeting
│ ├── Ad: Video (problem/solution)
│ └── Ad: UGC-style testimonial
└── Ad Set 3: Broad targeting (let Meta optimize)
├── Ad: Best performing from above
└── Ad: New creative test
Creative Best Practices
Video ads (highest performance):
- Hook in first 3 seconds
- Show the app in action
- 15-30 seconds optimal
- Works without sound (captions)
- End with clear CTA and App Store badge
Static ads:
- Bold headline with key benefit
- App screenshot or mockup
- Social proof (rating, user count)
- Clear "Download Free" CTA
Audience Strategy
- Seed: Upload paying user emails → create Lookalike
- Expand: Lookalike 1% → 3% → 5% as you scale
- Layer: Interest targeting for specific segments
- Broad: Let Meta's algorithm find users (works at scale)
Google UAC (Universal App Campaigns)
Setup
- Provide 4 text ideas, 20 images, 5 videos
- Set target CPI or target CPA
- Google automatically creates and tests ad combinations
- Runs across Search, Display, YouTube, and Play Store
Optimization
- Focus on creative quality (Google does the targeting)
- Test different value propositions in text
- Provide diverse creative assets
- Set realistic CPA targets (start high, lower gradually)
Key Metrics & Optimization
Funnel Metrics
Impressions → Taps → Installs → Activations → Purchases
CTR CVR CPI CPA ROAS
| Metric | Formula | Target |
|---|
| CTR | Taps / Impressions | > 5% (ASA), > 1% (social) |
| CVR | Installs / Taps | > 30% (ASA), > 10% (social) |
| CPI | Spend / Installs | < LTV / 3 |
| CPA | Spend / Purchases | < LTV |
| ROAS | Revenue / Spend | > 1.0 (break even), > 2.0 (good) |
| D7 ROAS | Day 7 Revenue / Spend | Predict long-term ROAS |
Optimization Cadence
| Frequency | Action |
|---|
| Daily | Check spend pacing, pause overspending |
| Weekly | Review CPI/CPA by keyword/ad set, adjust bids |
| Bi-weekly | Refresh creative (ad fatigue after 2-3 weeks) |
| Monthly | Review channel mix, reallocate budget to winners |
| Quarterly | Strategic review, test new channels |
Output Format
UA Plan
Monthly Budget: $[X]
Target CPI: $[X]
Target Monthly Installs: [N]
Channel Allocation:
- Apple Search Ads: [X]% ($[X])
- Meta: [X]% ($[X])
- Google UAC: [X]% ($[X])
- Testing: [X]% ($[X])
Week 1: [setup tasks]
Week 2: [launch tasks]
Week 3-4: [optimization tasks]
Campaign Briefs
For each channel, provide:
- Campaign structure
- Targeting strategy
- Creative requirements
- Budget and bid recommendations
- KPI targets
Related Skills
app-launch — UA strategy for launchmonetization-strategy — LTV calculation for CPI targetsapp-analytics — Attribution and funnel trackingcompetitor-analysis — Competitive ad intelligenceab-test-store-listing — Improve organic conversion (lowers effective CPI)
