Growth Masterminds: mobile growth podcast

Singular
  • 5.0 (7)
  • MARKETING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Growth Masterminds is smart user acquisition and mobile growth pros sharing their best insights on UA, retention, mobile measurement, privacy, mobile marketing data, and much more. Hosted by John Koetsier, we chat with brands like IMVU, DraftKings, and Mixtiles. We interrogate ad networks like Fyber, Kidoz, AppLike, Vungle, Bluestacks, and more. And we feature global experts like Eric Seufert and Jayne Peressini. Along the way, we hit topics like pLTV, creative optimization, incrementality, granularity, fraud, privacy, success in China ... and much, much more.

  1. 3H AGO

    LTV vs CPI: a winning strategy for mobile

    Achieving LTV greater than CPI is the foundation of success in mobile growth ... obviously. But how do you consistently achieve that? With a full app lifecycle strategy. In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier speaks with Roberto Sbrolla, Head of Growth at AppAgent, about the critical importance of maintaining a higher Lifetime Value (LTV) than Cost Per Install (CPI) in mobile gaming. Roberto, a 15-year veteran in digital marketing, outlines key strategies and tactics to achieve this balance consistently. From understanding market positioning and leveraging creative strategies to optimizing user acquisition and monetization, this podcast delves into various levers that can be pulled to maintain a sustainable and profitable mobile game business. Whether you're looking to compete head-to-head with industry giants, find your niche, or innovate and create a new market, this episode offers valuable insights into making it happen. 00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds 00:51 The Importance of LTV and CPI in Mobile Games 02:24 Strategies for Achieving Higher LTV than CPI 02:41 Competitive Positioning in the Mobile Game Market 04:22 The Role of Funding in Strategy Execution 04:47 Niche Markets and Innovation 13:55 The Importance of Market Research 15:44 Leveraging CPI for Competitive Advantage 17:18 Understanding Market Response and CPI 17:54 The Role of Mini Games in CPI and Retention 19:17 Monetization Strategies and Hybrid Models 21:03 Campaign Types and Their Impact on ROAS 24:55 Importance of Retention and Early User Experience 31:57 Social Features and Their Impact on Retention 33:31 Strategy vs. Luck in Game Development

    35 min

  2. SEP 9

    Retargeting broken? Here's how to fix it

    Retargeting is one of the most powerful but misunderstood tactics in digital marketing. Too often, it's broken and marketers don't even know it. In this episode, I sit down with Paul Kovalski, head of marketing at Self Financial and host of the Efficient Spend podcast. Paul has driven more than $200M in revenue through paid media, and he brings a unique perspective on what really works in retargeting. We talk about: • The difference between paid and unpaid retargeting • Why incrementality is the key metric that most marketers miss • How fintech retargeting is different from retail or e-commerce • Why sometimes education beats the hard sell • The role of automation, MMPs, CDPs, and real-time audience updates • The hidden risks of “set it and forget it” automated campaigns If you’ve ever wondered whether your retargeting spend is truly moving the needle — or just padding platform reports — this conversation is for you. 00:00 Introduction to Marketing and Retargeting 00:29 Meet Paul Kovalski 01:34 The Goal of Retargeting in FinTech 01:58 Paid vs. Unpaid Retargeting Strategies 04:05 Infrastructure for Paid Retargeting 05:38 Effective Messaging and Creative Strategies 07:01 Measuring Incrementality in Retargeting 08:16 Challenges and Considerations in Retargeting 10:10 Impact of iOS Changes on Retargeting 11:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

    12 min

  3. SEP 4

    AI-generated ad creative: the good, the bad, the ugly

    Can AI really transform your ad creative workflow? In this episode of Growth Mastermind, host John Koetsier sits down with Andre Kempe, CEO of Admiral Media, to dive deep into the real-world impact of AI on creative ad production and performance marketing. Discover how Andre and his team have moved beyond one-off AI experiments to build systematic, automated workflows that generate hundreds of ad variations in minutes. Learn about the tools they use, the challenges of integrating AI into creative teams, and why some clients are pushing back against AI-generated content. Key topics include: - How to systematize AI for marketing and creative work - The evolving role of creatives in an AI-driven world - Real results: Do AI ads outperform traditional UGC? - The future of AI in ad generation and performance marketing Whether you’re a marketer, agency leader, or just curious about the future of AI in advertising, this candid conversation offers practical insights, honest results, and a look at what’s next. 00:00 – Introduction: Can AI revolutionize brainstorming and ad creation? 00:21 – Meet Andre Kempe, CEO of Admiral Media 00:42 – How Andre started using AI in marketing 01:36 – Moving from AI experiments to systematic workflows 03:20 – Building automated ad generation systems 05:00 – Tools of the trade: Make, N8N, and more 07:00 – The evolving role of creatives in an AI world 10:00 – Client reactions: Pushback on AI-generated ads 13:10 – Comparing AI ads vs. traditional UGC performance 15:00 – The future: Bionic ads and blending human + AI creativity 17:00 – What’s next for AI in ad generation and marketing 👍 If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more expert interviews and growth marketing tips! #AI #Marketing #AdTech #GrowthMasterminds #AndreKempe #AdmiralMedia #JohnKoetsier

    28 min

  4. AUG 27

    Fixing mobile analytics: "truthy' measurement

    What do mobile analytics and marketing measurement look like in 2025? In this episode of Growth Masterminds we chat with Barbara Galiza, a seasoned marketer, entrepreneur, and founder of FixMyTracking. Barbara shares insights from her rich career journey in growth marketing, touching on the complexities of modern marketing measurement, the impact of Apple's ATT guidelines, and the challenges of cross-device tracking. We discuss click-based attribution's limitations and the importance of understanding and leveraging multiple data sources. Barbara and host John Koetsier provide practical advice on dealing with mobile measurement partners (MMPs) and emphasizes the importance of both reporting and real-time campaign optimization. Tune in for an in-depth look at navigating today's evolving digital marketing landscape. 00:00 Welcome to Growth Masterminds 01:18 Meet Barbara Galiza 01:54 Barbara's Career Journey 03:50 The Importance of Marketing Data 05:56 Understanding Marketing Measurement 09:03 Challenges in Attribution and Tracking 11:44 The Future of Marketing Measurement 14:04 Practical Tips for Marketers 22:56 Concluding Thoughts

    26 min

  5. AUG 20

    Horizontal scaling: tips from $100M in UA spend

    Imaging spending $100M for user acquisition. Or managing $3M a week. Daunting? In this episode of Growth Masterminds, we chat with Vytis Bareika , founder and CEO of Defined Chase. Vytis shares his journey of managing over a hundred million dollars in ad spend, scaling projects across web, mobile, and web3, and helping mobile games achieve over a billion downloads. We chat about various aspects of horizontal scaling, including adding new channels and partners, effective ad spend management, and the significance of brand awareness. Vita also shares insights on using web to app funnels, leveraging AI in marketing, and the role of creative strategies in today's advertising landscape. Tune in to learn the best practices for scaling your digital marketing efforts and ensuring long-term success. 00:00 Introduction to Growth Masterminds 00:34 The Journey to Managing Massive Ad Budgets 02:10 Understanding Horizontal Scaling 04:40 Strategies for Adding New Partners 07:22 Creative Strategies for Different Channels 09:37 Analyzing User Engagement and Creative Performance 12:09 Hidden Gems in Apple Search 12:38 Singular's Quarterly Trends Report 13:16 The Importance of Brand Awareness 16:14 Re-engagement Strategies 17:33 Web to App Marketing 23:24 Future Trends in UA Performance Marketing 24:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

    25 min

  6. AUG 12

    Retargeting for mobile games: what works now?

    What works in retargeting for mobile games? Host John Koetsier spends some time with Gamelight CEO Gunay Azer about segmentation, offers, LTV, timing, and much more around effective strategies for retargeting in mobile gaming. Tune in to discover the best practices, challenges, and future trends in retargeting and remarketing for 2025, especially in the context of iOS privacy restrictions and Android user segmentation. Learn how to optimize your retargeting campaigns to maximize user engagement and return on investment. Whether you're new to user acquisition or looking to refine your strategies, this insightful discussion offers valuable perspectives for growth marketers. 00:00 Introduction to Retargeting 01:00 The State of Retargeting in 2025 03:49 Best Practices for Retargeting 09:37 Challenges and Common Mistakes 12:32 Retargeting on iOS vs. Android 19:54 Future of Retargeting 20:54 Conclusion and Upcoming Events

    22 min

  7. AUG 5

    Revenge of the humans: mastering rewarded ads

    Are rewarded ad channels the revenge of the humans on the AI-driven programmatic RTB scene? And where do rewarded or incentivized ad channels fit for mobile user acquisition pros? In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier dives deep into the world of rewarded channels and their explosive growth with guest Roee Raz, former CEO of CashCow and current head of Payback. They discuss the evolution of rewarded advertising, its current trends, and the challenges associated with it, such as user churn and fraud. Roy shares insights from his extensive experience in the gaming and ad tech space, emphasizing the importance of knowing your product and the potential future of rewarded channels. Tune in to learn how to leverage rewarded ad networks for better user acquisition and long-term value. 00:00 Introduction to Rewarded Channels 00:45 Interview with Roee Raz 02:45 The Evolution of Rewarded Advertising 04:46 Challenges and Strategies in Rewarded Advertising 06:13 The Future of Rewarded Channels 16:35 User Quality and Engagement 28:04 Fraud in Rewarded Channels 31:05 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

    31 min

  8. JUL 29

    $150 million to scale your game?

    Tilting Point just raised $150 million for user acquisition. In other words, it could be used to scale your game (or app!). In this episode of Growth Masterminds, host John Koetsier chats with Asi Burak, Chief Business Officer at Tilting Point about what they look for in a game or app. They talk about improving monetization and retention in games, the importance of data and iteration, and how Tilting Point successfully scaled marketing for major titles like SpongeBob, Star Trek, Warhammer, and more. Burak shares insights on Tilting Point's unique business model, which offers non-dilutive marketing capital and expert UA strategies. They delve into the evolution of the mobile gaming market, cross-platform opportunities, and the future of game monetization. This episode is packed with valuable advice for developers looking to scale their games and maximize their revenue. 00:00 Introduction to Growth Mastermind's Podcast 02:12 The Evolution of Tilting Point 05:05 Funding and Investment Strategies 08:12 The Importance of Data and Expertise 10:14 Challenges and Adaptations in UA 12:22 Collaborating with Developers for Success 16:18 Investor Expectations and Negotiations 16:50 Non-Dilutive Funding Model 18:21 Advice for Indie Developers 19:25 Persistence and Success Stories 21:45 Investment Strategies and Game Potential 24:13 Future of Gaming Industry 28:31 Cross-Platform and B2C Trends 30:16 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

    31 min
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5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Growth Masterminds is smart user acquisition and mobile growth pros sharing their best insights on UA, retention, mobile measurement, privacy, mobile marketing data, and much more. Hosted by John Koetsier, we chat with brands like IMVU, DraftKings, and Mixtiles. We interrogate ad networks like Fyber, Kidoz, AppLike, Vungle, Bluestacks, and more. And we feature global experts like Eric Seufert and Jayne Peressini. Along the way, we hit topics like pLTV, creative optimization, incrementality, granularity, fraud, privacy, success in China ... and much, much more.

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