Top Mobile App Retargeting Companies (2024)

Updated: March 18, 2024

Developing an app with an epic design and receiving initial traction is one thing, but what happens when users’ attention drifts to other relevant apps, forgetting all about yours?

That’s when you want to use app retargeting to win users back again.

So don’t think it’s a closed chapter when a user leaves. There are always effective methods you can use to re-engage them with your app.

In this guide we will walk you through the many layers of the mobile app retargeting realm and how the best remarketing companies can help you revamp your app, making you the center of attraction in the app market once again. 

What is app retargeting?

Mobile app retargeting essentially describes ad campaigns that are designed to reach people who have already engaged with, visited or installed your app before.

This concept aims to implement bespoke retargeting and remarketing techniques to try and encourage users to re-engage and, this time, fully complete the user journey of your app.

Retargeting previous customers can go a long way, as you already have an idea of what features peaked their interest in the first place.

You just need to figure out what features made them seek similar services elsewhere. Therefore, remarketing for mobile apps involves tailored campaigns and efforts based on previous performance and user behavior data.

But more on this later on.

Top Mobile App Retargeting Companies

It’s important to specify though that your need to retarget your previous users does not mean that your app services were inadequate or not valuable as much as other apps.

People abandon apps for so many reasons, showing a consistent pattern in the app world of users visiting an app, installing it, engaging with it on the surface just to then leave it be.

Most of the time, all that these users really needed was a bit more seasoning to stay committed to your app.

We know how much effort goes into developing an app, from brainstorming a golden idea to writing the application, so we don’t want that to go to waste for you.

And if you are facing some greater numbers of inactivity than usual, app retargeting can get you back in the game in no time.

Why do I need mobile ad retargeting?

Did you know that 25% of users abandon apps after only one use? Despite apps being users’ mainstay to effectively engage with a variety of services, developers still struggle to improve long-term user retention.

To hit you with some more valid facts, apps running retargeting campaigns between 2018 and 2019 saw a higher increase in revenue (63%), when compared to apps that did not implement retargeting campaigns (43%).

This means that your focus when developing your app should be to give your users compelling reasons to stay in order to avoid getting canceled, missing out on all that revenue.

The best app strategies mostly depend on one thing and one thing only: getting people to actually use them.

When a user loses interest in your app in the early stages of downloading it, getting them to come back can be a huge challenge.

This is where mobile app retargeting can help you.

Benefits of retargeting app users

App retargeting comes with a range of advantages and goes beyond simply engaging users and motivating them to an initial download.

Because re-engaging users can be a more complex thing, remarketing companies can provide bespoke strategies to ensure you get the best result from implementing the app retargeting concept.

As you have probably already spent countless hours and money on acquiring users, now is the time to focus on retaining these users.

But what other benefits can you achieve by implementing mobile app retargeting?

Track user interactions

App remarketing allows you to install retargeting events, which enables you to track your users’ behavior and how they interact within your app. Such interactions include, for example, what travel dates they select or what category filters they apply.

When these events are triggered you can categorize users based on their previous actions. This will allow you to customize messages across your app inventory.

So when a user clicks on your retargeted ads, it will direct them to now more relevant content in the app, such as a flight scheduled on the travel dates they selected earlier.

Increase engagement

You can also be sure to drive more engagement when implementing app retargeting measures.

This includes increasing app visits, session durations, impressions as well as other valuable in-app activities that will turn these interactions into profitable actions and conversions.

Boost user retention

App retargeting also means upping your app user retention instantly, which can ultimately lead to increased app visit frequency and a decrease in churn.

Knowing all this, you can now be sure that app retargeting is a must-have concept for developers in order to attract and retain customers for long-term success, and to keep that cash flowing.

As the market becomes more and more populated with apps, focusing on keeping your users proves to be most profitable, which is the core purpose of mobile app retargeting and therefore a function that will benefit you and your app massively.

How do mobile retargeting ads work?

The mobile advertising system can be very complicated, especially when you try to read informative blogs online that throw a bunch of technical terms at you.

So let’s put things very simply.

Imagine this: A user searches your app for flights that depart around Christmas. Your app therefore starts to track their interactions and journey as they navigate through your app.

But then they get distracted by a video and abandon your app. Their purchasing intent is recorded, the impression is purchased and a product recommendation is therefore selected.

If the app on which they are watching the video belongs to a retargeting publisher’s ad network you partner with, the retargeting process will be carried out, displaying the relevant ad of flights the users browsed, plus new suggestions, such as pricing and exclusive offers.

This ad will include a so-called ‘deep link’ technology, which is a link that directs not only to a mobile app, but to a particular window in the app. So it can link to the app’s homepage or another page.

An example of a mobile app retargeting ad:

Source: Mobile App Retargeting

Make sure that your app has a URL scheme installed properly for these direct links. For example, if you have an Instagram profile link in a post that deals with a particular feature of your app, you want the user to get to the relevant page of your app, and not just the home screen.

Same thing goes for users who do not have your app installed on their device yet. So you want to make sure they are redirected to the App Store or Google Play Store to then get to the right page once installed.

Back to our scenario, the user will then (preferably) click on the ad which will, via the direct link, direct them back to your app to complete the purchase.

And there you go, you have re-engaged a user and remarketed your services successfully.

What are the challenges of mobile ad retargeting?

Mobile marketers invest a lot of time and money in their apps. Big budgets are often set aside to drive app downloads, because you know that apps can attract and build relationships with high-value users.

However, app usage frequently dwindles after the install.

Without a strategy to actively engage your app downloaders, installed base usage can quickly decrease. Apps that fail to engage users and sit unused are eventually getting deleted, and the opportunity to engage high value users is lost.

The churn of unengaged users happens rapidly after app install, sometimes with just about 1 in 10 users remaining after seven days.

Your app can be amazing. But if your users forget about it, all of that effort goes to waste.

This is why you should invest in getting onboard with app retargeting technology.

Get started with mobile app retargeting companies

Now that we know the value of mobile app retargeting across channels, let’s look at some of the best companies in the market that can help you maximize the ROI of your retargeting campaigns.

Obviously, the platform you choose has to suit your business. So while it’s not as simple as picking a platform out of a hat, we hope that this information will help you in making the right decision.

List of mobile app retargeting companies

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