Tapjoy improves monetization of mobile apps with actionable video ads

Tapjoy is making it easier for game and app publishers to monetize their products with video ads and other rich media.

The company is formally launching its Tapjoy Rich Media and Tapjoy Video Plus platforms today that make it possible to more easily create and insert video ads into apps and games. User acquisition and monetization remain two of the largest challenges for app developers, and Tapjoy has been a significant force in using incentive-based advertising to address both.

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At the core of Tapjoy’s offerings are rewards known as offers. If a player wants to earn virtual currency in a game, they can opt to watch a video ad. They can choose among different video ads for the one that they prefer. And then Tapjoy includes a secondary action that the player can take on their own initiative, driving deeper engagement.

For instance, a player may watch a video ad for a game because they’re incentivized to earn a reward, such as virtual currency. Then, after they watch the ad, they may tap on a button to download that game in the video ad or share the video with a friend. That secondary act is non-incentivized, so the player only takes that action if they really want to do so.

The latest version of Tapjoy’s software development kit includes the ability to insert such features into a single ad unit. Tapjoy Rich Media lets advertisers create campaigns that drive consumers from awareness and consideration to conversion and referral. Tapjoy Video Plus lets advertisers add the secondary, post-view conversion actions.

Both of these products are now available across Tapjoy’s ad network that reaches hundreds of millions of consumers each month. Peter Dille, chief marketing officer at Tapjoy, said in an interview with VentureBeat that the products let advertisers create customizable and immersive ads that communicate a brand’s story in multipart ads.

“Publishers can take advantage of improved monetization through these new features,” Dille said. “Advertisers can really tailor a brand message and take them further down a marketing funnel to take actions like visiting a web site or watching a video.”

Nokia is taking advantage of both Tapjoy’s rich media and video capabilities to advertise its Lumia 925 smartphone. Dille said these ads will be more valuable because consumers opt into them. The consumers choose to interact with the rich media ads that they want to see, such as mini-games, 360-degree views of products, puzzles, swipeable product catalogs, and other creative mobile advertisements.

The advertiser can drive the user to find a nearby store, request a quote, follow a brand’s social channel and other types of direct engagements. Dille said this creates a stronger experience with a brand.

Tapjoy is also partnering with Cambridge, Mass.-based Celtra, a rich media mobile ad creator and analytics firm, to create rich media campaigns for its customers. All of the ads are compliant with the Internet Advertising Board’s mobile rich-media ad interface definitions 2.0 (MRAID). Tapjoy partners with Comscore to target groups of users with the right ads. Celtra has a variety of templates that advertisers can use to customize their ads.

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Tapjoy can reach more than 435 million users in a month with what it calls its Mobile Value Exchange model or reward-based offers.

“We are excited to work with Tapjoy on further improving monetization solutions for App developers and value for advertisers.” said Mihael Mikek, Celtra co-founder and CEO. “The combination of Celtra’s industry-leading interactive ad technology and Tapjoy’s value exchange model creates a powerful ad platform that will drive true engagement with mobile ads, enabling advertisers to achieve their core goals of getting consumers to interact with, and learn about, their brands and products.”