Promote your app to all potential users across Google

There are two ways to set up your campaigns on AdWords to promote your app.

Tip

Your ability to track conversions in AdWords will depend on two key factors: 1) whether your app is Android or iOS and 2) which campaign setup you end up deciding to use. Review the two campaign setups below with your conversion tracking setup in mind.

Setup #1: Universal app campaigns

The universal app campaign in AdWords is an automated campaign that’s easy to set up and delivers customers at your target CPI. With a few inputs, you can start promoting your app to all potential users across Google – on Google Play, Google Search, YouTube, and the Google Display network of mobile apps and sites.

This is the best place to start if you want to:

• Drive as many installs possible given your budget and target CPA
• Save time from having to set up and manage separate campaigns for each network

Try it now.
 

Setup #2: Create separate display, search, and video campaigns

If you'd like to actively manage each of the Google networks separately, and control how you target and optimize to a greater level of detail, then you can create a different campaign type for each. With these individual campaigns, you can optimize beyond cost per install (CPI) and start to factor in things like in-app conversions and user value.

Test the three different campaign types in AdWords, each distributing your ads to a different network helping you to reach potential users no matter what they’re doing on your device.

MEET THE NETWORKS	The Display Network	The Search Network	YouTube
Reach people as they...	Use apps on their mobile devices and browse sites on the mobile Google Display Network	Show intent for apps like yours, at the moment they’re searching on Google Search and Google Play	Search for, browse, and watch YouTube videos on their mobile devices.

Once you’ve picked one of the setups above, let’s get started on campaign creation.

Get started with universal app campaigns

A single universal app campaign can promote your app across Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, and the Google Display Network of mobile apps and websites. Universal app campaigns automatically optimize your bids and what ad text to show with the goal of maximum install volume at your target CPI and daily budget limit.

To get started, click +Campaign and select Universal app campaign.

Then it's three simple steps:

Step 1: Choose the app you want to promote.     

• Your app icon and images are automatically pulled in from Google Play.

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Step 2: Write ad copy.     

• Write each line of text as independent, standalone sentences. AdWords will automatically optimize and combine any of these to create the best ad.
• If you have a video, enter the YouTube URL to show video ads on YouTube and the Google Display Network.
• Create a separate universal app campaign for each language. AdWords doesn't translate your ads, so you should only target languages that match your ads and localized app.

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Step 3: Set your target CPI and daily budget.     

• Once you’ve set your budget or target CPA, wait at least 7 days to see the full effect of your change before updating these inputs.
• If your universal app campaign does not have traffic for several days, test higher CPI bids and see if anything changes. By increasing your CPI bids, you potentially unlock another tier of traffic that wasn’t accessible to your ads before, which could drive installs within your new target CPI.

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Alternatively, if you want to optimize your campaigns for in app events that can drive your app’s profitability, you can create three different types of campaigns – each giving you access to a different part of Google’s ad inventory.