SocialPeta, in partnership with Mega Digital, officially released the 2025 Report on Marketing Trends of Productivity Apps. Leveraging a database of 1.6 billion ad creatives and real-time data from over 70 countries, the report reveals both the emerging shifts and enduring trends shaping the global productivity app landscape.
Let’s begin with the global advertising landscape for non-gaming mobile apps. In 2025, the market recorded an average of 107,300 active advertisers per month, marking a 17.8% year-over-year decline. However, new advertisers accounted for 11.7% of the total—averaging over 12,500 per month, up 4 percentage points from the same period last year.
Throughout the year, the proportion of new advertisers consistently stayed above 10%, peaking at 12.8%.
Overall, while the non-gaming mobile app advertising market has seen a contraction in total volume, new entrants remain highly active, driving a dynamic environment of stock optimization and continuous market renewal.
In 2025, the productivity app market is experiencing a noticeable reshuffle. The number of active advertisers averaged 8,900 per month, a 6% year-over-year decline, indicating a period of market consolidation and stock optimization.
Yet, the momentum of new entrants remains robust. Since April, new advertisers have consistently made up over 30% of the total, peaking at 38.2%, with more than 2,900 new advertisers joining each month. This steady influx of newcomers is actively redefining the industry’s competitive landscape.
Regional differences in the market have become increasingly distinct. Europe continues to lead globally in the number of productivity app advertisers, though the figure has slightly declined by 2.6% year over year.
In contrast, North America demonstrates strong advertising momentum, with the average number of creatives surpassing 110 per month—a year-on-year increase of over 20%—cementing its role as the key showcase market for productivity tools.
Meanwhile, emerging regions such as Southeast Asia and Africa are experiencing steady growth in advertiser numbers. However, creative volume in South Asia and the Middle East has dropped sharply by 41.6% and 39.0%, respectively. These shifts highlight the increasing importance of precise regional targeting and localized strategies in global marketing campaigns.
The sophistication of advertising strategies has a direct influence on conversion performance. Video creatives account for 68.3% of all ad materials, with 80% lasting under 30 seconds, reflecting a clear preference for concise, high-impact storytelling. Among static formats, square images have become dominant due to their strong cross-platform adaptability.
In terms of ad copy, English represents 72.7% of total usage, with frequently used keywords such as “time” and “free” effectively resonating with user motivations. Interestingly, 27% of ad copies feature exclamatory tones or emojis, which enhance emotional appeal and audience engagement.
As a co-publisher of the report, Mega Digital highlighted that Southeast Asian markets—particularly Vietnam are poised for rapid growth. Despite the region’s digital economy expanding by over 20% annually, ongoing challenges such as language barriers and AI adoption rates below 40% continue to pose both obstacles and opportunities for localized innovation in productivity tools.
A standout example is Trello’s “Ramadan Productivity Mode”, which demonstrates how culturally tailored features can significantly boost user engagement and relevance in diverse markets.
For productivity tool advertisers, success in today’s highly competitive market hinges on a cross-platform advertising strategy.
When choosing platforms, Google is best for reaching users with clear intent, Meta excels at precise audience targeting, and TikTok drives creative engagement through dynamic storytelling. The most effective campaigns focus on video and interactive formats, leveraging AI to optimize performance and refresh creatives quickly.
Key recommendations:
- Run cross-platform campaigns, allocating budgets strategically based on each platform’s strengths.
- Prioritize video and playable ads, using AI tools to scale efficiently and test new creatives.
- Keep ads short, engaging, and interactive to capture attention and sustain viewer interest.
- Incorporate social proof (such as user reviews) and lifestyle-driven content to build trust and emotional connection with audiences.
By following this approach, advertisers can drive measurable installs and ROI, while laying a strong foundation for sustainable, long-term growth.
Spanning around 30 pages, the report also features the top 20 advertising cases on iOS and Android platforms, three best-practice case studies from leading productivity apps, and an overview of common creative formats used in productivity app advertising.
Download your copy today to stay ahead in this fast-changing market.
