Mobile measurement, the process of tracking and analyzing data on how people use a mobile app, helps app creators understand user behavior, engagement, and app performance. It allows them to improve the app experience and make data-driven decisions.
With the recent and upcoming user privacy regulations, mobile measurement will play a huge role in the future of the mobile industry. Our interview with Başak Zerman, Head of Sales at Adjust, dives deep into the future of mobile measurement.
How would you define the core elements of mobile measurement, and why is it so crucial for successful app development?
At its core, mobile measurement revolves around tracking, analyzing, and interpreting user interactions within an app. Key elements include user acquisition, retention metrics, in-app engagement, and revenue analysis.
These data points allow app developers to understand what drives user value and satisfaction, enabling them to refine the user experience, optimize monetization strategies, and improve campaign performance.
Effective measurement is crucial because it informs every stage of app development. By pinpointing which features resonate most with users and identifying potential drop-off points, developers can iterate quickly and make data-backed decisions. This ensures that the app not only meets user expectations but also remains competitive in a dynamic marketplace.
How will recent advancements in user privacy regulations affect the future of mobile measurement?
Recent advancements in user privacy regulations, such as Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT), BDDK regulations in Türkiye or GDPR in Europe, are reshaping the future of mobile measurement by shifting the focus towards more privacy-centric methodologies. These regulations limit access to personal identifiers and require user consent, which directly impacts traditional data collection practices in mobile measurement.
As a result, the industry is moving toward aggregated and anonymized data models, where measurement relies more on trends and patterns than individual identifiers. This shift is encouraging innovations in predictive modeling, contextual targeting, and privacy-preserving techniques like differential privacy and on-device processing.
While these changes present challenges, they also drive innovation, pushing companies to develop new tools that provide meaningful insights without compromising user privacy.
Ultimately, these advancements are setting a new standard for responsible data handling and transparency, encouraging greater trust with users and creating a more sustainable ecosystem for app developers and marketers alike.
To what extent can AI and machine learning enhance the accuracy and depth of mobile measurement, and what new metrics do you expect to emerge from these technologies?
AI and machine learning are revolutionizing mobile measurement by enabling more precise, nuanced, and actionable insights.
These technologies can process vast amounts of data in real time, revealing complex patterns in user behavior that traditional analytics might miss. For example, AI can help identify subtle trends in user engagement, predict churn, predict LTV, or even uncover hidden monetization opportunities by clustering users based on behavior rather than demographics.
To truly leverage AI’s potential, developers and marketers should consider integrating methods like Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM), Incrementality testing, and Predictive Lifetime Value (pLTV) analysis. These techniques are invaluable for understanding the true impact of marketing efforts, isolating what drives growth, and predicting long-term user value. By optimizing with these advanced metrics, teams can scale more quickly and stay competitive.
As these technologies evolve, I expect to see new metrics emerge, such as engagement sentiment and real-time churn probability, offering even more precise insights into user motivations. With AI-driven tools and predictive models, app developers can make data-informed decisions that enhance both user satisfaction and ROI, creating a significant edge in the fast-paced app landscape.
What are the main challenges you expect for mobile measurement, particularly within emerging markets like the Middle East, Turkiye and Africa?
Mobile measurement in emerging markets like the Middle East, Türkiye, and Africa offers unique opportunities and challenges, particularly within the fast-growing gaming sector. Türkiye stands out with a high mobile penetration rate, reaching 108% by the end of 2023, as many people own multiple devices or connections*.
This strong adoption base is a boon for measurement and gaming analytics, allowing for consistent and broad data collection to optimize user acquisition and retention strategies.
In Africa, the dynamics are quite different. With iOS adoption rates under 10% in many regions, the market is largely dominated by Android. This lower iOS penetration limits certain analytics tools designed primarily for iOS, posing challenges in capturing a full spectrum of user insights for gaming apps.
Additionally, connectivity issues and varying device capabilities in rural areas further complicate real-time data collection, essential for understanding and enhancing gaming engagement in these markets.
The Middle East is seeing rapid mobile growth, with gaming revenues projected to expand over 25% annually, driven by a younger, tech-savvy audience. However, compliance with privacy regulations is a growing concern across all these regions, where regulations are either evolving, like in Africa, or aligning with global standards, as in Türkiye and parts of the Middle East.
Regardless of the region, leveraging a Mobile Measurement Partner (MMP) like Adjust is essential for accurate, reliable data collection and analysis. An MMP ensures consistent measurement, enhances compliance with privacy requirements, and offers data-driven insights needed to capture and retain high-value users, allowing companies to navigate these diverse markets with precision.
(Source:https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-turkey, https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/turkey-telecom-market/market-trends)
With the increasing presence of alternative app stores for mobile games and apps, how do you see their role evolving in the broader mobile ecosystem?
Alternative app stores are becoming an essential part of the mobile ecosystem, especially for games and apps in regions where Google Play and Apple’s App Store don’t dominate or aren’t accessible, as seen in China.
China, with its unique app distribution environment, has a robust network of alternative app stores like Tencent MyApp, Huawei AppGallery, and Xiaomi App Store. These stores cater specifically to the local market, allowing major gaming companies like Tencent and NetEase to reach millions of users without relying on Google Play.
China’s success with alternative stores sets a precedent for other regions, highlighting how localized stores can thrive by addressing specific market needs like supporting local payment systems, language preferences, and region-specific regulations. This model is influential for markets in Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, where Android is dominant, and local app stores can offer similar advantages.
The growth of these platforms also brings complexity to mobile measurement, as tracking user behavior across multiple stores without a centralized app store becomes challenging. In this fragmented landscape, developers must rely on Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) like Adjust to gain a unified view of app performance across different app stores and accurately track user acquisition, engagement, and retention.
This capability is crucial for scaling in markets where alternative stores drive significant traffic, such as in China, where developers need to optimize for multiple distribution channels simultaneously.
As more regions follow this diversified model, alternative app stores are likely to foster competition, influence regulatory shifts, and give developers new avenuesto reach global audiences, driving further growth in the mobile ecosystem.
What are the current trends in mobile measurement that are impacting gaming apps specifically and how can game developers prepare for the future?
Current trends in mobile measurement for gaming apps are increasingly centered around privacy, efficiency, and predictive capabilities, with a strong focus on Incrementality testing, Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM), and predictions.
- Incrementality Testing: As privacy regulations reduce access to individual-level data, incrementality testing has become essential for gaming apps to accurately assess the true impact of marketing efforts.
Instead of relying on deterministic data, incrementality testing measures the lift or additional impact of campaigns on key performance indicators like player retention or in-game purchases.
This approach helps developers identify which marketing channels are genuinely driving growth, allowing for smarter budget allocation and minimizing reliance on third-party data. By incorporating incrementality testing, game developers can gain clearer insights into campaign effectiveness even in a privacy-centric environment.
- Marketing Mix Modeling (MMM): With data limitations from privacy regulations, MMM has emerged as a valuable tool for gaming apps to analyze the effectiveness of various marketing efforts. MMM aggregates data across platforms and user segments to determine the overall contribution of each marketing channel to revenue and engagement.
This is particularly important for gaming, where developers invest in a wide range of channels, from social media ads to influencer partnerships. Integrating MMM allows developers to optimize spend across channels without compromising on data privacy and provides a holistic view of where marketing dollars have the highest impact.
- Predictive Analytics and Player Lifetime Value (pLTV): Predictive analytics, particularly in the form of pLTV modeling, is transforming the way gaming apps approach user engagement and monetization.
AI-powered predictive models analyze historical data to forecast player behavior, allowing developers to prioritize high-value users and proactively address churn risks.
For instance, by identifying players with a high probability of long-term engagement or in-app purchases, developers can tailor content and offers that enhance retention and revenue. Adopting predictive models empowers game developers to personalize experiences, optimize in-game monetization, and ultimately drive sustained growth.
By leveraging Incrementality testing, MMM, and predictive analytics, game developers can not only adapt to the evolving privacy landscape but also build a comprehensive measurement framework that drives strategic, data-backed decisions.
What key innovations and challenges will shape the future landscape of mobile measurement by 2025 and beyond?
I told this before, we are witnessing a historical moment all together. The fourth industrial revolution is upon us. The future landscape of mobile measurement will be shaped by significant innovations, particularly in privacy-first technologies, AI-driven analytics, and cross-platform measurement. However, with these advancements come new challenges that will redefine the strategies for data-driven decision-making.
AI-Powered Predictive Analytics: AI and machine learning are increasingly being used to anticipate user behaviors and personalize user experiences. By 2025, predictive analytics will likely drive more granular metrics, such as engagement intent and dynamic player lifetime value (pLTV), giving developers deeper insights into what influences user retention and monetization. This will allow for proactive engagement strategies, transforming the way user acquisition and retention campaigns are optimized.
Privacy-First Measurement Solutions: As privacy regulations like GDPR, CCPA, Google Privacy Sandbox and Apple’s ATT framework continue to evolve, the industry is moving toward solutions that ensure user anonymity without sacrificing insight. Privacy-centric models, including on-device processing and federated learning, will become standard, allowing app developers to gather valuable data while respecting user privacy. By 2025, we can expect even more sophisticated approaches, such as differential privacy, to provide aggregated insights while maintaining strict data security.
Cross-Platform and Multi-Store Integration: With the rise of alternative app stores, especially in regions like China and emerging markets, the need for comprehensive cross-platform measurement will only increase. Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs) like Adjust will play an essential role in consolidating data from these fragmented sources, enabling a unified view of app performance and user journeys across multiple stores and devices.
Overall, the future of mobile measurement will be driven by a need for privacy, personalization, and adaptability.
By leveraging advanced privacy technologies, AI-driven analytics, and flexible MMP solutions, app developers can prepare for a rapidly evolving digital landscape and continue to make data-informed decisions that respect user trust.
Başak Zerman, Head of Sales META at Adjust
Başak Zerman has been working at Adjust for over five years and has been serving as the Sales Manager for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa region since July 2024. Zerman is responsible for Adjust’s strategy and revenue growth in the region. Together with her experienced team, she supports large corporate companies as well as small and medium-sized enterprises in growing their businesses.
