5 tips developers can use to monetize their apps

SDKs are sets of dev tools that make it easier to build apps. Ad networks regularly update their SDK, fixing bugs and adding new tools that simplify your job. If you don’t make timely updates, you’ll miss out on those new features. One example is the Yandex Mobile Ads SDK version that introduced DivKit, a tool that lets you run ad design experiments without rereleasing your apps to stores.

In new SDK versions, ad network developers also work around the requirements Google Play and the App Store are constantly changing. That ensures your app won’t be removed, which makes this yet another reason to keep your SDKs updated.

The current versions of Yandex Mobile Ads SDK can be found in the Help section.

Mediation platforms pull and display ads from different ad systems. Once you have one connected, networks will be competing for ad space in your app, boosting demand and revenue.

Yandex has its own platform called Mobile Mediation. It compares ads from different networks to ensure we’re getting the most profitable option for every app. In addition to the Yandex Advertising Network, Mobile Mediation comes with almost all the most popular networks, including AdMob, AppLovin, ironSource, Mintegral, Unity Ads, and myTarget.

Here’s what you should be thinking about when you’re picking ad networks:

Caching ads helps minimize situations where users see an empty block since the system didn’t have time to process and load an ad. But too much caching on screens that are unlikely to be shown can reduce ad effectiveness. For example, if users go through 2-3 levels in your game at a time on average, you don’t need to cache ads for 6-7 screens. Ad visibility will decrease, and the ad system might deprioritize your app.

To make sure caching works for your app instead of against it, keep a close eye on the «Show rate» or «Show rate (viewable)» metric in the partner interface. If it’s below 20%, think about changing your caching algorithm. The higher the share of impressions, the better.

Many app owners try to make sure their ads match their app as closely as possible. In some cases, that’s a good idea, like when they’re blocking ads from competitors or excluding adult content for an app targeted at kids. But that strategy can also backfire in terms of lost revenue. If you have a fitness app, you shouldn’t just show ads for sports nutrition and equipment. Users might appreciate a variety of topics, from buying cars and real estate to learning foreign languages and home repair.

With that in mind, we recommend being careful about the topics you block.

Effective monetization is measured by what users do after clicking the ad rather than the number of impressions and clicks. That’s why banners should show up right when users are primed to interact with them. To take one example, banners shown between game levels will grab more attention and quality clicks than one you show when users are closing the screen.

The highest app engagement comes from rewarded ads, which offer users additional content or some in-game currency in exchange for ad views.