How do you grow your game while attracting players who stick around for the long haul? The secret lies in strategies that prioritize quality over quick wins. In this first part of our D30+ playbook series, we’re diving into actionable steps to help you optimize your UA strategy and drive long-term success.
1. Expand your reach with hybrid UA campaigns
To stay competitive and scale effectively in a crowded UA space, diversifying your UA strategy with hybrid campaigns can help expand your reach while driving D30+ retention and monetization. By blending approaches that optimize both ads and IAP, you can drive installs while also reaching a wider group of high-value users with IAP potential. Instead of looking solely for immediate conversions, shift your focus to reaching more high-quality IAP users whose value grows over time.
When the Supersonic Growth team ran hybrid campaigns for Conquer Countries on iOS in the US, they successfully reached a broader audience of diverse users. This led to improved D30 ROAS, a significantly higher IAP share, and an increase in ad spend.*
2. Test longer optimization windows
To drive stronger UA results, consider using longer optimization windows, like D7 or even D28. These extended windows give UA networks more time to identify and reach high-quality, engaged players, leading to improved long-term growth and better overall performance compared to shorter campaigns like D0 or D1.
In Screw Master 3D: Pin Puzzle, the Supersonic Growth team saw that D0 ROAS campaign performance was lower than D7. They also found that longer optimization windows significantly increased D30 results, thanks to stronger user retention.*
3. Go for longer experience playables
When it comes to reaching high-value users with your creatives, 3 clicks are not enough. To attract high-value users, longer experience playables are key. Adding more clicks to your playable can give players a deeper feel for your gameplay and more time to engage before downloading it.
Longer format playables of up to 120 seconds can also boost engagement, increase conversions, and improve retention, driving better long-term results.
In Screw Master 3D: Pin Puzzle, the longer experience playable featured below delivered 7.5% higher D30 ROAS than the game’s top performing video ad, showing the power of these longer interactive playables in driving engagement.*
4. Show your own gameplay in ads
When it comes to unlocking scale with ads, showing gameplay that’s not your own doesn’t work. Even if these ads could lead to lower CPI upfront, they often result in higher churn and players who don’t stay engaged. Highlighting your own gameplay not only attracts higher-quality users, it also builds trust, bringing in players who are genuinely interested in your game and more likely to stick around.
5. Tap into incentivized UA channels
Incentivized UA channels, which involve advertising on external apps that reward users for playing your game, are a great way to reach high-value players. By offering rewards that users actively engage with, these channels can improve conversions and attract players who are more likely to stay invested in your game over time. These channels bring in a unique audience of players motivated by rewards and intentional gameplay, helping to diversify your UA strategy while delivering high-quality users at a relatively low CPI.
Scaling your game meaningfully is all about reaching players who can engage and deliver value over time. By tapping into hybrid campaigns, longer optimization windows, longer experience creatives, and incentivized UA channels you can build a stronger, more sustainable player base.
Want tips for how to boost retention beyond D30+? Check out Part 2 of our blog series:
The D30+ playbook: 4 ways to boost long-term retention
*Source: Supersonic from Unity, Business Intelligence, 2025
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