User acquisition (UA) is the process of attracting new users to your mobile app through marketing activities. It encompasses all paid and organic efforts to drive app installs and registrations.
Paid User Acquisition Channels
- Google Universal App Campaigns (UAC) — Automated campaigns across Search, Play Store, YouTube and Display
- Meta App Install Ads — Facebook and Instagram campaigns optimized for app installs
- TikTok App Ads — Short-form video ads targeting younger demographics
- Apple Search Ads — Ads at the top of App Store search results
- Influencer Marketing — Partnerships with content creators to drive installs
Organic User Acquisition
- App Store Optimization (ASO) — Optimizing your app listing for search discovery
- Content marketing — Blog posts and SEO driving organic web traffic
- Social media — Organic posts and community building
- Referral programs — Incentivizing existing users to invite friends
- PR and press coverage — App reviews and media mentions
Key UA Metrics
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| CPI | Cost per install — how much you pay per new user |
| CTR | Click-through rate — % of people who click your ad |
| CVR | Conversion rate — % of clicks that become installs |
| ROAS | Return on ad spend — revenue vs ad cost |
| LTV | Lifetime value — total revenue per user |
AppMeasurely tracks all your UA channels in one dashboard. Compare CPI, ROAS and LTV across Google, Meta, TikTok and more. Get started free →