Playable Ads: What they are and what are their benefits?

Consumers spend upward of three hours a day on mobile devices, but at the same time are increasingly protective of their privacy, and are growing more and more wary of intrusive advertising that disrupts their experience. Playable ads are considered to be the most popular mobile ad format, and also the most engaging. They combine interactivity with gamification in an opt-in format and are a must-have in the marketer’s toolkit. They are now used far beyond the gaming industry!

What are playable ads?

Playable ads, ‘playables’ for short, are a form of digital advertising that offers potential customers a ‘try before you buy experience’ of a mobile game or an app, or simply a product, letting users interact with its main features before installing or buying it. Usually, you can see them in-app (within mobile games), on social media, and on the mobile web.

Playables don’t require a download to engage, providing a frictionless experience that keeps users in a state of flow of their activities.

How does it work?

An ad starts with a tutorial prompt/lead-in video that explains to a user how they can interact with the ad.

Then it leads the user to a mini-game or other interactive experience that grabs users’ attention and keeps them captivated.

And the final element is an end card (CTA) that drives the user to take a desired action like downloading an app or a game, making a purchase, signing up for an email list, etc.

Pros and cons

Playable ads are innovative, eye-catching, and fun.

Using playable ads in your marketing strategy can help you increase conversion and retention rates, drive higher quality users and higher return on ad spend (ROAS).

This unusual ad format provides a captivating user experience. By letting users try the app before installing, you give your audience a chance to see what to expect, consequently decreasing churn rates.

However, playable ads are more technically complicated than other ad formats. That means that creating a playable ad requires way more time, effort, and money.

Users are drawn to a playable’s immersive nature, but unlike other formats, they are given a choice about whether or not to engage.