Why Facebook Is Shifting From App Installs to Value-Based Ad Metrics
Facebook is making a strategic pivot in how it measures app advertising success—moving away from tracking “total installs” to prioritizing value-driven user actions. This change reflects evolving developer priorities, where engagement and revenue generation now outweigh raw installation numbers.
The Evolution of Facebook’s App Install Ads
Since 2012, Facebook’s mobile app install ads have helped developers promote their applications, similar to Google’s AdWords but specifically for app marketing. While both platforms previously competed on install volume (with Google reporting 3 billion installs in 2016 versus Facebook’s 2 billion), Facebook’s internal data suggests installs may have doubled to approximately 4 billion in recent years.
Why Total Installs No Longer Matter
Christine De Martini, Facebook’s Product Marketing Lead for Customer Acquisitions, explains the shift:
- Low retention rates: Only 6% of users return to an app after 30 days
- Revenue focus: 84% of developers now prioritize revenue over install counts
- Post-install actions matter: Purchases, ad engagement, and in-app actions drive real business value
“We need to maximize opportunities to help developers grow with the right customers,” De Martini states. “Revenue increasingly comes from post-install models.”
Facebook’s Value-Based Advertising Solutions
Facebook now offers sophisticated tools to optimize for meaningful user actions:
1. App Event Optimization
Launched in 2016 across Facebook, Instagram, and Audience Network, this system targets users likely to take valuable in-app actions like:
- Making purchases
- Adding items to cart
- Completing game levels
Case Study: Scopely saw a 50% increase in 7-day Return on Ad Spend after implementing this solution.
2. Worldwide Targeting
Key features:
- Finds lookalike audiences across multiple countries
- Reduces market research overhead
- Simplifies global expansion for app developers
3. App Remarketing
Re-engages users who:
- Installed but stopped using the app
- Didn’t complete valuable actions
- Might respond to targeted prompts
The Future of App Marketing
With 80 of the top 100 apps already using Facebook’s value-based ad products, the platform is leading an industry-wide shift toward action-oriented marketing. As De Martini notes:
“We believe focus is bringing people to value. The industry is evolving from installs to conversion and action-based marketing—it’s what developers are asking for.”
While Facebook isn’t disclosing future plans, the company hints at extending this value-focused approach to other direct response products, signaling a fundamental change in how app success will be measured moving forward.
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