Marketer, analyst, ex-CMO focused on the Google ecosystem (Ads, Merchant Center, GA4, GTM). Google Partner. 150+ projects, 100+ positive reviews on Freelancehunt, 12+ countries.
- I work directly, with no account managers or subcontractors
- I measure results in sales, not in-platform conversions
- Maximum expertise in the Google ecosystem — instead of “PPC, social ads and SEO, all in one”
Product: A Ukrainian cross-platform app for reading and listening to e-books — available on iOS, Android and the web.
Monetization: subscriptions (1/3/6 months), individual book purchases, 14-day rentals.
Starting point: a brand-new Google Ads account. Zero ad history. Zero conversion data. Zero algorithm learning.
Contents
The challenge
- A new account with no statistical history — the algorithm starts learning from zero
- No prior conversion tracking — a full setup was needed before launch
- iOS attribution broken by Apple ATT / SKAdNetwork — it took 3 weeks to resolve
- No push notification infrastructure on the product side for post-install retention
- A limited budget that required fast and efficient algorithm learning
Strategy
Phase 1 — Launch and learning (weeks 1–2)
We launched Android App Install campaigns with the Maximize conversions strategy. We used audience signals based on existing buyers. At the same time, we tested three creative groups with different messaging angles to identify the winning concept early.
Phase 2 — Optimization (weeks 3–4)
We switched to Target CPA as soon as the threshold of 50+ installs/day was reached consistently. Creative performance analysis confirmed which message resonated with the target audience.
Phase 3 — Audiences and remarketing (month 2)
We shifted the focus to users who installed the app but did not buy. We built GA4 behavioral audiences and launched re-engagement campaigns:
- Segment A: installed — no in-app actions
- Segment B: engaged (searched, read, listened) — no purchase
Results (all time: April 1 — June 11, 2026)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total ad spend | ₴77 554 (~$1 868) |
| Total installs (Android) | 4 610+ |
| CPI (cost per install) | ₴7.68 (~$0.19) |
| Impressions | 514 000+ |
| Average CPC | ₴2.78 (~$0.07) |
| In-app engagement events | 10 100+ |
A CPI of $0.19 is well below the industry benchmark for mobile apps in Eastern Europe ($0.40–$1.20 for book/education apps).
In-app engagement quality
We confirmed traffic quality by tracking micro-conversions:
| Action | Users | % of installs |
|---|---|---|
| 🔍 Searched for a book | 2 781 | 60.3% |
| 📖 Started reading | 1 537 | 33.3% |
| 🎧 Listened to an audiobook | 577 | 12.5% |
| ❤️ Added to favorites | 261 | 5.7% |
One in three users who installed the app started reading a book. That confirms high-intent traffic, not just volume.
End-to-end analytics: what the client sees
Besides the reports in Google Ads itself, the client has a separate dashboard that combines ad spend with in-app events and revenue — by day, filtered to the traffic source that matters. Here is what it looks like (not tied to a specific brand — just an example of the reporting format):
Key takeaways
1. The creative concept affects CPI more than production quality
The audiobook-focused creative “Listen to something useful” delivered the lowest CPI and the highest in-app engagement of all the groups tested. The “non-fiction” angle performed worst — the term turned out to be too abstract for a broad audience. We replaced it with specific genre labels: business books, psychology, self-development.
2. Patience during the learning phase pays off
Algorithm learning brought CPI down from $0.30 on day one to $0.17 by day 7 without any manual intervention. It was critical to resist the temptation to optimize too early. Campaigns that were allowed to learn performed better than those where we made early adjustments. Another app advertising case: how a pizza chain grew installs 2.5x without increasing the budget.
3. iOS attribution requires a separate measurement strategy
iOS conversions were unavailable for the first 3 weeks because of the Apple ATT / SKAdNetwork architecture. Google Ads shows modeled conversions for iOS with a significant delay. Android and iOS require fundamentally different measurement approaches — treating them as one channel leads to wrong optimization decisions.
4. Remarketing closes the retention gap
With no push notifications on the product side, remarketing through Google Display and Demand Gen became the main re-engagement tool. Behavioral audience segmentation (installed + no action vs engaged + no purchase) let us differentiate the messaging and spend the budget more efficiently.
5. Micro-conversions unlock optimization before purchase data matures
With limited early purchase data, micro-conversion events (search, reading, listening, favorites) gave the algorithm enough signal to optimize effectively. This approach lets you launch Smart Bidding without waiting for purchase volume to build up.
A bonus from Google
The conditions for Google’s 20,000 UAH ($444) ad credit were met in the first month. The credit provided roughly 15 extra days of ad coverage for free — effectively extending the learning period and letting us build audiences faster.
What’s next
- New creative packs with a stronger purchase-intent message — moving from “try it free” to “subscription from 199 UAH ($4.4)”
- A full launch of iOS campaigns as soon as tracking stabilizes
- Scaling the install budget after the push infrastructure launches on the product side
- Continuing remarketing optimization as behavioral audiences grow
Where to find me
Message me on Telegram or by email — I respond quickly. Telegram channel and YouTube are for those who want to see real cases before reaching out and understand my approach.