The rise of mobile native advertising
September 3, 2025
By Ratnesh Kumar, Lead Product Manager
Mobile has completely changed the way we consume content — and how brands reach their audience. As people spend more time in mobile-first environments and less in desktop or browser-based ones, a lot of traditional ad formats just aren’t keeping up. Instead, what’s actually driving results right now? Mobile-native ads — especially in-feed ads and app install formats, which have become core tools for performance teams.
App Install Ads: Still a Go-To for Driving Growth
Trends in advertising shift fast. But app install ads have consistently delivered, especially for marketers in spaces like utilities, commerce, health, gaming, quiz and fintech.
Today’s mobile users are picky — and quick to scroll past anything that feels off, interruptive, or irrelevant. The app install ads that actually break through tend to have a few things in common:
- A seamless path from discovery to install
- Placement in trustworthy, relevant environments
- A native, integrated feel — not something that’s just slapped on
- Visuals and copy that align with how people already browse on mobile
What makes native app install ads stand out is that they don’t interrupt. They show up as recommendations — part of the experience, not a break from it.
Why In-Feed Ads Keep Gaining Ground
In-feed ads have taken off because they match how people actually consume content on mobile — swiping, scrolling, diving into articles or videos. The best ones don’t feel like ads at all. They’re designed to blend into the feed and match the tone and layout of the content around them.
That subtlety comes with real upside:
- High visibility without disrupting the experience
- Stronger contextual and editorial alignment
- Flexibility to adapt to different goals, verticals, and audiences
For performance marketers, that means better engagement and stronger click-through rates, and users who are more open to taking action — especially when paired with app install campaigns.
What Makes Mobile-Native Work
It’s not just the format that matters — it’s the design choices that go into making something feel native to mobile.
The strongest mobile-native ads tend to follow a few simple principles:
- Short, scroll-stopping copy
- Clean visuals that look great on vertical screens
- A clear call to action that fits what the user is doing
- Fast, focused landing pages built for mobile
These campaigns don’t try to repurpose old desktop formats. They start with how people actually use their phones and build from there.
Bottom Line
Performance marketing today is all about meeting users where they are — and respecting how they interact with content. That’s exactly what native formats like in-feed and app install ads do best. They drive results without being pushy or intrusive.
If you’re looking to grow your user base, launch a new app, or get more from your media spend, mobile-native advertising — especially app install ads — is still one of the most effective tools out there.