OEM Marketing as the Smart Choice for Black Friday and Apps: Outperforming High eCPMs in eCommerce

As Black Friday and apps dominate the holiday shopping season, app marketers face new challenges navigating soaring eCPMs. With e-commerce platforms experiencing skyrocketing costs, finding a cost-effective alternative for reaching users is essential.

This is where OEM advertising becomes an excellent choice. It offers an innovative approach for app marketers to tap into clean, high-quality traffic without breaking the bank.

In 2024 and 2025, OEM marketing will allow brands to bypass traditional channels like social media and search ads, often resulting in inflated prices during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

OEM ads deliver a unique, direct line to users on their mobile devices, mainly through Samsung, Apple, and other major smartphone providers. This ensures better conversion rates at lower costs compared to high eCPMs.

We’re REPLUG, a Berlin-based app marketing agency. Contact us today if you’re looking for solutions to promote your app through mobile marketing.

The Challenge of High eCPMs in eCommerce During Black Friday

As Black Friday approaches, traditional advertising platforms like Google, Facebook, and TikTok see a sharp increase in eCPMs. These rising costs can cripple eCommerce apps, especially those with tighter budgets or focused on rapid user acquisition. High eCPMs often result in:

Increased Ad Spend: As competition rises, so do costs, and brands spend significantly more to achieve similar results as during non-peak times.
Lower Conversion Rates: Even with increased ad spend, the return on conversion rates may drop, especially if you cannot reach the right audience at the right time.

OEM advertising flips this script by offering a more cost-effective approach, where pricing is often action-based (CPI/CPA), meaning you only pay for actual app installs or specific actions the user takes.

This ensures your budget is focused on results, not on the inflated metrics seen on traditional platforms.

OEM ads offer an affordable, efficient alternative for e-commerce apps where user acquisition costs can spiral during high-demand periods. OEM platforms let you target users already in a transactional mindset, reducing ad spend while driving more engaged users.

How to Get Your App Ready for Black Friday and Maximize Results with OEM Ads

Black Friday is one of the most competitive periods for e-commerce apps, so your marketing strategy must focus on acquiring new users while controlling costs. Here’s how OEM advertising can help:

1. Increase App Installs with OEM Ads and Special Offers for First-Time Users

Using OEM ads, you can target users directly on their smartphones with special offers for first-time users. This reduces your reliance on inflated ad costs on platforms like Amazon or TikTok, where eCPMs rise steeply. Instead, your app will be visible when users are most engaged in browsing and downloading.

2. Use Push Notifications Combined with OEM Ads for Greater Reach

Combining OEM Android ads with push notifications ensures you’re reaching your audience where it matters most: on their mobile devices. OEM notifications create a seamless user experience, driving users from their phone’s home screen directly to your app’s app store listing, increasing your chances of higher conversion rates.

3. Collaborate with Social Media Influencers to Complement OEM Campaigns

While OEM ads handle high-quality user acquisition directly on devices, combining this with social media influencer campaigns amplifies your reach. OEM ads can drive initial installs, while influencers can provide trending content that supports in-app purchases or continued engagement.

4. Boost Engagement with Email Marketing Paired with OEM Inventory

Leveraging email marketing alongside OEM ads helps you maintain engagement across multiple channels. Users who see your app through OEM ads can be further targeted with tailored email offers, creating a cohesive Black Friday sale experience.

5. Success Stories: OEM and Fraud-Free Traffic for E-commerce Apps

In previous campaigns, REPLUG’s OEM ads delivered remarkable results for major e-commerce clients during Black Friday.

By tapping into multiple OEM providers and utilizing data-driven targeting, REPLUG helped reduce eCPMs and deliver clean, fraud-free traffic that drove significant growth in iOS and Android conversions.

Tired of fraud and wasted ad spend?

At REPLUG, we help apps drive high-intent, clean traffic through our OEM advertising expertise.

Contact us today to learn how OEM ads can help you make the most of Black Friday.

Black Friday Shopping Trends and How OEM Ads Fit In

The period between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is crucial for all e-commerce apps, and OEM ads allow for precise targeting across multiple markets. By preparing ahead, brands can maximize their impact:

Black Friday (U.S.A) — November 29, 2024
Cyber Monday (U.S.A) — December 2, 2024
Christmas Season (Worldwide) — December 25, 2024

OEM ads ensure your Black Friday deals reach users at the right moment, reducing reliance on expensive traditional ad formats while guaranteeing a better return on your marketing investment.

This is a game-changer for apps in the e-commerce space. You can maintain an aggressive marketing strategy without spending on high eCPMs.

Maximizing ROI with Clean, Targeted Traffic

OEM ads deliver high-quality traffic, ensuring you’re not wasting your budget on users who won’t convert. By focusing on action-based pricing, you guarantee your ad spend is only used on users who are genuinely interested in your app.

Reaching High-Intent Users

OEM ads often reach users who are already in the buying mindset, as these ads are placed in native environments where users are already browsing or searching for apps. This leads to better engagement and higher conversion rates during Black Friday.

OEM Advertising Tips for Black Friday Apps’ Success

With most users shopping on their smartphones during Black Friday deals, OEM marketing places your app in front of users when they’re already engaged in holiday shopping activities.

You reach users at the most opportune moments through notifications or in-app placements.

1. Plan Early and Get Ahead of the Competition

Starting early ensures you can leverage real-time data to refine your campaigns. OEM ads offer flexibility, allowing you to adjust your targeting based on real-time user behavior.

2. Tactfully Target Specific Markets with OEM Insights

OEM platforms like Samsung and Xiaomi provide data insights that let you focus your messaging on the most relevant markets, ensuring better campaign optimization and higher conversion rates.

3. Leverage Real-Time Data from OEM Ads for Personalization

OEM ads provide real-time feedback, enabling you to tweak your ads and messaging for better performance during the Black Friday rush. Personalization is key to capturing attention and driving conversions during competitive periods.

4. Optimize Your Ad Formats for Maximum Visibility on OEM Channels

Using the right ad formats, such as app install ads or native ads, will help capture users’ attention at critical moments during their holiday shopping season.

5. How OEM Ads Help You Adapt Quickly During High eCPM Periods

Unlike traditional channels, OEM ads allow you to test and iterate faster. This is crucial when eCPMs are high, as you need to maximize performance and return on investment by identifying winning strategies in real time.

Expanding OEM Advertising Beyond Black Friday and Apps

Consider OEM strategies not only for Black Friday but for ongoing seasonal campaigns. Whether Christmas, Singles’ Day, or other major global shopping events, OEM ads allow for a seamless strategy supporting long-term app growth.

Conclusion

As eCPMs rise across traditional advertising channels, OEM advertising provides a cost-effective solution to drive high-quality, fraud-resistant traffic for Black Friday and apps.

Whether preparing for the Black Friday rush or strategizing for the full holiday shopping season, OEM ads should be at the heart of your marketing strategy to deliver real results.

Contact REPLUG today to learn how our OEM ad strategies can help you outperform traditional channels and secure the conversions you need this Black Friday.

You tell us your goal; we optimize your campaigns for success. Reach out to us today.