Why OEM Ads Deliver Clean, Fraud-Resistant Traffic for Apps

Today, fraud remains a big challenge in app marketing, with app install fraud reaching alarming levels.

According to AppsFlyer, fraud exposure in the app market has grown by 40% in recent years, costing the industry an estimated $5.4 billion globally. Notably, the Finance category has been the most brutal hit, with $2.6 billion in fraud exposure, followed by Casino & Betting apps at $1.2 billion.

Even regions like the UK are witnessing high fraud rates, with 22% of detected fraud impacting Android and iOS campaigns.

While traditional ad channels, such as social media platforms and display ads, struggle with fraudulent bot traffic and manipulative practices, another issue compounds the problem.

The widespread use of fixed CPA (cost per acquisition) networks often incentivizes questionable practices to meet CPA goals, leading to a cycle of poor-quality traffic and unreliable performance data.

This is where OEM marketing steps in, offering a cleaner, more reliable alternative for brands focused on driving high-quality app installs and user engagement. As an independent mobile marketing agency, REPLUG leverages its broad access to OEM ad placements to deliver fraud-resistant traffic explicitly tailored to each client’s needs.

Let’s dive into why OEM ads are a game-changer for apps and how they ensure cleaner traffic compared to other channels.

What are OEM Sales, and How Do They Work?

Through integrated ad placements, OEM marketing allows brands to display their apps directly on smartphones and carriers. Unlike ads on social media platforms or search engines, OEM ads are shown to users within the device’s native environment. Key ad placements include:

Unboxing Experience: Ads shown during the setup process of a new smartphone.
Smart Folders and App Recommendations: Pre-installed folders and suggestions managed by the OEMs or carriers.
Game Launchers: Alternative app store placements, such as Xiaomi GetApps.
OEM Browsers: Default browsers on devices like Xiaomi or Oppo.

OEM advertising taps into native touchpoints, creating a seamless experience that is not intrusive to users. This method provides brands access to incremental reach, especially for transactional-based apps like e-commerce or ride-hailing, where direct actions, such as making a purchase or booking a ride, are crucial.

Clean Traffic and Fraud Resistance in OEM Ads

One of the primary benefits of OEM marketing is the significantly cleaner traffic it generates compared to traditional ad channels.

Fraudulent activities, such as click farms and bot traffic, are major concerns for app marketers. Still, OEM ads are displayed within environments controlled by smartphone manufacturers, reducing the risk of fraudulent interactions.

OEM ads are displayed based on actual user behavior, such as app usage and search patterns, making the traffic high-quality and relevant to users.
Because these ads operate within the OEM’s ecosystem, they are less prone to the fraud often seen in DSPs or incentivized ad platforms.
REPLUG’s strict traffic source control ensures that the traffic coming through OEM placements is genuine, protecting clients’ ad spend and providing a high return on investment.

REPLUG’s Positioning: A Key Advantage

One of REPLUG’s main differentiators in the OEM marketing space is its independent positioning. Unlike other players tied to specific OEMs or tech providers, REPLUG operates independently, offering access to a broad range of OEM apps and carriers.

1. REPLUG vs Competitors

While competitors may be locked into exclusive partnerships, limiting their flexibility, REPLUG can access multiple OEM providers through direct partnerships, including Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Samsung.

This allows REPLUG to tailor OEM campaigns based on what best fits the client’s goals and target audience without being restricted by platform limitations and reach.

2. Action-Based Pricing Models

Another critical benefit is REPLUG’s action-based pricing model, which allows certain apps to pay only when users complete a specific action, such as making a purchase or engaging with the app meaningfully.

This reduces clients’ financial risk and ensures that ad spend is directly tied to valuable user actions rather than simply paying for installs.

You tell us your goal; we optimize your campaigns for success. Contact us today for tailored solutions.

REPLUG’s Success Stories: Proven Results for Multiple App Types

REPLUG has successfully implemented OEM campaigns across various app categories, particularly for transactional-based apps like e-commerce and ride-hailing. Here’s how REPLUG delivers tangible results through OEM placements.

1. Success With a Leading Ride-Hailing App

In working with a leading ride-hailing app, REPLUG used OEM ads to drive re-engagement for users who installed the app but hadn’t used it.

By leveraging OEMs’ launchers, REPLUG targeted these users based on in-browser predictive search, similar apps used, and affinities, leading to increased app activity, higher conversion rates, and incremental transacted revenue.

2. Success With a Major Media App

For a major media app, REPLUG implemented OEM ads in regions where Xiaomi performs better than other OEMs, successfully boosting app installs and driving user engagement in key target markets.

By understanding the regional preferences for OEM usage, REPLUG tailored the campaign for maximum impact, reaching the partner’s target KPI within a few weeks of the campaign activation.

Clean and Fraud-Resistant Traffic: Key Benefits for Marketers

For app marketers concerned about traffic quality, OEM ads are a powerful solution. With fraud being a growing concern in other digital channels, OEM marketing offers several benefits:

Clean, controlled traffic: OEM environments are tightly controlled by manufacturers, ensuring that users are real, engaged, and interacting with apps organically.
Optimized ad spend: Using action-based pricing (CPI or CPA), brands can ensure their budget is spent by driving performance and avoiding possible eCPMs spikes due to seasonality.
Fraud-resistant placements: Unlike some channels where fraud is rampant, OEM traffic is far less prone to manipulation, making it an ideal choice for marketers looking to optimize their ad spend.
Full Transparency: We have positioned ourselves as a fully transparent provider at REPLUG. We ensure our partners have complete visibility at a placement level to understand what works for their app campaigns.

OEM Advertising Best Practices

To maximize the potential of OEM advertising, you must follow best practices that align with your app’s needs and market conditions. Below are key strategies that can help ensure the success of your OEM marketing campaigns.

1. Tailoring Campaigns for Strong Brand Recognition

It’s important to note that OEM ads work best for apps with strong brand recognition. Users are more likely to trust and engage with apps they recognize, especially when the app icon is familiar.

“Famous apps” thrive in this space because their icons are widely recognized and trusted. For apps that may not have strong brand visibility yet, REPLUG can help explore alternative marketing strategies or optimize their OEM marketing approach to build brand trust.

2. Understanding Regional Differences in OEM Marketing

OEM performance can vary by region. For example, Xiaomi might outperform Samsung in specific markets.

REPLUG’s deep understanding of these regional nuances allows them to customize campaigns and ensure clients’ ads are delivered to the most relevant users in each area.

3. Timing OEM Ads for Major Sales Cycles

OEM placements work exceptionally well during major sales periods like Black Friday, Christmas, or Back to School. This is the ideal time for transactional apps to leverage OEM ads to boost visibility and drive conversions.

REPLUG helps clients align their campaigns with these critical moments to maximize results.

How to Implement a Successful OEM Marketing Plan

Implementing a successful OEM advertising plan requires strategic planning and careful execution. A well-defined OEM ad campaign can help drive high-quality installs and user engagement across various OEM platforms. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get started.

1. Establish Benchmarks

Before launching any OEM advertising campaign, establish clear benchmarks. These metrics will serve as your guide for understanding performance and ensuring that your ad spend is being optimized.

Identify Key KPIs: Define the key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter most to your app, such as ROAS, user retention, or conversion rates. Transactional-based apps could include completed purchases or in-app actions.
Set Realistic Goals: Establish targets for user acquisition and fraud-free traffic. OEM ads can provide a reliable, high-quality traffic source, especially for action-based apps. Consider goals for user retention and minimizing fraudulent activities.
Track OEM Traffic: Measuring OEM traffic and its impact on your overall app growth is crucial. Use tools to track real-time data and ensure you’re hitting the benchmarks you’ve set.

2. Understand Your Target Audience

Understanding your target audience is vital to any OEM marketing strategy. OEM ads offer unique opportunities to target users directly through mobile devices and pre-installed apps, so it’s important to define who you’re trying to reach.

Segment User Behavior: Analyze your app’s behavior to segment the audience more effectively. Whether targeting specific Android users or focusing on particular regions like Xiaomi or Oppo markets, understanding how different users engage with your app can help optimize your campaigns.
Optimize for User Experience: Ensure that your ads align with the user experience of your target audience. OEM ad placements like pre-installed apps and smartphone browsers should deliver seamless interaction, encouraging engagement without disrupting the user journey.
Tailor Ads to Regional Preferences: Different OEMs dominate different regions. For instance, Huawei may perform well in one market, while Samsung or Vivo dominate in others. Customize your OEM channel strategy based on regional preferences and device usage.

3. Choose the Right OEM Partners

Choosing the right OEM sales partners is essential for delivering high-quality OEM traffic and achieving your marketing goals. Since OEM advertising relies on original equipment manufacturers to deliver ads, selecting the best partner based on your audience and app type is critical.

Leverage Independent OEM Sources: Unlike other agencies, REPLUG operates independently, offering access to a broad range of OEM partners, including Xiaomi, Oppo, and Samsung. This flexibility ensures you can choose the best OEM platforms for your app’s needs without being tied to one operating system or tech provider.
Consider Action-Based Campaigns: Action-based pricing through OEM advertising can reduce risk and improve ROAS for apps with high transactional value. Brands can optimize their ad spend by paying only for actions like purchases or app engagement.
Explore Various Ad Formats: Depending on the OEM channel, you can choose between different ad formats, such as app recommendations, pre-installed apps, and app store placements (e.g., Google Play, Samsung Store). The proper format will depend on your campaign goals and your target devices.

Tap into an unexplored acquisition channel for many brands and benefit from the first-mover advantage. Contact REPLUG.

4. Measure Campaign Success

Measuring success is critical to understanding the effectiveness of your OEM ad campaign and optimizing future strategies. It’s important to track and analyze several key metrics to ensure you’re hitting your goals.

Track Real-Time Data: Using the right tools, monitor your ad campaigns’ real-time performance. OEM platforms like Xiaomi and Oppo offer valuable insights into user interaction and attribution, which will help you adjust your campaigns accordingly.
Analyze Fraud-Free Traffic: One of the primary benefits of OEM advertising is the cleaner, fraud-resistant traffic it provides. Regularly analyze traffic to ensure it remains high-quality and free of fraudulent activities.
Optimize Based on Performance: Regularly review your KPI metrics and adjust your campaigns based on performance.

Why Choose REPLUG for Your OEM Sales Needs?

REPLUG brings a wealth of expertise and flexibility to OEM marketing. Our team works independently from specific OEMs, focusing on clean, fraud-resistant traffic. REPLUG ensures that your app reaches the right audience at the right time.

With proven results for transactional-based apps, REPLUG can help brands maximize their ad spend and drive meaningful engagement.

Interested in exploring how OEM marketing can boost your app’s growth?

Contact REPLUG today for a custom OEM marketing plan tailored to your business needs.