Amazon’s New Ad Platform Lets App Developers Target Both Android And Fire Users

Amazon announced this morning the launch of a new advertising platform for mobile app developers who distribute their Android apps by way of Amazon’s Appstore or even Google Play. Called “Advertise Your App with Amazon,” the new program allows developers to promote their app across Amazon’s network of Fire tablet wakescreens, as well as via mobile placements on the Amazon Mobile Ad Network.

While the company doesn’t disclose the installed base of Fire tablet users, these ads have the potential to reach millions of customers.

The platform is aimed at developers who are looking to acquire loyal users for their application, including those who are more likely to spend on in-app purchases. As independent research has shown for years, Amazon’s Appstore revenue tops that of Google Play for Android app developers. And Amazon also points to a more recent report from Newzoo which found that 64% of mobile gamers who use the Amazon Appstore spend money on mobile games, versus 37% for Google Play.

In other words, for some developers, targeting only Amazon Appstore users rather than all of those using Android devices, may make more sense in terms of their bottom line. Of course, Amazon is not the only ad platform where this is possible – Facebook announced in December that developers could begin targeting Amazon Fire tablet users with its Facebook Install Ads, for example.

However, Amazon’s advantage is that its ads will appear right on the Fire tablet’s wakescreen, when compatible – which is a bit harder for consumers to ignore than a News Feed ad. And it especially makes sense for those developers who have optimized their apps for the Fire tablet to try to acquire only Fire tablet users.

In addition to appear on the Fire tablet wakescreens, the ads will run on other Amazon mobile properties by way of the Amazon Mobile Ad Network, and may even appear within other Amazon apps, like IMDb.

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The company says that setting up a new campaign takes as little as 90 seconds, and requires an investment of $100 or more. Then, developers only pay when a user clicks on an ad. However, Amazon does not guarantee a campaign’s performance. If a developer isn’t seeing that their campaign’s total budget is spent, Amazon notes, it’s likely because their cost-per-click bid has been set too low, which would cause it to lose out on auctions to those with higher bids. (The program will include a suggested CPC – cost-per-click – based on aggregated historical results in order to help developers know what to charge.)

Developers can also target users based on interests, checking particular boxes next to the types of users they want to acquire, or they can choose to let Amazon choose the audience for them. Another option, “Enable Google Play Support,” allows customers who don’t have the Amazon Appstore installed the option to download the app from the Google Play store instead.

The program has previously been in beta testing with select developers but is now open to any in the U.S., provided the ads meet certain guidelines. That is, they should be approved for all audiences, in terms of their content, and the apps must be available in the English language.

The new ad platform is one of many promotional tools Amazon offers mobile app developers. The company also runs a Free App of the Day program to boost downloads, as well as other tools for customer acquisition, including the ability to manage pricing and sales from an online dashboard.