Definition
Paid Downloads
Paid downloads are app installations driven by advertising spend, including search ads, social media ads, display ads, and influencer campaigns.
Paid downloads come from advertising campaigns where you pay for user acquisition. While more expensive than organic, paid channels offer precise targeting, scalability, and immediate results.
The key to profitable paid acquisition is ensuring your customer lifetime value exceeds your cost per install. A strong organic presence through ASO reduces your overall blended acquisition cost by supplementing paid installs with free ones.
Complement paid UA with organic growth from AppDrift.
Related Terms
User Acquisition
User acquisition (UA) encompasses all strategies and channels used to attract new users to your app, including organic (ASO) and paid (advertising) methods.
Cost Per Install (CPI)
Cost Per Install (CPI) measures how much you pay on average to acquire one app installation through paid advertising. Lower CPI indicates more efficient user acquisition spend.
Organic Downloads
Organic downloads are app installations that occur without direct paid advertising. They come from app store search, browse, referrals, and other non-paid channels.
Further Reading
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