A Complete Guide To Playable Ads
Due to the rise in mobile device usage, advertising has had to change to match both the mobile environment and the changing demographic of users.
With the increased use of ad-blocking technologies, digital publishers and advertisers must always pivot and rethink their advertising campaign methods.
A recent study found that interactive advertising has three times the conversion rates than conventional advertising. With interactive mini-games, such ads attract more people to engage, which results in higher conversion rates reaching almost 700% more than other ad formats.
So here in this blog, we are showing everything that you should know about playable advertising:-
In a hurry? Listen to the blog instead!
Playable Ads: How Do They Operate
Playable advertising is exactly like how it sounds. It is a type of advertising that allows users to try out a mini or demo version of a mobile game or app before installing it. You can try experiencing such applications without actually downloading the game.
Users can test a product or service through a brief interactive session on playable advertisements. These advertisements promote direct engagement, in contrast to traditional advertisements that rely on still images or videos.
To give users an idea of the game’s mechanics and plot, a mobile game advertisement lets users play the game’s first level inside the advertisement.
Users are more inclined to install the game if they have a positive experience. In a similar vein, an online advertisement might offer a brief “mix-and-match” experience that lets consumers test out different product pairings, such as ensembles or cosmetic hues. Users become more engaged as a result of this hands-on contact, which raises conversion rates and lowers drop-off rates.
Why Do Playable Ads Work?
Playable Ads Eliminate Passive Consumption
While most people avoid ads, which they find irrelevant. However, that’s not the case with playable ads. They involve consumers to create a sense of excitement when checking the ad. Compared to conventional banners or videos, this increases engagement and promotes more in-depth conversation.
Increased Rates of Conversion
Users have a better understanding of what they’re obtaining because they get to see the goods personally. This causes increased retention and decreased uninstalls, whether it’s app downloads or product purchases.
Less Ad Fatigue
Ad fatigue is frequently caused by repetitive and invasive ads. Conversely, playable advertisements provide customers with a welcome diversion by making the audience feel more entertained than just watching ads.
Insights Based on Data
Based on how users interact with the ad, playable advertising provides information on user behavior. Brands can use this data to refine future campaigns and better target their audience.
The Key Components Of Playable Advertisements
There are three primary components of playable advertisements. Each one offers opportunities for creativity and interaction, as well as useful statistics to gauge the campaign’s effectiveness.
TUTORIAL:-
An introduction or introductory card, serves as your “hook,” drawing players into your game. In addition to drawing visitors in, this piece should be brief and to the point, demonstrating right away how to begin playing.
GAMEPLAY:-
An experience playing the game that is very simplified and straight to the point with as much as functionalities that leave a long-lasting taste. The playable advertising is conventionally 15 – 20 seconds long, every single second counts. You can even implement the best video game ad strategies to make your playable ads more converting.
ENDING SEQUENCE:-
All that’s left is to close big. The ending sequence should consist of elements that will directly take the user to the store to download and install.
6 Best Practices For Playable Ads
Understanding design best practices is crucial for publishers and advertisers who want to provide playable advertisements instead of banners or standard video commercials. This will ensure that the ad meets KPIs and improves brand performance.
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Use a main theme and a single, consistent CTA to achieve a clear and measurable campaign goal.
A single theme helps give users a simple experience that avoids too many flashy distractions and will help drive users to take action- which is the final goal of playable advertising.
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Design an intuitive, recognizable experience. Users should quickly grasp how to interact with the advertisement.
A user should understand and learn how to play in a very quick moment so that it can captivate and engage high-lifetime users.
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Keep the experience brief, often 15 seconds to one minute at most.
Keeping the experience small and exciting keeps the user to stay till the ending “Call To Action”(CTA).
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Include your most important and distinguishing characteristics to make it unforgettable.
Playable advertising is all about the user experience(UX): make yours as clear, memorable, and intuitive as possible to drive conversions.
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Reward consumers for their participation as an incentive to convert.
At last, the playable advertising experience should be fun and it should grasp and excite the user, enough to convert and download the app. Rewarding the user is a great way to make him join the game without disturbing the lore or storyline.
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Remember to test and measure user behavior at each level to improve the overall experience.
It might seem obvious, but it’s important that advertisers A/B test which variable within the playable drives the most actions. If the advertisement is a minigame, for example, that the user can try out and play, they should ensure that the difficulty is just right to keep them interested or hooked enough to make the installation.
Playable Ads Across Various Apps
Playable ads are available on Facebook Feed, Facebook Stories, Meta Audience Network interstitials, and Audience Network rewarded videos. The placement asset modification/Facebook ad intelligence tool option allows playable ad sets to opt into Instagram feed and Instagram Stories, where the lead-in video will replace the playable advertising.
Once you’ve developed a playable ad, it can appear as a lead-in video in Feed. When people tap on the video, they are moved to a full-screen playable environment with which they can interact. A call to action to install your app will display.
To create more engagement for your campaign, you can also include playable advertising in your Advantage+ app campaigns. You can also utilize ad analytics tools to peek at the competitor’s best-performing playable ads. There you can replicate their winning strategies to maximize returns on your campaigns.
One of the best Facebook ad analytics tools is PowerAdSpy which will help you discover the most engaging competitors’ ads. Also, it provides you with ad analytic insights, which you can analyze to optimize your campaigns and gain the most out of it.
PowerAdSpy: AI-powered Ad Intelligence Tool
PowerAdSpy provides you with a Facebook ad spy tool that gets access to one of the biggest ad databases in the world so that you never run out of ideas. Moreover, it allows you to spy on competitors’ ads from other advertising platforms as well like Instagram, Google, Linkedin, YouTube, Pinterest, etc.
Here we have used PowerAdSpy to find some of the best-performing playable ads.
Let’s take an example of the puzzle game app ROYAL MATCH
Step 1: Login to PowerAdSpy
Visit the PowerAdSpy website and log in with your credentials. If you don’t have an account, create one and choose the appropriate plan based on your needs.
Step 2: Choose the Ad Platform
After logging in, you’ll see the dashboard with options to filter ads from platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Google, YouTube, etc.
Select the platform where Royal Match is likely running ads. For example, Facebook or Instagram might have their own campaigns.
Step 3: Search with Keywords
Use the search bar on the dashboard to input relevant keywords such as:
“Royal Match”
“Puzzle game”
“Match-3”
You can also try searching using specific game features or trends used by Royal Match.
Step 4: Filter Ads for More Precise Results
Use the filters available in PowerAdSpy to narrow your search. Some useful filters include:
Ad Type: Image or Video
CTA Button: Install Now, Play Now, etc.
Country: Target ads in specific regions
Time Range: See the latest or oldest campaigns.
Step 5: Analyze Ad Creatives
Look through the list of ads relevant to Royal Match.
Pay attention to the following:
Visuals: Color schemes, characters, and gameplay snippets used.
Copy/Headline: Hook lines, CTA, or emotional appeal used in the ad text.
Engagement Metrics: Views, likes, shares, and comments.
Step 6: Track Competitor Strategies
Identify patterns across multiple ads:
What offers (like bonuses or rewards) do they promote?
Are they promoting seasonal or event-based updates?
How are the ads targeting different audiences? (e.g., family-friendly, casual gamers)
Step 7: Monitor Ad Performance Trends
Regularly revisit the platform to monitor how new campaigns evolve for Royal Match.
Keep an eye on changes in creatives or engagement metrics, as this can indicate how well campaigns are performing or adapting.
By following these steps, you’ll be able to analyze Royal Match’s ad campaigns effectively using PowerAdSpy, gaining insights into their advertising strategies to enhance your research.
Let’s take another example of the game WORLD OF WARCRAFT
Here’s a step-by-step guide to using PowerAdSpy for ad analysis of World of Warcraft (WoW):
Step 1: Log in to PowerAdSpy
Go to the PowerAdSpy website and log in using your account credentials.
If you don’t have an account, sign up and choose a plan that fits your needs.
Step 2: Select the Ad Platform
Choose the relevant platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube from the dashboard.
These platforms often host WoW’s ads for expansions, updates, and seasonal events.
Step 3: Search for Relevant Keywords
Enter specific keywords related to World of Warcraft in the search bar, such as:
“World of Warcraft” / “WoW”
“Dragonflight expansion”
“Wrath of the Lich King Classic”
“MMORPG game”
“Horde vs Alliance”
“Blizzard Entertainment”
Step 4: Use Filters for Precision
Apply the following filters to refine the ad search:
Ad Type: Video ads to view gameplay snippets or trailers.
CTA Buttons: Play Now, Download, Install, or Subscribe.
Country: Filter by specific countries to analyze regional ad targeting.
Platform: Focus on Facebook, YouTube, or Google Ads depending on where WoW runs promotions.
Step 5: Analyze Ad Creatives and Messaging
Check the following aspects of the ads:
Visuals: Use of cinematic trailers, gameplay footage, or expansion themes (e.g., dragons, undead, or battles).
Copy: Focus on emotional hooks like “Return to Azeroth,” “The epic adventure continues,” or “Join the battle.”
Call-to-Action (CTA): Invitations to download expansions, join guilds, or participate in seasonal events.
Engagement Metrics: Identify high-performing ads based on views, likes, and shares.
Step 6: Identify Blizzard’s Advertising Strategies
Look for patterns, such as:
Promotion of new expansions or classic content (e.g., Wrath of the Lich King Classic).
Seasonal events campaigns (like Winter Veil or Hallow’s End).
Ads targeting specific player segments (e.g., PvE players, PvP players, or WoW Classic fans).
Step 7: Save and Analyze Relevant Ads
Now you can analyze relevant ad campaigns to replicate their winning ad strategies, (learn about their ad budget, engagement details, and demographics they are targeting).
Step 8: Monitor Competitor Strategies and Trends
Keep an eye on similar MMORPGs like Final Fantasy XIV or Elder Scrolls Online to see how WoW’s strategy compares.
Track how Blizzard adapts their ads during major content updates or holidays.
By following this guide, you’ll gain insights into World of Warcraft’s advertising strategies, helping you monitor their campaigns effectively and learn how Blizzard promotes new content and engages their community.
Read More
Mobile App Advertising: Everything You Need To Know
How to Master Video Game Ads Strategies and Win
Final Takeaway!!
Playable advertising is an interactive technique to demonstrate gameplay and encourage user-initiated downloads. They enable advertisers to promote growth and connect with audiences in an engaging, user-driven manner that adheres to data privacy regulations.
Playable advertisements can be generated in HTML or interactive video format. They are full-screen interstitials that span between 15 seconds to a minute. They consist of three parts: an opening card or Tutorial, the gameplay experience, and a closing call to action.
The opt-in nature of playable advertising indicates that users are engaged and trust your business. They provide users with a delightful experience, which leads to excellent conversion rates. Furthermore, they load quickly and allow for rich content.
Frequently Asked Question
Here are some frequently asked questions about playable ads:
What is a playable ad?
Playable ads are interactive ads that allow users to try out a scaled-down version of an app before installing it. Mostly these ads are mobile app ads in which users can play the game to check the features of the product.
How are playable ads billed?
Playable ads are billed on a cost-per-engagement (CPE) basis. An engagement is recorded when a user first interacts with or clicks on the ad.
How are conversions measured?
For playable ads, a conversion is counted when a user installs the app within 30 days of an engagement.
What are the different types of playable ads?
There are two main types of playable ads: HTML and interactive videos. HTML ads are built using HTML5 code and assets from the game. Interactive videos use footage from the game along with HTML elements.
How much do playable ads cost?
Playable advertisements on Android cost less than half of native advertisements, at $1.22. Ad conversions in mobile games can be tough. However, gaming ads with a video or playable feature have a considerably higher chance of driving an install than banner advertisements.
