Mobile advertising just hit a new gear!
If you’re looking to stay ahead in the fast-moving world of mobile marketing, the latest Q2 2025 Quarterly Trends Report from Singular is a must-read. This report, created in partnership with leading industry players including Adikteev, InMobi, Appier, and Aarki, dives deep into the biggest shifts shaping digital advertising today.
It’s packed with actionable insights on global ad spend, the impact of tariffs, and the evolving metrics that matter most for marketers.
What you’ll find inside the Q2 2025 Quarterly Trends Report:
- Global ad spend trends
- U.S. tariff impacts on e-commerce ad spend
- Changes in ad spend by vertical
- Monetization distortion: why iOS matters so much
- Hottest app genres with the most installs
- iOS-specific metrics around ATT and SKAdNetwork
- Global trends in
- Cost per install
- Click-through rates
- Cost per mille (thousand ad shows)
- Installs per mille
- Platform-specific metrics
- Region-specific metrics
- Ad network share of spend
- Which ad networks are growing
- Best regional and vertical-specific ad networks
- And much more …
Ad Spend Shifts in 2025: Entertainment Booms, Shopping Struggles
Let’s start with the headline: global mobile ad spend surged 40.3% year-over-year, showing just how resilient and dynamic the ecosystem remains. But this growth isn’t evenly spread. While categories like Entertainment, Finance, and On-demand apps saw massive jumps in ad spend—Entertainment alone more than doubled year-over-year—other sectors, especially Shopping and Gaming, faced significant headwinds.
The main culprit? New U.S. tariffs on imports from China and other countries. These tariffs hit e-commerce advertisers hard, leading to a nearly 45% drop in U.S. shopping app ad spend compared to last year. Major players like Temu and Shein slashed their ad budgets, directly impacting the overall numbers for the Shopping category.
Meanwhile, On-demand app marketing spend rose by 56% year-over-year, and Education apps, though smaller in total spend, also saw notable growth. The battle for user attention is especially fierce in Entertainment, with streaming services fighting for subscribers across the globe.
▲ Global ad spend normalized to Q1 2024 (Source: Q2 2025 Quarterly Trends Report)
From Clicks to Installs: What the Numbers Say in 2025
The report doesn’t just track where the money is going—it also breaks down the key metrics that marketers use to measure success:
- Cost Per Install (CPI): Up 10.6% year-over-year, with especially sharp increases in Android Shopping and Fintech apps.
▲ CPI trends (Source: Q2 2025 Quarterly Trends Report)
- Cost Per Mille (CPM): Jumped 14.5% globally, reflecting the rising competition for user attention.
▲ CPM trends (Source: Q2 2025 Quarterly Trends Report)
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): Surged an impressive 37.6%, though much of this is attributed to the growing popularity of rewarded ad formats.
▲ CTR trends (Source: Q2 2025 Quarterly Trends Report)
- Installs Per Mille (IPM): Up slightly at 4%, indicating a modest increase in conversion from impressions to installs.
▲ IPM trends (Source: Q2 2025 Quarterly Trends Report)
Another trend to watch is the widening gap between iOS and Android. Android dominates in terms of installs, but iOS brings in the lion’s share of revenue—sometimes by margins of 3:1 or greater. For example, in gaming, Android accounts for nearly 90% of installs but only about 10% of revenue, while iOS leads in Health & Fitness revenue despite fewer installs.
AI-powered churn prediction: the solution
Armed with precise inactivity thresholds, we implemented a real-time churn prediction model that:
- Identifies high-risk users before they reach the critical inactivity threshold
- Triggers targeted re-engagement through premium mobile networks
- Delivers personalized creative content at optimal moments
Measurable performance impact
This approach delivered exceptional results:
- Achieved top-ranking Day 0 ROAS across all marketing channels
- Generated Day 7 ROAS 1.5X higher than target benchmarks
- Demonstrated clear incrementality compared to standard retargeting approaches
How Marketers Can Use This Report
So, how can you put these insights to work? Here are a few practical tips:
- Focus on Value, Not Just Volume: With acquisition costs rising and privacy constraints tightening, it’s more important than ever to prioritize high-value users over sheer install numbers. Retention and lifetime value (LTV) are now the metrics that matter most.
- Embrace Full-Funnel Strategies: The days of relying solely on user acquisition are over. Marketers need to balance acquisition with retargeting and retention, using data-driven approaches to engage users throughout their lifecycle.
- Adapt to Privacy Changes: With Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) and the latest SKAdNetwork (SKAN) updates, marketers must get creative with privacy-friendly measurement and engagement tactics. SKAN 4.0 adoption is growing, offering more stable but less granular attribution.
- Leverage New Metrics: The report introduces the App Stickiness Index, which helps you understand not just who installs your app, but who keeps coming back. This is crucial for optimizing engagement and profitability, especially as install-based attribution becomes less reliable.
▲ APP Stickiness Index (Source: Q2 2025 Quarterly Trends Report)
- Watch for Shifting Ad Prices: Tariffs and changing advertiser behavior can create both risks and opportunities. If you’re less dependent on ad monetization, falling ad prices could make your marketing more efficient.
Get the Insights and Strategies You Need to Win in 2025!
The Q2 2025 Quarterly Trends Report from Singular is the most comprehensive snapshot yet of a mobile advertising landscape in flux. Whether you’re navigating the challenges of new tariffs, adapting to privacy-first measurement, or looking for the next big growth opportunity, this report is packed with insights to help you succeed.
Ready to dive deeper and get the full story? Download the complete white paper from the official Singular website and equip yourself with the data and strategies you need to win in 2025.
👉Download the full Q2 2025 Quarterly Trends Report here!!