Mai Miyano is a 4th-year university student majoring in economics. She joined the Japan-based mobile developer and publisher, Eureka Studio, just over a year ago. And as the mobile marketing manager, Mai has been scaling their games to new heights!
What's the secret to her success? Read on to find out more about her approach to mobile games marketing and advice for other marketers out there.
Which games do you manage, and what is unique about them?
I mainly manage our hits "Skip School", "Hide My Test", and "Skip Work." Most of our titles fall under the hyper-casual category. And in my opinion, the number of stages in our games is one of their most unique features.
For example, "Skip School" has 100 levels. The situations, items, and characters are slightly different in each level, so users enjoy playing the game for a long time without getting bored.
How did you get started in the mobile games industry?
To be completely honest, I didn’t have any knowledge about the gaming industry before I joined Eureka Studio. I was introduced to E-Studio through a programming school last summer, and I've been developing a growing interest in digital marketing ever since. This might be because both marketing and gaming were entirely new to me at the time. I knew it could be tough to get into this industry as an absolute beginner but I gave it a go as my curiosity overrode any fear of failure that I may have had.
What do you like most about your current role?
First of all, it’s full of new experiences. As market trends in the hyper-casual game industry change so quickly and we have to constantly keep up with the latest trends. This means adjusting the creatives and trying to find new gaps in the market. I'll probably never get tired of this industry! I also find it really motivating when new challenges turn into achievements.
In your opinion, what does it take to succeed in games marketing?
The way I see it, one of the most essential tips for success is repeatedly conducting tests in user acquisition, monetization, and game balance. The game's balance greatly influences LTV, so you should focus on this before investing in an enormous UA budget. We usually conduct A/B tests on level difficulty and ad frequency. On the UA side, we focus a lot on Creatives and we sometimes test more than 100 creatives per app. Patient trial and error is what matters most in games marketing!
Which strategies work best to acquire high-quality users for your games?
Every ad placement has a different level of compatibility with each game genre. We of course want to deliver as many ads as possible on the sites that drive the most high-quality users. To get there, we frequently adjust and fine-tune our bids based on ROAS. We work with BidShake to build an automated process to help us make all these frequent adjustments.
How do you use automation, and how does it help you?
The most significant advantage of using automation is that it saves a lot of trouble and effort. As we place ads on many different networks and countries, it’s time-consuming to calculate ROAS and adjust bids manually one by one. Once you set an automation rule, you don't have to check the performance of each ad campaign over and over again. On top of this, BidShake's automation platform is so flexible that you can set KPIs, target countries, and other details as much as you want or need. Even if you have a highly complex calculation method, the automation system can meet your individual needs.
What advice can you offer to mobile marketers who start building their automation process?
I have two pieces of advice. First, always examine the performance of each network, analyze, and really try to understand the trends before setting any automation rules. The second is to consult product experts and ask them for advice. They’re always willing to listen and offer constructive advice.
Thanks for taking the time to speak to us! Before you go, can you tell us a bit more about yourself and what you enjoy doing outside of work?
Thanks to you! In my free time, I really like to travel. I can't wait to revisit places I love and discover new destinations. I am also very interested in Art History, and recently I've been enjoying books about painting.
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