This week in mobile, we are taking a look at how the Fortune 500 will fare in Mobilegeddon, how one health app crossed the line, and what the latest whale spending trends means for UA campaigns.
The Mobilegeddon Countdown
Mobile’s dominance in total web traffic is undeniable, yet many are still scrambling to prepare for the next wave of Google search algorithm updates hitting on April 21st. Dubbed Mobilegeddon, the update will squash Google search results for sites not deemed mobile friendly.
As these changes were announced some time ago, one would expect companies to be ready with fully adaptive websites. However, a recent study by Tech Crunch revealed that 44% of Fortune 500 websites will not pass Google’s new requirements.
Not sure how your site will fare in Mobilegeddon? Take the test, read the guides, and get ready.
Health Apps Take a Hit
While medical advice and fitness tracking apps continue to grow in popularity, one small category of health apps are under scrutiny: those who try to replace oncologists. Today, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) approved a final order barring misleading claims about an app’s ability to diagnose melanoma, a deadly skin cancer. In February, the FTC filed a complaint against MelApp, a $1.99 app that suggested it could diagnose melanoma if users uploaded photos of their mole and simply answered a few questions.
The app compared the information provided with images and data from the John Hopkins’ image database to offer its diagnosis. As this method of diagnosis is as scientifically valid as flipping a coin, the creator of the app – The Health Discovery Corporation – is now facing a $17,963 fine from the FTC. The app has also been barred from claiming it is capable of diagnosing melanoma unless they can provide legitimate scientific evidence.
Fewer Whales Spending More
Putting aside the 80-20 rule for a moment, a recent study by Swrve suggests that a shrinking supply of power users are spending more than ever in mobile games. According to the report, only 0.23% of players generate 60% of revenue. While this is a bit disheartening, Dean Takahashi of VentureBeat points out that average monthly spend was $29.17, up 33%.
With these findings, it is clear that acquiring and retaining these power users is more critical than ever for app publishers who rely on in-app purchases to monetize. As look-alike modeling powered by post-install event data has proven the most successful at targeting these power users, UA campaigns leveraging these targeting capabilities are expected to surge throughout the summer.
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Mobile Monday examines the latest news, trends, and developments in mobile apps, tech, and advertising. Do you have a story to share? Tweet your thoughts to @AdColony. For the latest AdColony mobile news and updates, follow @AdColony on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or connect on Linkedin.
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