App Growth Is Getting Harder to Get Right
Teams today have more channels, more data, and more tools than ever. But as user journeys become more fragmented and multi-touch, it’s getting harder to understand what’s actually driving performance.
At Snapchat, we see that the teams that scale aren’t just adding more channels, they’re unlocking new demand. By reaching audiences that aren’t fully duplicated elsewhere and capturing attention in high-impact environments, Snapchat helps drive incremental growth beyond saturated platforms.
The difference isn’t just more scale, it’s where that scale comes from, and how effectively it converts into meaningful results.
Snapchat by the Numbers
- Snapchat reaches 956 million global monthly active users,1 including a highly engaged 25–44 audience across key markets
- A meaningful share of US Snapchatters (16–64) are not active on other platforms daily, including:
- 50% not on YouTube daily2
- Nearly 40% not on TikTok daily3
- 36% not on Facebook daily4
- 31% not on Instagram daily5
These dynamics make Snapchat a strong source of incremental reach and new demand, particularly for advertisers looking to diversify beyond saturated channels and create more opportunities for discovery, installs, and in-app actions.
What Drives Performance on Snapchat
For teams testing or scaling on Snapchat, performance tends to come from a combination of audience diversification, high-attention environments, clear creative, and formats designed to reduce friction from discovery to action.
High-Attention Environments
Formats like Sponsored Snaps appear directly in Chat, one of the highest-attention surfaces on the platform, and have been shown to drive an +18% lift in unique converters across app installs and app purchases.6
Creative Clarity
Clear value propositions and strong calls-to-action consistently outperform creative that looks polished but doesn’t quickly communicate why someone should care.
Two patterns we see working best:
- UGC-style video, especially creator-led content that shows real app use or the app UI in context
- Clear, value-led storytelling, where the benefit and next step are obvious early
On Snapchat, strong creative doesn’t need to feel overproduced. Low-fi, authentic storytelling can work well when it makes the app’s value clear quickly: what it does, why it matters, and what to do next.
Creative Volume and Speed
AI has made it easier than ever to produce creative, but harder for it to stand out.
The teams that win:
- Test frequently
- Iterate quickly
- Refresh creative before fatigue sets in
Performance Frameworks
Solutions like Snap’s App Power Pack combine high-impact formats with improved optimization tools to help advertisers scale more efficiently.
Across advertisers, the App Power Pack has been associated with up to a +25% lift in app installs.7
Interactive Formats
Formats like Playables allow users to try the experience before installing, reducing friction and improving conversion quality.
Conversion-Driven Creative Enhancements
Features like App End Cards, which add App Store screenshots or reviews at the moment of conversion, have been associated with a +40% boost in SKAN installs.8
What This Looks Like in Practice
Across advertisers, we’ve seen how aligning creative, testing, and measurement can unlock significant growth.
Global streaming app Deezer shifted from last-touch to multi-touch attribution and uncovered Snapchat’s broader impact across the funnel. After aligning measurement, they saw:
- 58% more conversions overall9
- 65% higher return on ad spend10
- 75% increase in lifetime value11
Similarly, mobile gaming app Yotta leaned into high-frequency, culturally relevant creative and faster testing cycles to scale efficiently. By combining creative iteration with improved optimization, they achieved:
- 35X more iOS installs at 84% lower cost per install12
- 60X more purchases at 90% lower cost per purchase13
- 6X more first-time purchases14
These examples highlight a consistent pattern: When creative, testing, and measurement are aligned, performance improves significantly.
How to Get Started (Without Wasting Budget)
For teams looking to explore new channels or improve performance, structure matters.
A strong first test includes:
- Clear success metrics defined upfront
- Enough budget to allow meaningful learning
- Broader targeting to maximize delivery
- Multiple creative variations tested early
Most importantly: Don’t evaluate performance in week one. Give campaigns time to learn before drawing conclusions.
If you’re considering Snapchat as part of your app growth mix, the Snap team can help identify new audience opportunities, pressure-test creative strategy, and build a structured test plan designed to give campaigns enough signal and time to scale.
Connect with the Snap team to learn more or get started.
Final Thought
Growth doesn’t accelerate because you add more channels.
It accelerates when you:
- Reach new audiences
- Test and learn effectively
- Focus on what actually drives performance
In today’s environment, success isn’t about more tools, it’s about knowing what works and scaling it.
Snapchat + Kochava
Snapchat is a Kochava Certified Partner, enabling app marketers to seamlessly measure and optimize Snap campaigns alongside their entire omnichannel media mix. Visit this Kochava support documentation to integrate and get started.
Need to create a Kochava account? Get in touch.
Sources:
1: Snap Inc. Q1 2026 Earnings.
2: GWI H2 2025. Sample Size: 8,322 Snapchatters aged 16-64 who use the platform daily. Market: USA
3: GWI H2 2025. Sample Size: 8,322 Snapchatters aged 16-64 who use the platform daily. Market: USA
4: GWI H2 2025. Sample Size: 8,322 Snapchatters aged 16-64 who use the platform daily. Market: USA
5: GWI H2 2025. Sample Size: 8,322 Snapchatters aged 16-64 who use the platform daily. Market: USA
6: Snap Inc. Q2 2025 Earnings.
7: Snap Inc. Newsletter, Sept. 8, 2025, link: https://newsroom.snap.com/14-year-letter.
8: Snap Inc. internal data, November 22, 2025 – December 5, 2025.
9: Deezer internal data, Feb. – July 2025.
10: Deezer internal data, Feb. – July 2025.
11: Deezer internal data, Feb. – July 2025.
12: Snap Ads Manager, Apr. 1 – May 30, 2025.
13: Snap Ads Manager, Apr. 1 – May 30, 2025.
14: Snap Ads Manager, Apr. 1 – May 30, 2025.
