Facebook remains the top media source for app installs

AppsFlyer released the ninth edition of the Performance Index. For the very first time, Google has surpassed Facebook in the total number of attributed installs, increasing its share of the app install pie eightfold in the last five years.

Importantly, Facebook remains the top media source in the Index's global power rankings, delivering high-quality users in most regions and categories. The social network also dominates iOS, driving the most non-organic installs on this platform across all global rankings except Midcore Gaming.

Google's substantial growth in the reach of video and display placements can be attributed to the dominance of Android in the mobile market. From a regional perspective, Googles growth in the pie was fastest in Latin America (+18%) and Southeast Asia (+8%).

Covering activity in the first half of 2019, the report draws on 520 media networks to examine 23 billion app installs, 15,000 apps, and 45 billion app opens. Categories surveyed included Shopping; Utilities; Lifestyle & Culture; and four groupings within Gaming.

Apple Search Ads amplifies stake in the market

The hyper-competitive app store markets have led app marketers to invest heavily in moving up the rankings in both Google Play and the App Store. In fact, Apple Search Ads (ASA) enjoyed an 82% jump in their share of the global app install pie. Most of this can be attributed to the launch of Apple Search Ads in 42 additional countries and regions in Q2, 2019.

Leveraging powerful user intent signals, ASA also improved its quality rankings across all categories. In the second half of 2018, Apple was among the top six quality players in half the categories in the Index. This time around, they made the top 6 across the board, including a top 3 placement in 60% of rankings, in both Gaming and Non-Gaming genres.

New names, new products, new opportunity

TikTok Ads, the advertising arm of video creation app sensation TikTok and TopBuzz news app, is making waves in the global install market. The Chinese giant's share of the pie skyrocketed tenfold, growing across APAC, North America, and EMEA.

TikTok Ads has already broken into the Index top 10, and thanks to the huge growth of TikTok and TopBuzz, the platform's burgeoning marketing capabilities look set to go from strength to strength in future Indexes.

"Looking back, we can see a persistent trend in the Growth Index. For most media sources, making the ranking is a one-time thing. That means maintaining growth in this hyper-competitive space is very difficult, so companies must stay alert, recognize potential, and move fast to stay relevant. On a positive note, the fact that we see new companies with different types of products and qualities demonstrates that this industry has plenty of opportunities for those who can survive," comments Shani Rosenfelder, Head of Mobile Insights at AppsFlyer.