App Promotion Overview
Google's Universal App Campaigns (UAC) are the only way to promote your app on Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, and the Google Display Network from a single campaign.
Campaign Types
| Type | Goal | Bidding |
|---|---|---|
| App Installs | Drive app downloads | tCPA (target cost per install) |
| App Engagement | Re-engage existing users | tCPA (target cost per action) |
| App Pre-registration | Build pre-launch interest | Maximize pre-registrations |
How UAC Works
You provide:
- App name (from Google Play or App Store)
- Budget and target CPA
- Creative assets (text, images, videos, HTML5)
- Geographic and language targeting
Google's machine learning handles the rest — automatically testing different combinations across networks and optimizing for your target.
Best Practices
- Provide diverse assets: At least 4 text ideas, 4 images, and 1 video per orientation
- Set realistic tCPA: Start with your historical CPA, not lower
- Give it time: UAC needs 2-4 weeks to exit the learning phase
- Don't make frequent changes: Changes reset the learning phase
- Use creative refresh: Update assets every 2-4 weeks to combat ad fatigue
Ad Network Distribution
| Network | Ad Format | Typical Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search | Text ads | Medium |
| Google Play | App install cards | High |
| YouTube | Video ads (TrueView, Bumper) | Medium-High |
| Display Network | Banner, interstitial, native | High |
Related: For a deeper dive into UAC strategy, see our comprehensive UAC Campaign Strategy Guide. For Bing Ads app promotion, check our guide on Bing App Install Ads comparison.