Solved: Meta Ads Not Converting Leads for Interactive Story App

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out! I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance on your interactive story app and the problems you're experiencing with Meta ads.

It sounds like you're running into a pretty common problem, which is that you are getting app downloads but not paying subscribers. The good news is that there are a number of things you can do to improve this situation. Let's break it down.

We'll need to look at the onboarding flow...

The first thing I'd look at is the onboarding flow. This is the process that new users go through when they first download and open your app. Is it clear what your app does? Does it showcase all the key features? Are you giving people a reason to subscribe? I remember one client that had a similar problem who had no onboarding whatsoever. The app just opened up and left people wondering what the point was. It's hard to get people to pay for something if they don't understand the value. You gotta clearly communicate that value from the get-go. The simpler, the better.

Actionable advice: Map out every step a new user takes from the moment they download the app to the point where they're asked to subscribe. Identify any points of friction or confusion, and then work on simplifying and clarifying those steps.

For example, you could offer a free trial of the premium features, or give new users access to a limited amount of content. This will give them a taste of what your app has to offer, and make them more likely to subscribe when the time comes.

I'd say you should check your creatives...

Next, take a good hard look at your ad creatives. Are they engaging? Are they relevant to your target audience? Do they accurately represent your app? This is so important. Too many people just throw up some generic ad with stock photos, and then wonder why nobody is clicking. Don't be one of those people. Your ads needs to stand out and grab attention. For example, a client of mine in the e-learning niche got really good results with UGC videos. Maybe interactive stories could benefit too.

Actionable advice: Test out different ad formats, ad copy, and visuals to see what resonates best with your target audience. Focus on highlighting the interactive nature of your app, and show people how it works. If you’ve got some gameplay to showcase, use it. Video ads often work best here.

Remember, people are bombarded with ads all day long, so you need to give them a reason to stop scrolling and pay attention to yours.

You probably should check your targeting...

Have you been targeting the right audience? The right audience for an interactive story app could be a lot of different things. But you gotta narrow it down. You could target people who like similar apps, or who are interested in specific genres of stories. Like, are you targeting general "gamer" interests or specific "choose your own adventure" type groups? Or maybe people who read certain authors. It’s important that you find the right target audience.

Actionable advice: Review your targeting settings and make sure you're reaching the right people. Test out different audience segments to see which ones are most responsive to your ads.

You'll need to think about the ad platform itself...

Are you even on the right platform? You're using Meta (Facebook/Instagram) which can work, but maybe your audience hangs out somewhere else entirely. Like, are they on TikTok? Or maybe they are more likely to discover new apps through the Apple App Store? If you're trying to target a younger audience, maybe TikTok is a good option. If you're targeting a more general audience, Meta might be a good choice. If you're targeting people who are already looking for new apps, Apple Search Ads might be a good option.

Actionable advice: Consider testing out different ad platforms to see which one delivers the best results for your app. Don't be afraid to experiment!

I remember one campaign we ran for a software client in the events and sports niche, and we saw great success across Apple Ads, Google Ads, Meta Ads, and TikTok Ads.

And finally, maybe you need to think about long-term retargeting

People are not always ready to subscribe right away, sometimes it takes them a while to make a decision. Maybe show them another ad a few weeks later reminding them of your app and its value. This is especially important for interactive stories, as people may need to play a few chapters before they are ready to subscribe. I'm not saying spam them. But gentle nudges can work wonders.

Actionable advice: Set up a retargeting campaign to reach people who have downloaded your app but haven't subscribed yet. Show them ads that highlight the benefits of subscribing, and offer them a special discount or incentive.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:

I hope this is helpful. I know it's a lot to take in, but if you focus on these key areas, I'm confident that you can improve your paid acquisition funnel and start seeing better results with your Meta ads.

You might want to consider working with someone who's got a lot of experience with scaling software campaigns. It can be a minefield out there and expertise can be a big help in navigating it all. For example, we managed to reduce the Cost Per User Acquisition for a Medical Job Matching SaaS from £100 to £7 using Meta Ads and Google Ads.

If you'd like to chat more about your specific situation and see if we can help, just let me know and we can book in a free consultation.

Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh