Many app teams default to automated campaigns. The logic is simple: less manual work, more scale. But for niche apps, automation often misfires.
One AI-powered productivity app, built to help professionals with scheduling and time management, faced exactly this problem. They had installs coming in, but their automated campaigns were wasting spend on people who didn’t need the solution.
The challenge: reach the right users without burning budget.
We’re REPLUG, a Berlin-based app marketing agency specializing in OEM marketing, paid user acquisition, ASO, tracking and analytics, and more.
Contact us today for expert solutions to promote your app and scale through mobile marketing.
The client initially relied on automated setups. With a niche product like scheduling support, this led to inefficiencies.
As Denis Otrjachnin from REPLUG’s Paid UA team explained:
“It’s not an app anyone can use. That’s why broad targeting didn’t make sense. We made a hypothesis that interest-based targeting for small business owners would perform better, and the results proved it right.”
The opportunity was clear: stop spending on irrelevant audiences and focus only on the professionals most likely to benefit.
Denis recognized the mismatch early:
“I already saw broad campaigns running. The first thought was simple: this product is niche. If we can target small business owners directly, it’s going to be more effective.”
Instead of sticking with automation, the team tested manual interest-based segments.
There was no magic filter, but logical choices worked: startups, small business owners, and active businesses.
“It’s not about one perfect signal. You pick interests that make sense, with an audience size big enough to run. If it doesn’t work, you adjust. If it does, you scale.”
Interestingly, the drop in CPA came without changing creatives.
“Since the creatives stayed the same, the weight of performance clearly fell on targeting. Of course, creatives need optimization too; fatigue always comes. But in this case, targeting made the difference.”
The outcome: a smarter, more efficient UA approach tailored to a niche product.
1. When should niche apps go manual instead of automated?
If your app serves a specific user base (like small business owners), manual targeting is often more effective. Test both, but don’t rely blindly on automation.
2. What’s the risk of staying broad?
You’ll pay for installs or sign-ups from users who don’t need your product, dragging down efficiency.
3. Does this mean creatives don’t matter?
Creatives are critical - but in this case, targeting alone cut CPA in half. The right audience matters just as much as the right message.
4. What’s the best approach for new apps?
Start with a hypothesis. If your app is niche, test manual interest-based targeting. If your app has mass-market appeal, automation may be more efficient. Always compare results.
Automation can be powerful, but it doesn’t fit every case. For niche apps, audience targeting often matters more than scale.
In this campaign, simply shifting from broad automation to manual interest segments cut CPA by half, all with the same creatives.
👉 Wondering if your app is stuck in inefficient broad targeting? Let REPLUG’s UA team review your campaigns.