Meta recently announced an exciting opportunity for marketers: the “fifth quarter” or Q5, spanning from late December to mid-January. This period offers a unique chance to extend holiday campaign success, particularly for game developers. Lower advertising costs, high engagement rates, and fewer constraints make Q5 an untapped marketing goldmine. Here’s how you can take advantage of Meta’s insights to make the most of this critical time.
Why Q5 is a game changer
According to Meta, Q5 stands out for its rare combination of low costs and high engagement. During this period:
- CPAs and CPMs drop to their lowest levels of the season while conversion rates remain strong.
- Players spend more time on apps, often using new devices received during the holidays.
- Gaming advertisers aren’t limited by shipping deadlines, creating more flexibility to capture late-season demand.
In 2023, Q5 saw increased ad spend across all gaming genres, with Casual and Casino games leading the charge. Paid installs in these categories grew by up to 19%, and app sessions surged—especially on Christmas Day.
How to succeed during Q5
- Plan early and adapt – Meta emphasizes the importance of preparing campaigns well in advance. Develop your creative assets early, and be ready to adjust budgets based on performance trends.
- Leverage automation and creativity – Use tools like Meta’s Advantage+ App Campaigns to optimize targeting and bidding in real-time. Diversify your creative assets to test different approaches and find the ones that resonate best.
- Focus on high-value segments – Create custom product pages to align with your top-performing creatives. Prioritize high-value audience segments by tailoring bids for maximum impact.
- Measure accurately – Meta recommends integrating tools like Meta Install Referrer and using advanced analytics to track performance across platforms. This ensures accurate insights, even with challenges like iOS under-reporting.
What sets Q5 apart
Unlike traditional holiday campaigns, Q5 is uniquely suited to gaming advertisers. Engagement levels stay high, costs remain low, and players are more active due to holiday downtime and new devices.
Adam Smart, Director of Product at AppsFlyer, sums it up best:
“Q5 is a goldmine for gaming marketers. It’s the perfect time to attract new users, re-engage lapsed ones, and outpace competitors heading into the new year.”
By tapping into Q5’s unique advantages, you can extend your holiday success and set the stage for long-term growth in the new year. With Meta’s tools and insights, now is the time to plan and execute a winning Q5 strategy.
For more details, read Meta’s full announcement here.
Want more content like this?
Don’t miss out on the latest news and updates from the world of Direct Response advertising! Subscribe to our newsletter today 👇
Want to brainstorm with our team on new ways to scale your business with YouTube Ads (and other performance video platforms)?
Join us for a free YouTube ad brainstorming session:
Like this post? Let's continue the conversation!
Get in touch with us by shooting us a quick email or tagging us on LinkedIn or Instagram, and sharing your thoughts. Your feedback helps us keep our blog relevant and interesting.
Get Our Newsletter
Need Help?
Get in touch with us for an insightful evaluation of your ads + actionable tips to help amp up your direct response revenue
