Strategies and case studies to
grow LTV in 2023
Let’s get to know each other
/julia-iljuk
■ 7 years in the game industry
■ LiveOps enthusiast and Head of Growth at Balancy
■ The host of online courses about game analytics on Edvice
■ Wargaming Forge LiveOps Alumni
Follow for LiveOps tips
and best practices
Agenda
1. Why LiveOps, why today? The state of mobile games market 2023
2. The power of player segmentation and personalized value proposition
3. Success stories: how Hot Siberians use LiveOps tactics and Balancy tools to unlock games’ LTV
growth
4. More tips on designing special offers and LiveOps.
Gaming market competition
forces studios to evolve monetization tactics
Gaming market is saturated
and polarized
UA attribution is broken
Studios hit the LTV ceiling
How to retain users better,
convert them to paying and
sell them more?
LiveOps
is the best tool to increase
conversion to paying users
and to grow LTV.
Paid games - the explosion
of mobile gaming,
$1-5 per install
Free-to-play games, in-app and
ads monetization, LTV is $1-100 per
paying user
Player-tailored games with LiveOps
give 2-3x LTV growth compared to
f2p games
What is LiveOps?
Personalized
data-driven
events/updates
To maximize the
value of the game
without involving
the dev team
The state of mobile gaming 2023
Sensor Tower report
💡LiveOps is a key monetization
and retention structure for top
grossing games attempting to
maintain long-term player
engagement and spending.
The state of mobile gaming 2023
Sensor Tower report
💡 On average, an Action game
with LiveOps can generate 30
times more in revenue than a
game without it.
Player segmentation
Target right players at the right time
Segmentation
type
Segment examples Strategy example
Life cycle stage Newbies Convert with simple starter packs with a low price point and first-purchase bonuses
Veterans Entertain and upsell with more diverse and unique content
Activity Active Convert or upsell taking into account other segmentation types a player belongs to
Churning Retain with monetary (discounts) and engagement (goal setting, events) tactics
Lapsed Return by communicating via outside of the game means
Paying status Non-paying Convert with first-time conversion packs with great value; or turn them into your promoters
Paying Upsell based on previous paying activity of players, offer items similar to what they like
Paying prediction Likely to pay Convert or upsell with relevant offers based on their previous activity in the game
Not likely to pay Turn them into your promoters
Size of payments Minnows / dolphins / whales Adjust pricing and discounts according to their paying capacity
Personalized value proposition
Offer combination, messaging, pricing and highlights
Mike
󰑔32 years
Levels completed: 7
Daily playtime: 1.16 hours
Time to convert: 4.33 days
Max pay: $19.99
Probability to churn: 15%
Monika
󰐤24 years
Levels completed: 24
Daily playtime: 0.83 hours
Time to convert: 7.33 days
Max pay: $4.99
Probability to churn: 37%
Case study: idle city builder
● Expand base
● Train soldiers
● Provide allowance
● Complete Missions
The Idle Forces:
Army Tycoon
About the game
Experiment 1
Special offers for ad watchers to convert them into their first purchase
Experiment 2
Dynamic special offer with personalized pricing according to players’ paying capacity
Experiment 2
Dynamic special offer with personalized pricing according to players’ paying capacity
Experiment 3
The matrix of offers that provides value propositions based on previous purchase history
Duration of experiments:
⏱2 months
Results:
⬆ Conversion 4% -> 5.5%
⬆ ARPPU +50%
Designing a special offer
Relevancy
Time limit
Specified
discount
Clustering
Anchor
Designing a special offer
One-time only Specified
discount
Additional value
Time limit
Minimum text
Designing a special offer (bonus)
Visit our blog (balancy.co/blog)
for video tutorials on creating
effective special offers that
players can’t resist.

Strategies and case studies to grow LTV in 2023 / Julia Iljuk (Balancy)

  • 1.
    Strategies and casestudies to grow LTV in 2023
  • 2.
    Let’s get toknow each other /julia-iljuk ■ 7 years in the game industry ■ LiveOps enthusiast and Head of Growth at Balancy ■ The host of online courses about game analytics on Edvice ■ Wargaming Forge LiveOps Alumni Follow for LiveOps tips and best practices
  • 3.
    Agenda 1. Why LiveOps,why today? The state of mobile games market 2023 2. The power of player segmentation and personalized value proposition 3. Success stories: how Hot Siberians use LiveOps tactics and Balancy tools to unlock games’ LTV growth 4. More tips on designing special offers and LiveOps.
  • 4.
    Gaming market competition forcesstudios to evolve monetization tactics Gaming market is saturated and polarized UA attribution is broken Studios hit the LTV ceiling How to retain users better, convert them to paying and sell them more? LiveOps is the best tool to increase conversion to paying users and to grow LTV. Paid games - the explosion of mobile gaming, $1-5 per install Free-to-play games, in-app and ads monetization, LTV is $1-100 per paying user Player-tailored games with LiveOps give 2-3x LTV growth compared to f2p games
  • 5.
    What is LiveOps? Personalized data-driven events/updates Tomaximize the value of the game without involving the dev team
  • 6.
    The state ofmobile gaming 2023 Sensor Tower report 💡LiveOps is a key monetization and retention structure for top grossing games attempting to maintain long-term player engagement and spending.
  • 7.
    The state ofmobile gaming 2023 Sensor Tower report 💡 On average, an Action game with LiveOps can generate 30 times more in revenue than a game without it.
  • 8.
    Player segmentation Target rightplayers at the right time Segmentation type Segment examples Strategy example Life cycle stage Newbies Convert with simple starter packs with a low price point and first-purchase bonuses Veterans Entertain and upsell with more diverse and unique content Activity Active Convert or upsell taking into account other segmentation types a player belongs to Churning Retain with monetary (discounts) and engagement (goal setting, events) tactics Lapsed Return by communicating via outside of the game means Paying status Non-paying Convert with first-time conversion packs with great value; or turn them into your promoters Paying Upsell based on previous paying activity of players, offer items similar to what they like Paying prediction Likely to pay Convert or upsell with relevant offers based on their previous activity in the game Not likely to pay Turn them into your promoters Size of payments Minnows / dolphins / whales Adjust pricing and discounts according to their paying capacity
  • 9.
    Personalized value proposition Offercombination, messaging, pricing and highlights Mike 󰑔32 years Levels completed: 7 Daily playtime: 1.16 hours Time to convert: 4.33 days Max pay: $19.99 Probability to churn: 15% Monika 󰐤24 years Levels completed: 24 Daily playtime: 0.83 hours Time to convert: 7.33 days Max pay: $4.99 Probability to churn: 37%
  • 10.
    Case study: idlecity builder ● Expand base ● Train soldiers ● Provide allowance ● Complete Missions The Idle Forces: Army Tycoon About the game
  • 11.
    Experiment 1 Special offersfor ad watchers to convert them into their first purchase
  • 12.
    Experiment 2 Dynamic specialoffer with personalized pricing according to players’ paying capacity
  • 13.
    Experiment 2 Dynamic specialoffer with personalized pricing according to players’ paying capacity
  • 14.
    Experiment 3 The matrixof offers that provides value propositions based on previous purchase history Duration of experiments: ⏱2 months Results: ⬆ Conversion 4% -> 5.5% ⬆ ARPPU +50%
  • 15.
    Designing a specialoffer Relevancy Time limit Specified discount Clustering Anchor
  • 16.
    Designing a specialoffer One-time only Specified discount Additional value Time limit Minimum text
  • 17.
    Designing a specialoffer (bonus) Visit our blog (balancy.co/blog) for video tutorials on creating effective special offers that players can’t resist.