Are you testing SKOverlay? Learn why app marketers love this practical, high-converting, and SKAN-ready creative feature.
May 6, 2024
In this post, we dive into the impact behind SKOverlay, a practical, high-converting, and SKAN-ready feature introduced by Apple as part of their iOS 14 framework. Learn how app marketers are complementing their iOS campaigns with this powerful tool.
Let’s get started 👇
SKOverlay is an engaging creative feature that allows advertisers to recommend a mobile app when running campaigns on iOS. As part of this feature, a banner-sized overlay is featured at the bottom of an existing mobile ad, showcasing elements such as the app’s name, logo, and a short description.
Setting up this format is particularly easy, since no additional assets are needed: all the elements in an SKOverlay ad are automatically retrieved from the App Store.
1️⃣ A user sees an ad promoting a specific app that resonates with their interests. An SKOverlay banner is displayed on top of said ad.
2️⃣ Upon tapping on the GET button in the SKOverlay banner, the promoted app automatically starts downloading in the background.
3️⃣ The SKOverlay button changes to reflect the state of the download process.
4️⃣ Once the download process is over, the SKOverlay button is automatically updated, and the CTA changes from “GET” to “OPEN”.
5️⃣ Upon clicking on the new button, the user is redirected to the app.
SKOverlay ads mirror the look and feel of Apple’s interface so that users instantly understand how to take action and what to expect next. This resemblance to the iOS framework visually suggests Apple's endorsement of the recommended app.
Upon interacting with a mobile ad, users are typically redirected to the App Store, where they ultimately download the app. For SKOverlay, the process is much faster. When a user clicks on an SKOverlay ad, the recommended app immediately starts downloading in the background. No extra steps are needed, minimizing the risk of users abandoning the installation process.
Integrated with the App Store, this feature automatically adapts to each user: when users don't have the app, tapping the ad initiates the download, and for existing users, it allows them to open or update the app.
SKOverlay is a StoreKit-rendered ad, which means it’s fully compatible with Apple's SKAdNetwork framework and it allows you to enhance campaign performance in the privacy era. Learn more about how to leverage SKAN to boost your iOS campaigns here.
If you want to learn more about how SKOverlay could help you drive incremental conversions for your app, drop us a line to chat with our team of experts and see our growth platform in action.