92% of Mobile Marketers Are Testing New Channels in 2025 — Influencer Marketing Is #1
With the first half of 2025 behind us, mobile marketers now have their H2 playbooks firing on all cylinders. As a result, many teams are experimenting with what’s working, what’s not, and where their next bet should be. To understand how strategies are evolving, Bidease surveyed 100 mobile app marketers to find out what they’ve learned from the first half of the year and how they’re recalibrating their budgets to prepare for their next big wave of growth.
In this second installment of our three-part series, we’ll explore the widespread push toward diversifying UA channels, and why influencer marketing has become so important.
Key Takeaway
Diversify your user acquisition channels. Break free from the Meta/TikTok/Google triopoly by investing in channels like influencer marketing.
Diversify with Purpose: The High-Stakes Bet on New UA Channels
Marketers have reached a consensus: it’s time to test new channels. Of the 100 marketers surveyed, 92% are testing new UA channels in H2, with more than half (54%) trialing two or more. It’s an encouraging sign that diversification isn’t just theoretical.
However, this doesn’t mean that marketers are abandoning traditional channels. As we reported in part one, 75% of marketers plan to increase their UA budget on paid social platforms during H2 2025. But savvy teams are supplementing tried-and-true channels with structured tests on new channels, backed by clear KPIs and disciplined budget carve-outs.
“Allocate a sandbox budget for new channel tests. Define short, disciplined sprints with clear KPIs. Scale only what proves measurable ROI. These are the tactics successful marketers are using to stay ahead.”
- Dennis Mink, CMO
If your team is only testing one new channel (or none) you risk falling behind. Emerging platforms can offer higher ROI per dollar precisely because they’re less saturated. But to unlock that potential, you need a testing mindset and a structured approach.
Want to know more about the factors driving change in the mobile industry? Download The 2025 State of Mobile App Growth Survey.
Influencer Marketing Takes Center Stage
One of the clearest trends in H2? Influencer marketing is in. Among all the channels marketers are exploring this half, influencer marketing, in which influencers give brands access to their social media accounts to post sponsored content, ranks #1. Nearly 19% of marketers are testing it, making it the most common new channel in play.
Co-opting an influencer’s handle allows brands to combine the authenticity and engagement of influencers with the performance tools of paid social. It’s especially effective on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where creator-led content often outperforms brand ads.
It’s easy to see why running paid ads through influencer accounts is popular. As brands struggle with attribution gaps and signal loss on traditional platforms, influencer marketing offers a performance-friendly middle ground. Marketers get access to UGC creatives that convert, coupled with the accountability of platform-native ads, where campaigns can be measured, optimized, and scaled with the same rigor as any paid media buy. They also get the ability to A/B test and refine targeting, and the confidence that spend can be tied back to performance. For growth teams, this is a chance to build a scalable, creator-led performance engine.
“Influencer marketing is a perfect recipe for success: social proof meets niche targeting. When paired with audience fit and third-party attribution tools, the performance potential is massive.”
- Dennis Mink, CMO
Our Recommendation: Diversify Your Media Mix
If you're among the 8% of marketers not testing new channels in H2, now's the time to reevaluate your media mix. For those in the 92%, here's how to make your experiments count:
Structure your test budget. Set aside a clearly defined percentage of your monthly UA spend for channel tests. Ensure each test has a hypothesis, timeline, and success metric.
Prioritize influencer partnerships. Start with creators who already over-index with your target audience. Leverage these partnerships to bridge upper-funnel awareness with bottom-funnel performance.
Invest in analytics infrastructure. Whether it’s MMM, multi-touch attribution, or third-party influencer analytics platforms, measurement will make or break your ability to justify scaling.
Start small, scale smart. Run short 2–4 week sprints with limited spend and focused targeting. Channels that show promise should be fast-tracked into larger budget cycles.
Balance your portfolio. Think of your UA strategy like an investment portfolio. Anchor it with proven channels, but continuously rebalance to include higher-risk, high-reward bets.
The Bottom Line
The second half of 2025 marks a turning point in how growth teams think about channel strategy. With the vast majority of marketers already pushing into new territory and influencer marketing leading the way, the opportunity isn’t just in experimentation, but in disciplined, performance-driven discovery.
Bidease’s fully managed DSP can help you experiment with confidence. From custom-built creatives to emerging programmatic channels, we bring the tools, data, and expertise to help you scale what works and cut what doesn’t. Get started today.
Be on the lookout for part three of our series, where we’ll discuss some of the most popular UA tactics marketers plan to use in H2 2025. And if you missed it, be sure to check out part one of our series, where we discussed the biggest drivers of app growth in 2025 so far.
Customer retention is the key
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit lobortis arcu enim urna adipiscing praesent velit viverra sit semper lorem eu cursus vel hendrerit elementum morbi curabitur etiam nibh justo, lorem aliquet donec sed sit mi dignissim at ante massa mattis.
- Neque sodales ut etiam sit amet nisl purus non tellus orci ac auctor
- Adipiscing elit ut aliquam purus sit amet viverra suspendisse potent
- Mauris commodo quis imperdiet massa tincidunt nunc pulvinar
- Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident sunt in culpa qui officia
What are the most relevant factors to consider?
Vitae congue eu consequat ac felis placerat vestibulum lectus mauris ultrices cursus sit amet dictum sit amet justo donec enim diam porttitor lacus luctus accumsan tortor posuere praesent tristique magna sit amet purus gravida quis blandit turpis.
Don’t overspend on growth marketing without good retention rates
At risus viverra adipiscing at in tellus integer feugiat nisl pretium fusce id velit ut tortor sagittis orci a scelerisque purus semper eget at lectus urna duis convallis porta nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget neque laoreet suspendisse interdum consectetur libero id faucibus nisl donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam nunc lobortis mattis aliquam faucibus purus in.
- Neque sodales ut etiam sit amet nisl purus non tellus orci ac auctor
- Adipiscing elit ut aliquam purus sit amet viverra suspendisse potenti
- Mauris commodo quis imperdiet massa tincidunt nunc pulvinar
- Adipiscing elit ut aliquam purus sit amet viverra suspendisse potenti
What’s the ideal customer retention rate?
Nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing vitae aliquet bibendum enim facilisis gravida neque euismod in pellentesque massa placerat volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida odio aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique risus amet est placerat in egestas erat.
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua enim ad minim veniam.”
Next steps to increase your customer retention
Eget lorem dolor sed viverra ipsum nunc aliquet bibendum felis donec et odio pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas aliquam sem fringilla ut morbi tincidunt augue interdum velit euismod eu tincidunt tortor aliquam nulla facilisi aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing ut lectus arcu bibendum at varius vel pharetra nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget.
Let's Talk
We're Here to Help
Start your free consultation today. Create a custom growth strategy with a Bidease specialist.
