Unlocking hidden marketing gems in Q5

by Noman Munif, SVP Sales at Adjust

While Q4 is prime time for marketing campaigns and often takes centre stage in marketing calendars, Q5 (post-Christmas to mid-January) is a golden opportunity that can sometimes get overlooked. With lower competition, reduced advertising costs, and increased user activity, Q5 is the perfect time to build on holiday momentum and explore innovative, curated campaign strategies.

A recap of whats worked before

New Year’s resolutions drive app installs and sessions in Q5. Last year, installs of health and fitness apps, for example, increased by 38%, with a 10% jump in sessions, showing users were actively pursuing their ‘get fit’ affirmations.

The new year also presents a competitive edge for health and fitness apps with increased  effective cost per install. ECPI for these apps rose from $0.75 in December 2023 to $1.16 in January 2024 – highlighting the heightened competition for acquiring health conscious users during this period. By creating unique features like free trials, fitness challenges, and habit-tracking incentives, along with new year fitness goal messaging, marketers are able to not only acquire new users but maintain user engagement beyond Q5.

Gaming apps saw an uptick in installs during Q5  with up 4% – and the most notable increase in sessions, which rose by 8%, due to users having more downtime during the holiday period for leisure activities. The increase in  gaming app sessions underscores the success of in-app events, promotions, and cross-platform campaigns for retaining user-engagement.

The increase in leisure activity was also seen on entertainment apps, with installs and sessions up 1% and  2%, respectively,  in Q5 last year. Both gaming and entertainment app marketers can increase user engagement by adopting seasonal events like New Year-themed challenges, exclusive rewards, or subscription offers to drive engagement and retention.

How to turn your Q5’s around 

Finance app marketers are similarly able to leverage new year resolutions to acquire and retain users by positioning themselves as essential tools for staying financially fit. Marketers can do this through strategies such as personalised financial goal tracking and budgeting incentives.

During last Q5, finance app installs grew by 5%, while sessions dipped by 4%s due to less transactional activity after the shopping and party season toward the end of Q4. However, this was accompanied by a drop in the ECPI of these apps  from $1.22 in December to $0.87 in January 2024, presenting an opportunity for marketers to strengthen onboarding flows during a cost-effective period.

Following the festive prep, it’s no surprise that shopping apps experienced minimal growth in Q5 in 2024, with installs increasing by just 1% and sessions declining by 1%. Here’s the good news: Marketers can use the post-holiday slump to re-engage users through campaigns that tap into self-gifting trends and encourage gift card redemptions. Shifting messaging from holiday gifting to treating oneself, combined with personalised discounts, curated bundles, and exclusive offers, can reignite shopping interest.

Aspects of a successful campaign in 2025

Timing is key. Marketers need to release launch campaigns early to allow ‘learning time’ for ad platforms, such as Meta, to gather enough data, to ensure that the campaign performs at its best by the time Q5 arrives. Once Q5 is underway, marketers must use real time analytics to optimise their campaign, as well as broaden its reach  to new audiences. 

By measuring  campaign results daily during Q5, marketers can assess the success of different campaign areas and make real-time adjustments. Marketers can also use insights gained during Q5 to refine strategies for sustained growth into Q1 and beyond.

It is  important for marketing creatives to experiment with different personalised ads and app notifications using the A/B testing strategy. According to research from Braze, apps using personalised notifications have seen up to 191% more engagement compared to users who received no personal notifications.

Additionally marketers should allocate some adspend budget to mobile-specific formats, such as reward-based, playable ads that engage users  with app features before they commit. It is also important  to diversify ad formats  toward other channels, such as CTV,to expand  audience reach.

The Q5 period presents a unique opportunity for marketers to maximise user acquisition and engagement across various app categories by leveraging seasonal behaviours and data-driven strategies. Thoughtful campaigns with personalised experiences and cross-platform promotions can drive success. By closely monitoring campaign performance, optimising in real time, and diversifying ad formats, marketers can not only achieve Q5 goals but also build a strong foundation for sustained growth into the new year.