Meta and AppsFlyer highlight ‘Q5’ as a key growth window for app and game advertisers

Meta has released new guidance to help app and game developers take advantage of the post-holiday marketing window known as “Q5” — the period from late December through mid-January — when ad costs typically drop, and user engagement remains high.

According to Meta’s latest analysis, developed in partnership with AppsFlyer, Q5 presents a cost-efficient opportunity for advertisers. During this period, cost-per-acquisition (CPA) and cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) rates fall below pre-holiday levels as major brands reduce spending after Black Friday and Christmas promotions. At the same time, consumers tend to spend more time on mobile devices and social platforms while redeeming gift cards and exploring new apps.

Meta’s report shows that while Western markets see their biggest spikes around Christmas and New Year, Asia-Pacific markets experience stronger engagement around regional holidays such as Japan’s Shōgatsu and Lunar New Year across Greater China. For developers, these regional patterns open up multiple windows for campaign optimization beyond traditional Western holidays.

Meta and AppsFlyer’s joint data also revealed distinct trends between in-app advertising (IAA) and in-app purchase (IAP) revenues. IAA tends to peak in late November around Black Friday and again during Q5, while IAP spending rises closer to mid-December. Meta says understanding these timing differences can help studios allocate resources more effectively across user acquisition and monetization strategies.

To capture these seasonal gains, Meta advises advertisers to plan campaigns early and stay flexible with budgets. Auction trends indicate that Q5 media costs remain at their lowest levels of the year, creating an opportunity for app marketers to sustain performance into January.

Meta also encourages developers to lean into its AI-driven Advantage+ app campaigns, which automatically optimize targeting and bidding to reach high-value users. Advertisers are advised to diversify creative assets — ideally using around 50 variations — and test different messages and visuals across Reels, Stories, and Feed formats.

Generative AI tools can also support the production of seasonal creative assets at scale, while Partnership Ads and creator collaborations can help increase visibility and engagement.

Beyond acquisition, Meta recommends using its Value Rules and Value Optimization features to guide machine learning toward users who are more likely to make purchases or engage with in-app ads. Additionally, developers can use Custom Product Pages (CPPs) and Custom Store Listings to tailor app store experiences for holiday audiences, aligning top-performing creatives with the most relevant demographics.

Retargeting strategies are also gaining traction in Q5, with data showing a steady rise in conversion activity across both iOS and Android games — particularly in casual, casino, and midcore genres.

While Q4 remains the industry’s most competitive marketing period, Meta’s findings suggest that Q5 is becoming an increasingly strategic growth phase for mobile advertisers. With lower ad costs, sustained user activity, and flexible campaign automation tools, the early weeks of the new year may offer some of the best conditions for driving installs and re-engagement.