Meta enhances app advertising tools to prioritize higher-value user acquisition

Meta is rolling out new adjustments to its app advertising and optimization systems, aiming to help developers focus more directly on attracting users who are likely to generate higher in-app revenue rather than simply increasing download volume.

The company says its latest updates improve AI-driven value optimization, allowing advertisers to set campaigns that identify and target users who are more inclined to make larger or more frequent in-app purchases. According to Meta, advertisers using value-focused optimization are currently seeing a roughly 29% higher return on ad spend (ROAS) compared to campaigns that prioritize purchase volume.

The difference, Meta explains, comes from how the AI evaluates user behavior. Rather than emphasizing the total number of conversions, the system analyzes broader behavioral signals to locate user segments that historically deliver greater in-app spend. This results in fewer conversions overall in some cases, but ones that generate stronger revenue impact.

In the gaming category, several studios have already incorporated the value-focused approach into their user acquisition strategies. FunPlus, CrazyLabs, and Banditos Studio each reported improved campaign efficiency and more consistency in performance after shifting to value optimization for in-app purchase–driven titles.

Alongside optimization updates, Meta has also made changes to how app campaigns identify and exclude existing users when advertising to “new users.” This adjustment comes from deeper alignment efforts with Mobile Measurement Partners (MMPs), including AppsFlyer, Adjust, and Singular. These partners help advertisers define how installs, reinstalls, and re-engagements are attributed across platforms.

The updated framework introduces more flexible reattribution and exclusion windows that match the definitions advertisers set in their third-party analytics tools. For example, Meta now supports a reattribution window of up to 180 days for advertisers using AppsFlyer, while those using Adjust and Singular will see a 180-day default exclusion window applied to ensure existing users are less likely to be counted as new.

Meta reports that these adjustments have reduced the number of incorrectly categorized new users in app promotion campaigns by an average of around 20%, which may help advertisers reduce spend inefficiencies.

The company says it will continue refining its ad delivery models as developers’ monetization strategies evolve, particularly as more app and gaming companies move toward revenue-per-user yield rather than download volume as a key growth metric.