--- title: "Google, Facebook or Twitter: Which Is the Best Advertising Platform for App Developers?" locale: "en" language: "en-HK" published: "2016-09-23T16:04:07+08:00" updated: "2026-03-17T23:05:14.138Z" canonical: "https://accordhk.com/blog/google-facebook-or-twitter-which-is-the-best-advertising-platform-for-app-developers-213" --- # Google, Facebook or Twitter: Which Is the Best Advertising Platform for App Developers? App developers often rely on digital advertising to increase installs. Drawing on Appsflyer's report for the first half of 2016, this article compares Google, Facebook and Twitter's influence and retention performance across gaming and non-gaming apps on Android and iOS. ## In brief Choose an advertising platform according to whether your priority is install volume or user retention. In the first half of 2016, Facebook led the influence rankings discussed in the article, while retention leaders varied by operating system and app category. Today's [app developers]() often need the power of [marketing]() to generate large numbers of downloads. This might involve promotional videos that create a buzz like those for Pokemon go, television commercials for Clash Royale that stick in viewers' minds, or mobile games hiring popular online livestreamers as spokespeople to broadcast themselves playing. Whatever the type of app, the most common marketing approach remains reaching users through digital advertising, using image or video ads to attract users and increase installs. With so many digital advertising platforms available, the following comparison examines how Google, Facebook and Twitter performed for developers in **gaming** and **non-gaming** app installs during the first half of 2016. **1. Google Adwords**** includes keyword advertising and ads on its Google Display Network (GDN).** **2. Facebook**** and its mobile advertising network.** **3. Twitter**** includes Twitter's own users and the Twitter Audience Platform advertising network.** The latest Appsflyer report for the first half of 2016 measures advertising platforms' "influence" using two metrics: install volume and retention rate. Retention rate is the proportion of users who open an app on their phones the day after downloading it. For example, if an ad generates 1000 installs today and 800 of those users are still detected [opening the app]() the next day, the ad's next-day retention rate is 80%. Many factors affect retention, and the game itself is certainly an important one: a poor game is unlikely to make people want to stay beyond a day. However, retention also helps assess whether different advertising platforms can accurately attract users with a real interest when marketing the same app. A higher retention rate therefore earns an advertising provider a better evaluation. [**Gaming apps**]() Facebook's app install advertising ranks first worldwide for "influence" on both Android and iOS. Google ranks second on Android and third on iOS. Twitter's total install volume is insufficient, leaving its influence well below Facebook and Google. For global Android retention, the top three are Google, Twitter and Facebook, in that order. Although Facebook's retention is lower than Google's and Twitter's, the install volume generated by its large user base keeps it in first place among mobile advertising media. Twitter stands out more in the retention rankings, placing second worldwide on Android behind Google and first in Asia-Pacific. Global iOS retention ranks Facebook > Twitter > Google, showing that Facebook performs much better in retention on iOS than on Android. Twitter has also risen 8 places compared with the previous year's Appsflyer ranking survey. [**Non-gaming apps**]() For non-gaming apps on Android worldwide, Facebook again ranks first for influence, Google second and Twitter sixth, with other global advertising providers taking places 3–5. The top three for retention, however, are Twitter, Google and Facebook, in that order. If [app developers]() want to promote their apps, they can first consider whether their marketing objective is to generate a large number of installs or attract users with high retention, then consult the average performance of different advertising platforms to plan their overall [advertising strategy]()。 For non-gaming apps on iOS worldwide, the top 3 for influence are Facebook, Google and Twitter, while retention ranks Google > Twitter > Facebook. One of the main reasons Twitter ranks third for influence here is that, in almost every country, more of its users are on iOS than Android. Its influence on iOS is therefore much greater than on Android. In Asia-Pacific, Twitter even surpasses Google to rank second for influence, behind only Facebook.   http://group.dailyview.tw/2016/09/19/google%E3%80%81facebook%E3%80%81twitter-%E8%AA%B0%E6%89%8D%E6%98%AFapp%E9%96%8B%E7%99%BC%E5%95%86%E7%9A%84%E6%9C%80%E4%BD%B3%E8%A1%8C%E9%8A%B7%E5%A4%A5%E4%BC%B4%EF%BC%9F/ ## Frequently asked questions ### How does the article measure an advertising platform's influence? The Appsflyer report for the first half of 2016 uses install volume and retention rate to measure influence. Retention rate indicates the proportion of users who open an app the day after downloading it. ### Which platform led the influence rankings for gaming apps? Facebook ranked first worldwide on both Android and iOS. Google ranked second on Android and third on iOS, while Twitter's lower install volume left its influence well below Facebook and Google. ### Which platforms had the highest retention for non-gaming apps? For Android worldwide, the order was Twitter, Google and Facebook. For iOS worldwide, the order was Google, Twitter and Facebook. ### How should app developers choose an advertising platform? Developers should first decide whether their goal is a large number of installs or users with high retention. They can then refer to the average performance of different platforms when planning their advertising strategy.