We attended App Promotion Summit London, where experts from across the mobile marketing world gathered to share insights, strategies, and success stories. Spanning multiple stages, the event covered everything from user acquisition and ASO to engagement, retention, and monetisation. Unsurprisingly, AI was a major theme throughout the day, with many speakers exploring its growing impact on app marketing.
In this article, we’ve rounded up a few standout sessions and takeaways that sparked ideas, challenged thinking, and offered practical advice for the year ahead.
How conversations on Reddit drive app installs
Hannah Walker from Reddit took to the stage to share how the platform/community is quickly becoming a go-to platform for users seeking authentic, trusted advice, with search behaviour evolving to include “Reddit” in everyday Google queries. In fact, Reddit was among the top 20 most searched terms in the UK and top 6 in the US last year. The platform plays a key role at every stage of the purchase journey, from discovery and validation to decision-making and advocacy.
With over 915,000 recommendation requests and 18 million responses per week, it is a goldmine for brands looking to build genuine connections and tap into real consumer insight. Unlike traditional channels, Reddit captures authentic conversations, which often surface on Google results, making it an increasingly influential part of the decision-making process.
Users acquired through Reddit are 46% more engaged on Day 1, show 22% higher retention by Day 30, and spend nearly four times more than users acquired through other digital platforms. They are also more likely to advocate for brands they genuinely trust. As Hannah explained, “Reddit helps brands trust by listening first, and then acting later”. Successful brands have taken note, using strategies such as community-driven AMAs (Ask Me Anything), user-generated content activations, and targeted engagement around relevant conversations.
To help marketers tap into this opportunity, Reddit has also launched new tools this week. Reddit Pro Trends offers real-time visibility into conversations about brands, products and industries, helping marketers identify emerging opportunities, while enhanced post insights provide deeper engagement metrics to optimise performance. With users actively seeking recommendations, validating purchases, and advocating for their favourite products, Reddit offers a unique environment for marketers to drive meaningful, lasting engagement.
ASO in 2025: The new growth engine for UA, retention & beyond
In a packed-out room Megan Dean, Strategic Growth Director at Yodel Mobile, challenged the traditional boundaries of App Store Optimisation (ASO), positioning it not just as a top-of-funnel tactic, but as a powerful, full-funnel growth engine. “ASO is no longer just about visibility, it’s about driving meaningful impact across the entire user lifecycle,” she explained. With tracking challenges on the rise (opt-in rates for SKAN now as low as 5%), Megan made the case for rethinking how we connect with users in-store and beyond.
During the session, Megan explored the shift toward natural language processing (NLP). Apple and Google are both moving beyond classic keyword targeting, favouring broader semantic relevance. “Optimising for human context and intent isn’t a nice-to-have anymore, it’s essential,” Megan noted. In order to help boost app relevance and visibility across more nuanced services, she suggested keyword clustering around functional, situational, and motivational themes. Think: puzzle games for adults, relaxing daily challenges, or brain training apps – grouping keywords around motivation and mood can dramatically increase relevance.
Megan also highlighted how paid and organic strategies must work in harmony to drive true incremental growth. “You don’t want to just pay for installs you could’ve earned organically,” she warned, showing how ASA can be used to test and strengthen ASO strategies when executed with intent.
With App Store browse behaviour increasing by 12% and search declining by 2% (according to Apple’s transparency report), Megan urged brands to lean into features like Custom Product Pages and In-App Events, to connect with users beyond search. Over on Google Play, she pointed to Collections, currently available in the US, as a powerful re-engagement tool. And with uninstall warnings and AI-generated review summaries on the rise, retention and reputation are now key drivers of ASO success.
The emotional side of AI: What we learned from 73M conversations
AI was a key topic at APS London, with Angèle Lenglemetz, Senior Product Manager at CLEO delivering a thought-provoking session exploring the intersection of financial stress, emotional wellbeing and AI.
Drawing on over 73M real user conversations, Angela painted a picture of what it’s like to be in your early twenties, navigating money without guidance, support, or confidence. Cleo is working to change that by building an AI-powered assistant that feels less like a chatbot and more like a trusted friend.
Cleo’s approach is rooted in empathy. They started by studying a real financial coach, observing how she built trust, listened without judgement and gave advice that felt personal. From that, the team developed a six-part financial health framework that guides users through different stages, from managing essentials and building savings to paying down debt and planning for the future. Crucially, this framework is flexible and designed to meet users wherever they are in the journey.
What makes Cleo unique is its personality. The app uses humour, engagement and a refreshingly human tone to engage users. A standout feature is ‘Roast mode’ which playfully calls out spending habits – not to shame users, but to help them face financial issues without fear. This blend of honestly and levity reduces anxiety and builds trust over time. And it works: 70% of users say Cleo has improved their financial lives, and many interact with Cleo more than their own banking apps.
Cleo’s success proves that AI can do more than automate tasks, it can build emotional connections. In fact, users are engaging with Cleo up to 20 times more often than they do with their traditional banking apps. By combining smart coaching frameworks with relatable, real-time conversations, Cleo is shaping a future where financial wellbeing is not just achievable but feels good to pursue.
The future of privacy-led marketing
Throughout the day, the Cutting Room played host to some great interviews conducted by Peggy Anne Salz, Senior Writer at Forbes. Near the start of the day, Peggy interviewed Margarita Sovertokina, Account Executive at Usercentrics, on the future of privacy led marketing.
In this interview, Peggy kicked things off by asking how marketers would behave if it were 2015, before CMPs, GDPR, or privacy regulations. She asked Margarita to share a “reality check” for those still in denial about the shift to privacy-first marketing. Margarita observed that many marketers still “try to collect as much data as they can,” instead of embracing a world where relevance and consent matter more than volume. She emphasised the need to “collect relevant data to be more human,” citing Netflix as a positive example, “They ask what you like, and then show you what you actually want to see.”
The conversation then turned to practical applications of good consent practices. Margarita explained how games can integrate banners after engagement moments, making them feel “part of the experience,” rather than an interruption. “We’re here to improve your experience… is that okay?” is the kind of messaging that builds trust, she said. Peggy agreed, pointing out that trust needs to be earned, “You wouldn’t ask a person you just met for all their data.” Margarita also highlighted how poor experiences, especially inconsistent ones across devices, undermine trust. “If you want to build a trustworthy environment, you have to do it until the end,” she said, stressing the importance of aligning consent across apps, web, and connected devices.
In closing, the discussion focused on changing the narrative that privacy “kills marketing.” According to Margarita, “Privacy is actually an advantage. It allows you to focus on the audience that cares, to be more human, and create cooler campaigns.” She and Peggy touched on the concept of “continuous personalisation,” where user preferences evolve and are respected over time. Margarita was optimistic about where things are heading, “It’s not as bad as they think… privacy can even have attitude.” A key takeaway from the session: privacy-led marketing is no longer optional, it’s the new frontier for brands that want to build meaningful relationships.
Final thoughts
APS London brought together the best in the business to share how the mobile marketing landscape is evolving, from smarter user acquisition strategies to the growing role of AI in personalisation and performance. While each session offered its own unique insights, a common thread ran through them all: the need for marketers to stay agile, data-conscious, and user-focused in an increasingly competitive and privacy-first world.
Whether you’re refining your ASO strategy, exploring new acquisition channels, or navigating the implications of AI, there’s never been a more exciting time to be in mobile marketing! To discuss any of the themes above, or share your thoughts on the content, get in touch!
