Introducing Appodeal Segments

Update: this is an old version of how our segments work. To get a better idea of how to work with Segments now, check out this and this.

After all, trailblazers look for more than a path to follow. They go after the ultimate tools and guides, which will lead themselves and others to success.

The same is true for ad monetization experts. To optimize revenue, you need a tool that provides for the utmost analysis and control. That tool is Appodeal Segments. With Segments, you’ll reach the core of your user base to create magnetic and dynamic divisions, which propel your ad monetization strategy to success.

What are Appodeal Segments? How do segments work?

Segments are divisions of your user base, which share commonalities such as age, sex, location, interests, income bracket, etc. There are several ways to segment users into groups including the use of demographics, in-app behavior or engagement analysis, interests and personal profile data, and location.
Once user segments have been created and the settings have been applied, they can then be analyzed and used to offer targeted, relevant ads.

What are the benefits of Appodeal Segments for publishers?

In conjunction with Insights, Appodeal Segments offer publishers a greater analysis of user behavior and more control over what is served, when it is served, and who receives it. They provide publishers with an increased understanding of their audience, allowing them to determine which ads work (and don’t work) for their user groups through the use of segment and placement settings.

The benefits of our segments are numerous, but here are some of the highlights:

Ability to meet needs/interests of user groups
Increased profits
Targeting of high-value users
Deliver personalized ads
Ability to work more efficiently to manage user base
Higher engagement and retention of users
The use of settings to customize the publisher’s experience and assist in reaching monetization objectives

Settings in Segments

We have two types of settings available. The first, segment settings, are applied before the ads load and persist from the SDK initialization until the app is closed. The second, placement settings, are applied to each individual ad impression.

Segment settings

Disable Ad Networks

With this setting, publishers can disable ad networks they are not interested in using. This may be done for testing purposes or to disable low-performing networks.

Minimum Pricefloor

This setting allows publishers to set up a price floor for each ad type. Ads with an eCPM below the specified pricefloor will not be filled. It leads to a decrease in fillrate but increase in eCPM. Publishers may use this setting to avoid showing cheap ads as not to annoy users.

Override eCPM

The eCPM set in this segment setting will be used for the network position in the waterfall. It replaces the automatically calculated eCPM used by Appodeal by default. Publishers may want to use this setting if they have a deal set up with an ad network for a guaranteed eCPM.

Placement settings

Disable Ads

This setting disables ads for the specified placement. Publishers can test which ads in each placement perform the best, allowing them to disable ads for low-performing placements.

Disable One Or More Ad Types

This setting works in the same way as the “Disable Ads” setting but for specific ad types. Publishers can test which ad type performs the most optimally in a specified placement (e.g. interstitial or non-skippable video) and then, disable low performing ad types.

Reward

The reward setting specifies the amount and type of currency that is returned in the “onRewardedVideoFinished” callback for the rewarded video shown in the selected placement. It can be used to change the reward given to the user without updating the app.

Impression Period

Publishers can set the impression period between two ad impressions for the selected placement. If the show method is called when the impression period has not passed, ads won't be shown. This setting may be used to determine the best period between two consecutive ad impressions.

How to Use Appodeal Segments

Appodeal Segments allow you to separate your user base into groups based on distinct parameters. You can create different settings for these groups and view their respective statistics in Insights.

How to Create a Segment

Open your Appodeal dashboard and go to Segments.
Click “Add new.”
Enter a name for your group. Ex: Test.
Select your Match rule: ALL or ANY.
1. ALL: User must match all of the rules you select to be a part of this segment.
2. ANY: User must match one of the rules you select to be a part of this segment.
Select Platform (Android or iOS).
Select Rules and choose your rule(s) from the drop-down menu. See example below.
1. There are several rules available in Appodeal Segments.
2. Examples: Country, OS version, apps installed on device, session count, average session length.
Next, select the app you want this segment to apply to by clicking on its name from the drop down menu.
1. You may select multiple apps.
*If you would like to use custom settings, you can select between Int, String, and Bool.
1. For example, if you create the custom setting “user_finished_tutorial” and select true, this segment will only apply to users who have finished tutorials.
Use Segment Settings to disable ad network, set minimum price floors, and/or override eCPMs.
1. The disable ad networks option allows you to disable certain networks for this segment.
2. With the minimum pricefloor setting, you can set a pricefloor for each ad type.
  1. For example, if you input 0.1 for banners, banners with an eCPM less than 0.1 will not be filled.
3. If you have a special agreement with an ad network to pay a fixed eCPM, use the Overridden eCPM setting, so the eCPM is not set up automatically by Appodeal’s system.
Define the placement settings. You can choose from:
1. Disable Ads
2. Disable One or More Ad Types
3. Disable Ad Networks
4. Reward
  1. Set up a reward to give to users who watch rewarded videos. Ex: 20 coins for a complete viewing of rewarded video.
5. Impression Period
  1. Regulate how often you show ads without changing your integration.

11. Save your segment, and you are ready to use Appodeal segments.
Common Use Cases

The following are some common use cases regarding segments. For the sake of clarity, we will use the Android platform in each use case. However, you are welcome to use whichever platform you prefer.

Each use case is first labeled by its match rule followed by a brief description of the rule’s purpose in each specific case.

1. Disable Ads: Disable ads for users who made in-app purchases

Create new segment: users_who_bought_inapps_android
Select match rule: ALL
Choose your platform
Select “Bought inapps” from the rules list
Mark the operator as “Equals” and value as “True”
Go to Placements
Name your Placements (Ex: default)
Mark Placement Settings as “Disable Ads”
Mark Disable as “True”
Save

2. Disable One Or More Ad Types: Disable video ads for users who are on mobile connection

Create new segment: users_on_mobile_connection_android
Select match rule: ALL
Choose your platform
Select “Connection type” from the rules list
Select “Mobile” as connection type
Name your Placements (Ex: default)
Mark Placement Settings as “Disable One or More Ad Types”
Mark “Rewarded Video” and “Video” as “True”
Save

3. Overridden eCPM: Override the automatic eCPM to reflect agreement with ad network

Create new segment: users_in_US_android
Select match rule: ALL
Choose your platform
Select “Country” from rules list
Select “United States”
Select “Overriden eCPM” from Segment Settings
Input value for the ad network and ad format (Ex: Applovin, Rewarded Video, 5)
Save

4. Rewarded video: Set up a specific reward to be given to adult users

Create new segment: adults_android
Select match rule: ALL
Choose your platform
Select “Age” from rules list
Mark the operator as “Greater than” and value as “12”
Name your Placements (Ex: rewarded_video)
Mark Placement Settings as “Reward”
Choose amount (Ex: 20)
Choose currency type (Ex: coins)
Save

5. Rewarded video: Set up a specific reward to be given to children

Create new segment: kids_android
Select match rule: ALL
Choose your platform
Select “Age” from rules list
Mark the operator as “Less than” and value as “15”
Name your Placements (Ex: rewarded_video)
Mark Placement Settings as “Reward”
Choose amount (Ex: 50)
Choose currency type (Ex: coins)
Save

6. Rewarded video: Set up a specific reward to be given to boys

Create new segment: boys_android
Select match rule: ALL
Choose your platform
Select “Gender” from rules list
Mark value as “Male”
Name your Placements (ex: rewarded_video)
Mark Placement Settings as “Reward”
Choose amount (Ex: 20)
Choose currency type (Ex: coins)

7. Rewarded video: Set up a specific reward to be given to girls

Create new segment: girls_android
Select match rule: ALL
Choose your platform
Select “Gender” from rules list
Mark value as “Female”
Name your Placements (Ex: rewarded_video)
Mark Placement Settings as “Reward”
Choose amount (Ex: 30)
Choose currency type (Ex: coins)
Save

8. Rewarded video: Set up a reward to be given to users in case the system can not determine their gender

Create new segment: other_users
Select match rule: ALL
Choose your platform
Select “Gender” from rules list
Mark value as “Unspecified”
Name your Placements (Ex: rewarded_video)
Mark Placement Settings as “Reward”
Choose amount (Ex: 25)
Choose currency type (Ex: coins)
Save

9. Minimum pricefloor: Avoid showing interstitials that generate less than $2 to users in the US

Create new pricefloor: all_US_users_android
You can set up minimum pricefloor for other formats, such as rewarded videos at $4 (see below)
Select match rule: ALL
Choose your platform
Select “Country” from rules list
Mark value as “United States”
Choose “Min Pricefloor” from Segment Settings
Include value for ad format (Ex: Interstitials, 2 or Rewarded Video, 4)
Save

Appodeal 6 min read - May 10, 2016

Introducing Appodeal Segments

What are Appodeal Segments? How do segments work?