Retention Is the New CPI: Rethinking Mobile Marketing KPIs for Sustainable Growth
- Fátima Castro Franco
- Aug 17
- 3 min read
For years, mobile marketers have obsessed over one metric above all others: Cost Per Install (CPI). The logic was simple — get installs at the lowest cost possible, then scale. But in today’s privacy-first, hyper-competitive mobile ecosystem, CPI alone no longer tells the whole story.
The real indicator of sustainable growth is retention — how many users stick around long enough to deliver lasting value.
Why CPI Is Losing Its Power
CPI still matters, but as a standalone KPI, it’s incomplete. Here’s why:
User Quality Varies Widely – A cheap install that churns in a day is worth less than a more expensive user who engages for months.
Privacy Changes Have Shifted Targeting – With Apple’s ATT and similar privacy measures, precise targeting for CPI optimization is harder.
Short-Term Focus Can Hurt Long-Term Growth – Chasing low CPI can lead to campaigns that attract users with little genuine interest.
Retention as the Core KPI
Retention — measured at intervals like Day 1 (D1), Day 7 (D7), and Day 30 (D30) — reflects the health of your user base far better than CPI. High retention means:
Players are finding value in your app.
Monetization potential is higher.
Organic growth improves via referrals and word-of-mouth.
For example, a campaign with a CPI of $2 but a D30 retention of 25% may be far more profitable than a $0.80 CPI campaign with only 3% D30 retention.
How Rewarded UA Fits into the Retention Equation
Rewarded User Acquisition (RUA) aligns perfectly with retention-focused strategies. Instead of rewarding users for the install itself, RUA incentivizes post-install milestones — like completing a tutorial or reaching a specific level — which correlates with higher engagement.
Platforms like Gamelight use AI-powered targeting to match players with games they’re more likely to enjoy long-term, improving both retention rates and ROAS.
KPIs That Work Together
Rather than discarding CPI entirely, smart marketers are creating a blended KPI model that combines:
CPI – For acquisition cost control.
Retention (D7/D30) – For engagement and stickiness.
ROAS – For profitability over time.
This approach ensures you’re not only acquiring users cost-effectively but also keeping them around long enough to make the spend worthwhile.
Practical Steps to Shift from CPI to Retention
Segment by Engagement – Group users by retention behavior to see which campaigns bring in the best long-term players.
Reward Meaningful Actions – Use milestones that matter to your game to guide early user behavior.
Personalize Onboarding – Tailor early gameplay to match player motivations and keep them hooked.
Optimize Creative for Quality, Not Just Clicks – Focus ad messaging on what makes your app worth staying in.
The Bottom Line
CPI is no longer the North Star for mobile marketing. In a market where user acquisition costs are rising and privacy restrictions limit targeting, retention is the metric that predicts real, sustainable growth.
Rewarded UA and intelligent targeting platforms make it easier than ever to acquire users who will not only install your app but stay, engage, and pay — turning short-term wins into long-term success.
Looking to boost your game's user acquisition?
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