Drops
Marketing
User Acquisition

40x surge in non-organic user acquisition in 3 month

Marketing
User Acquisition

From resolving technical measurement challenges to implementing a scalable creative testing framework, Applica helped Drops unlock profitable growth quickly and sustainably.

Client

Drops

Services

Marketing

Project period

May 2022 - now

The Challenge

<p>Drops makes language learning fun, efficient, and accessible — turning vocab, grammar, and pronunciation into part of your daily routine.<p>

<p>Main challenges at Drops were:<p>

<p> — Absence of performance-oriented User Acquisition strategy;<p>

<p> — Absence of standardized creative production & testing process;<p>

<p> — Highly competitive niche requiring strong SKAN measurement, CPA/ROI discipline, and technical fixes for attribution and MMP setup.<p>

Applica have made significant strategic and tactical contributions, enhancing and optimizing our campaign performance across all channels with a keen focus on maximizing ROAS.
Frederik Cordes
GM & CPO at Drops

The Solution

<step-l>1<step-l><case-h3>Improved SKAN accuracy<case-h3>

<p>To futureproof Drops’ growth, Applica “picked apart” the legacy SKAN model left over from Appsflyer and configured a new one with the help of Singular, which provided Drops with richer iOS campaign data.<p>

<step-margin>—————<step-margin>

<step-l>2<step-l><case-h3>Resolved MMP challenges<case-h3>

<p>Applica team resolved key MMP challenges by unifying marketing data, delivering tailored performance reporting, and enabling cost-efficient measurement and optimization.<p>

<step-margin>—————<step-margin>

<step-l>3<step-l><case-h3>Established a reliable creative testing process<case-h3>

<p>A new cost-effective creative testing process within Facebook Ad Manager was set up. Winning ads were refreshed on a constant basis after launch to avoid fatigue.<p>

<step-margin>—————<step-margin>

<step-l>4<step-l><case-h3>Set clear CPA/ROI targets<case-h3>

<p>Applica team decided to restructure the accounts by pausing the inefficient campaigns and focusing on campaigns that would bring positive ROI. This led to us creating an account structure for Drops with campaigns that consistently achieved an average ROAS of 130% and higher.<p>

<step-margin>—————<step-margin>

<step-l>5<step-l><case-h3>Optimized campaign structure<case-h3>

<p>Applica’s modus operandi was to adapt our strategies based on the ad platform and target markets, tailoring their approach for maximum impact.<p>

<step-margin>—————<step-margin>

<step-l>6<step-l><case-h3> Explored new channels<case-h3>

<p>Applica explored new channels by benchmarking and monitoring rigorously, then allocating resources strategically to maximize ROI and retention.<p>

<step-margin>—————<step-margin>

<step-l>7<step-l><case-h3>Continuous Optimization<case-h3>

<p>Applica team ensured continuous optimization through daily health checks to promptly address measurement or performance issues while fine-tuning well-performing campaigns. At the same time, we drove continuous idea generation to test new hypotheses and refine Drops’ advertising strategies for greater effectiveness. Finally, our global testing approach spanned virtually every ad platform and market worldwide, delivering valuable insights and enabling the acquisition of diverse audience.<p>

<step-margin>—————<step-margin>

<case-h3>User Acquisition details<case-h3>

<p>The case study period spans from March 2022 to the present, with user acquisition efforts focused on Meta, Google, and Apple Ads. Key GEOs targeted included the USA, UK, Germany, Australia, and Canada, with top-performing markets highlighted in the report. Reporting examples are shown in the visuals below.<p>


Top-performing GEOs

Reporting Examples

<case-h3>Creatives approach<case-h3>

<p>Applica built an efficient creative pipeline on Meta, emphasizing UGC and static creatives. This approach enabled consistent testing, iteration, and scaling of the most effective concepts.<p>

The Result

40x

in non-organic users (Q1)

62%

Growth in non-organic ARPU

<p>In the first quarter of our collaboration, non-organic users grew by 40% compared to the previous quarter. During the same period, Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) increased by an impressive 62%. To drive these outcomes, we tested and implemented more than 70 creative concepts, fueling sustainable growth and measurable impact.<p>

CASE STUDIES

Our work speaks
for itself

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Onboarding optimization
Marketing
ASO

Deep Sleep Sounds

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+ 46%
conversion to purchase increased
53%
to ARPU
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Product growth
Web-2-app-funnels
Pricing strategy

Fabulous

Fabulous, a self-care app, is one of the biggest on the market is and helps build better habits and achieve personal goals.

+ 40%
to ARPU
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Marketing
User Acquisition

Drops

From resolving technical measurement challenges to implementing a scalable creative testing framework, Applica helped Drops unlock profitable growth quickly and sustainably.

40x
in non-organic users
62%
ARPU uplift
See Full Case Study
UI/UX Design
Product Optimisation

Dogo

The challenge was to create a paywall experience that clearly conveyed the app’s value while using persuasive design to drive trial starts and long-term subscriptions.

+9.5%
Conversion Rate
+13%
ARPU
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ASL Bloom

ASL Bloom needed a streamlined onboarding experience that aligns with user needs, clearly communicates the app's value, and increases trial conversion rates.

+15%
Conversion Rate
+12%
ARPU
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UI/UX Design
Product Optimisation
Research

Employee Link

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+35%
ARPU
+15%
Onboarding completion rate
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Product Optimisation

Five Minutes Journal

Onboarding optimization and homepage redesign for Five Minute Journal to enhance user retention and trial conversion by clearly communicating its value and improving the user experience.

+15%
Trial start rate
+23%
LTV
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Development
UI/UX Design
MVP Design

Invoice Ovaro

Invoice Ovaro is a Invoice Maker App. A business invoice generator for small business owners and freelancers that lets you quickly create a document on the spot while with the customer.

iOS & Android
Release in stores:
5/5
Client satisfaction
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Product Optimisation
Onboarding optimization
Product growth

Peech: Text to Speech Reader

A small copy adjustment delivered a big result, showing the importance of regular product optimisation and understanding your audience's needs.

+30%
ARPU Uplift
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Development
Product growth

Five Minute Journal

App development and maintenance, product growth for Five Minute Journal - a journaling app loved by over 1.8 million people worldwide.

99,5%
Crush Free Rate
131%
LTV increase
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ASO
Marketing

Mediterranean Diet

How Applica grew a Mediterranean Diet App US search downloads by 167% with ASO cross-localisation.

+167%
Search downloads (US)
+101%
Revenue (US)
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Product growth
Monetization
Onboarding optimization

FitMind

FitMind faced barriers to the consistency of the A/B testing process and the functioning of in-app events tracking. With Applica, they ran 5 A/B tests and got:

+ 50%
to user LTV
80%
Allowed Notifications
5
A/B tests
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Product growth
Paywalls

Drops

Drops, one of the leaders in the language learning niche, had a request of improving the ARPU. After the needed tests were conducted, Drops achieved:

+ 9%
to ARPU
See Full Case Study
Pricing strategy
Product growth

ShroomID

ShroomID, a mushroom-hunting app, helps its users identify mushrooms, providing AI and human predictions, as well as tons of specific data.

+ 60%
to ARPPU
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