MMP Benchmarks Are Carving Out OEM as a Distinct “Storefront” for UA in 2025
For years, mobile measurement partners (MMPs) lumped most paid traffic into a handful of giants and “other.” In 2025 that’s no longer accurate. OEM (on-device) channels preloads, setup-flow placements, OEM app stores, and lock-screen surfaces, now appear in MMP benchmarks and indices as their own, trackable sources, effectively operating like a separate storefront in your acquisition mix. What changed? Why “separate storefront” status matters for UA A practical framework to use OEM benchmarks like a storefront 1) Instrument the taxonomy.Create a distinct “OEM” source group in your MMP and sub-label by surface (Preload/Setup Wizard, OEM Store, Lock-Screen). Ensure post-install events map to early value (trial start, add-to-cart, level-3) so your OEM CPI → tROAS view is comparable with in-app networks. (AppsFlyer’s index and benchmarks pages show how sources are compared by outcome quality, not just volume). 2) Build an OEM vs. In-App scorecard.For each geo/OS, track CPI, IPM, D1/D7 retention, CPT (cost per trial), and 30-day payback. Expect OEM to deliver earlier, cheaper first opens in Android-heavy markets, while in-app networks may win on deep value in premium iOS geos. Use MMP cohort exports to visualize value-density D0–D7 by source. Industry guides in 2025 explicitly frame OEM as a cost-controlled, fraud-resistant lever; test that claim against your own metrics. 3) Run incrementality by path.Structure tests per OEM path: (a) Preload, (b) OEM store featuring, (c) Lock-screen units. Hold out geo-slices or device SKUs to estimate net new users vs. cannibalization of in-app campaigns. Practitioner advice this summer: benchmark OEM reach and engagement against Google/Meta to win internal buy-in. 4) Standardize vendor checks.Adopt a lightweight RFP for OEM partners: reporting transparency, unique device coverage, brand safety, and MMP compatibility (AppsFlyer/Adjust/Singular). The presence of OEMs in Performance/ROI indices simplifies this step use rankings as a short-list signal, then validate on your data. What good looks like (targets to start with) In 2025, OEMs aren’t “alternative” anymore. MMP benchmarks and indices now surface OEM as a first-class media source, giving UA teams the same clarity on CPI, quality, and ROAS that they expect from in-app networks. Treat it as a separate storefront in your plan instrument the taxonomy, run path-level incrementality, and budget against OEM-specific ROAS. That’s how you convert on-device reach into predictable growth.
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