Building and Structuring a User Acquisition Team from Scratch: Insights for Mobile Campaign Managers

When you're operating in the mobile landscape, building a robust and effective user acquisition (UA) team from scratch is essential. This guide provides practical insights on how to select, structure, and evolve your team to maximize performance across multiple mobile networks and platforms.

Understanding the Mobile App Marketplace

The mobile app marketplace is vastly different from its desktop counterpart. It requires a unique set of skills and understanding to thrive. Here are some critical aspects to consider:

Key Qualifications for Mobile Performance Marketing Campaign Managers

When assembling your user acquisition team, look for candidates with direct experience in running performance marketing campaigns on both iOS and Android. Bonus points for candidates who have utilized platforms like Facebook PMD (such as Nanigans) and MMP/Attribution providers in the past. Flexibility and versatility are also crucial; candidates should be comfortable working across the entire user acquisition function rather than being restricted to a single mandate or network.

Learning Versus Flexibility

While some roles may become more specific over time as team members specialize, the mobile user acquisition space is incredibly dynamic. Therefore, it doesn't make sense to have someone focus solely on video networks or other specific channels. Aim to hire individuals who can handle campaign management across multiple networks, potentially for multiple apps, especially when starting from scratch.

Alternative Candidate Profiles

If you struggle to find candidates with direct mobile performance marketing experience, consider hiring young, eager mobile natives. These individuals tend to have a more flexible mindset and are less likely to rely on outdated, preconceived notions about desktop marketing practices.

Importance of ASO

SEO as it pertains to desktop applications doesn't exist on mobile in a meaningful way. Application Store Optimization (ASO) is more of an incremental improvement strategy rather than a primary growth driver. It can enhance your app's visibility but is not a significant factor in building a large user base. Therefore, don't focus on ASO exclusively when assembling your user acquisition team.

Aiding Your Team with Dedicated Roles

Adding dedicated roles can greatly enhance your UA team's overall performance. Consider hiring a dedicated artist and engineer.

The Role of the Artist

The artist’s role involves creating and testing creative assets. This requires a specific type of personality—one that enjoys the creative process and can remain fulfilled in a rapidly changing environment. The artist is responsible for generating content that will be tested across various platforms and will need to be adaptable to new trends and requirements.

The Engineer’s Role

The engineer is tasked with integrating third-party services with your product backend. This involves bridging the gap between external services and your internal systems, ensuring seamless integration and optimization. The engineer must be tech-savvy and skilled in API integration and backend development.

Conclusion

Building and structuring a user acquisition team from scratch is a multifaceted process, requiring careful consideration of qualifications, flexibility, and the unique challenges of the mobile market. By focusing on the right candidates and augmenting your team with dedicated roles, you can achieve greater success in acquiring and retaining users.

For further details and case studies, refer to my article for the Chartboost blog, which delves deeper into the complexities of building a strong UA team in the mobile space.