Top 10 trending apps in display advertising: March 2018

Mobile app usage is still growing — eMarketer estimates there will be 221.7 million mobile app users in the U.S. year, up 4.6% from last year — and advertisers are still jostling for position to connect with consumers via apps. 

Pixalate recently released a list of the top trending mobile apps in terms of video advertising. This post highlights the top trending mobile apps in terms of display advertising. 

Pixalate measured programmatic display advertising activity within mobile apps throughout March 2018 to compile this research. The below rankings and Share of Voice analysis are based on programmatic display ad volume within mobile apps.

Want more than just the top 10? Click here to download the full list of top 30 trending apps across iOS and Android devices: 

iOS smartphones: Image-entertainment apps dominate the top 10

According to Pixalate's data, Musi — a music streaming app — takes the top spot in terms of share of voice, but image-based entertainment apps take up three of the top 10 spots.

• Musi ranked first (by a wide margin) in terms of programmatic display advertising share of voice on iOS smartphones in March 2018
• Image-entertainment apps iFunny, theCHIVE, and Imgur ranked second, fourth, and seventh, respectively
• Weather apps, including WeatherBug and The Weather Channel: Forecast, also ranked in the top 10 

iOS tablets: Games — dominated by Solitaire — make up 9 of the top 10

Nine of the top 10 iOS tablet apps in terms of programmatic display ad share of voice in March 2018 were games, according to Pixalate's data.

• Three of the top 10 apps were word-based games, including the No. 1 (Words With Friends 2) and No. 3 (Words With Friends Classic)
• Solitaire-based games accounted for four of the top 10 apps
• AroundMe was the only non-gaming app to appear in the top 10

Android smartphones: Lifestyle, social, and dating apps have a large presence

Lifestyle, social, and dating apps made up the majority of the top 10 apps in terms of programmatic display ad share of voice in March 2018 on Android smartphones, according to Pixalate's data.

• TextNow ranked first in terms of display ad share of voice, followed by Kika Keyboard, an emoji keyboard
• MeetMe, Tagged, SKOUT and Grindr — apps that are classified as lifestyle, social, or dating apps — all ranked in the top 10
• Only two gaming apps ranked in the top 10 (Words With Friends 2 and Solitaire)

Android tablets: Games made up the bulk of the top 10

According to Pixalate's data, gaming apps made up the bulk of the top 10 on Android tablets in terms of programmatic display ad share of voice in March 2018 — much like iOS tablets. Unlike iOS tablets, however, the trending Android tablet featured a more diverse set of games.

• Solitaire ranked first, but it was the only Solitaire-based game in the Android tablet top 10
  • iOS devices had four Solitaire-based games in the top 10
• Overall, games accounted for seven of the top 10 Android tablet games in terms of programmatic display ad share of voice
• TextNow, which ranked first on Android smartphones, ranked sixth on Android tablets

Download the full list for the top 30 trending apps for display advertising in the U.S.

Click here to download the full list of top 30 trending apps for display advertising across iOS and Android devices: 

Methodology

Pixalate examined mobile in-app display advertisements sold via programmatic channels throughout March 2018 for this study. The data is based on activity within apps that engage in programmatic advertising in the open marketplace. Invalid Traffic (IVT) — including General Invalid Traffic (GIVT) and Sophisticated Invalid Traffic (SIVT) — were removed prior to ranking the apps. Each app's "Share of Voice" is determined based on programmatic display ad volume as measured by Pixalate. The data contained herein is based solely on Pixalate's Share of Voice analysis of programmatic advertising impressions in March 2018, and any reference to "top" or "trending" apps refers solely to an app's Share of Voice of programmatic advertising impressions.