Why Mediation Platforms Are Mobile’s Most Important Product?
Gold in the Middle: Why Mediation Platforms Are Mobile’s Most Important Product
When I started in the mobile advertising space 8 years ago and asked about Mediation platforms, I was always brushed off with a: “It’s all that data.“Great, that tells me so much… But what exactly is happening? Don’t worry. Let’s use this week’s newsletter to explain the opportunities that present themselves to a mediation platform. By the end, I’m sure you’ll see why the mediation platform is the best strategic product to operate.
Let’s talk about the fictitious ABC Inc. ABC Inc. has built and operates a successful mediation platform and a UA network in the fictitious mobile space. Here are the opportunities:
- Gatekeeping 🔐
Owning and operating a Mediation platform gives ABC Inc. leverage over other ad networks in the industry. They set the rules on who is approved to partner on the mediation platform and who will be included in the network adapter lists. Does your ad network generate $4 million per day or $40 million? It doesn’t really matter as ABC Inc. sets the rules for:
- SDK access on what new networks to allow or discontinue
- What networks get access first, and who is prioritized and who is not
2. Market Intelligence 🤓
As owners of the mediation platform, ABC Inc. sees everything — app categories, regional trends, eCPM shifts, impression volumes, ad formats or end cards that convert, etc. This would help them:
- Understand market trends before competitors
- Build predictive models for UA algorithms
- Advise product teams on what to build based on real-world data\
- See what users have high or low LTV
3. Revenue Optimization 💰
By owning the mediation layer or the market square, ABC Inc. sits in the center of the ad supply chain, which fuels a $450 billion a year industry. This would let ABC Inc. see:
- What ad networks perform the best
- What price publishers are willing to accept
- Optimize your own network bids accordingly
4. Ecosystem lock in 🌐
Owning the Mediation = owning the relationship with the app publisher. Giving actionable insights to publishers that, as a result, earn more money makes them more likely to stay. This makes publishers more susceptible to cross-selling products like UA, creatives, and other products.
As you can see, ABC Inc. has many opportunities from owning and operating a fictitious mediation platform. The big caveat here is that the platform needs scale for all these opportunities to materialize. This is why I always say that the most important metric to look for when judging a mediation platform is if the # of publishers is increasing or decreasing.
Now, back to the real world… I hope you understand Why Mediation Platforms Are Mobile’s Most Important Product.
💰Great Content 💰
Did you hear about Screwdom 3D? Veitnemese 🇻🇳 developer iKame’s latest hit puzzle game was released in January 2025. Let me show you the equation: Pin Out Matester (Hypercell) + Bus Jam (Rollic) + Screw Jam (Rollic) = Screwdom 3D (iKame). Furthermore: Screwdom 3D = $51k/day IAP + $120k/day IAA. Vietnam 🇻🇳 keeps proving that it’s a non-stop hit machine. Check out this episode for the full breakdown in UA, Ad Mon, and Game Design.
🎯The Cinderella of the Week🎯
Miracles still happen! Despite the uber-competitive landscape in mobile, solo developers can still scale their IAA monetized games to crazy levels. This section is to salute you. Why? Because everyone loves a Cinderella story… that’s why.
It’s Q2! After a few weeks, the app hit machine has warmed up, and we’re finally printing new Ad-Monetized Cinderellas again! 👑 Again, Vietnam 🇻🇳 is delivering, and more specifically, Nguyễn Công Phượng and his Android QR Scaner App. QR Scanner and Barcode Reader has been downloaded 3.3 million times since mid-February. Since then, downloads have gone to zero, but the crazy thing is that it still has 400k DAU 1 month later (44k in USA).
The App monetizes with Interstitials and Banners, meaning an estimated $3-6k/day in IAA revenue. It’s crazy that QR code scanners still do so well on Android—you’d think Google would add the saving QR code functionality. But hey! I’m always happy for solo developers!
For More Incredible Insights
Try 2.5 Gamers on YouTube!
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