Holiday campaigns that chase short-term spikes in downloads can leave money on the table. Downloads without repeat engagement rarely turn into lucrative outcomes, especially when attention gets noisy in Q4. The real shift this season isn’t about one burst of traffic: it’s about creating reasons for people to come back.
Recent research shows how important continuing engagement after Christmas and into January or Q5 (the post-holiday period from late December to mid-February) is for ongoing revenue generation. In 2024, mobile gaming IAP revenue still grew 4% YoY as time spent (+8%) and sessions (+12%) rose, signaling that revenue is compounding from returning players rather than new installs. And with longer session lengths boosting revenue potential, teams that sustain engagement post-peak are the ones who monetize the tail.
For example, in a June 2025 global study of 7,000 gamers, those with positive ad experiences (e.g., playables, high-quality opt-in units) were up to 3× more likely to continue playing and make purchases, and 72% kept playing after exposure to high-quality ads.
Playables build memory, not just impressions
People remember what they do. Fresh mid-year data shows playables are hitting record performance across key metrics, quantifying how interactive, ‘try-before-you-buy’ experiences drive success outcomes including app downloads and revenue linked growth. If you’re not optimizing playables right now, you’re leaving money on the table.
Retention compounds revenue and protects experience
Retention is a ‘flywheel’ for publishers. When ad quality drops, players churn and revenues drop, 44% say they’d stop playing and 47% would uninstall if ads feel intrusive. In other words, session-friendly formats don’t just perform better; they protect the game itself.
What this means for holiday planning
At Kidoz, we see the holiday window as more than a peak, it’s a full cycle that starts early and extends into Q5
Here’s how we advise publishers and partners to approach it:
- Start early, learn fast. September and October are when shopping lists are forming and advertising costs are relatively low. Launching now gives room to refine before the peak.
- Combine traditional formats with formats that earn time. Rewarded and interactive placements consistently extend sessions ,improve recall, and generate higher revenues.
- Stay live into Q5. Gift card redemptions and post-holiday leisure time create a cost-efficient engagement surge in December and January. Too many campaigns go dark after Cyber Monday; we see January as one of the best-value months for retention-driven performance
- Measure what matters. For us, success isn’t just clicks, it’s completion, time-in-format, recall, return sessions, and financial outcomes. These are the signals that prove compounding impact and sustained monetization
Holiday buzz fades, but campaigns designed for repeat play continue to deliver. That’s why we focus on brand-safe, compliant, high-quality formats, rewarded, playables, and interactive experiences that keep audiences engaged and publishers growing, safely and at scale.
Aashna Seth
