From integration to growth: how four app publishers are scaling monetization with Liftoff

 

App category: Entertainment, Gaming, Health & Fitness, Social Gaming, | Solution: Liftoff Monetize | Formats: App Open, Banner, In-Line, Interstitial, Rewarded | Mediation: Hybrid

    No two apps approach monetization in exactly the same way. For growing publishers, the challenge is finding the right combination of demand, ad formats, technology, and support without adding unnecessary complexity.

    We spoke with four publishers across gaming, health and fitness, social gaming, and entertainment about their experience with Liftoff Monetize. Their journeys differ, but they point to a few common lessons for publishers looking to build and scale their monetization strategies.

    1. Make monetization part of your growth strategy early

     

    For mobile game developer and publisher Bravestars Games, integrating Liftoff was an early part of its monetization strategy.

    The company, which has developed more than 200 games with over 1 billion downloads, first discovered Liftoff through its ad mediation platform.

    “We first learned about Liftoff when we started using ad mediation, as you are listed as a key official partner on major platforms. Because of this reputation, we trusted the network and decided to integrate it into our games immediately.“

    Diep Nguyen, Ads Monetization Team Leader, Bravestars Games

    Bravestars signed up directly through the Liftoff dashboard and described the process as straightforward and convenient.

    More importantly, the team chose to integrate all available Liftoff ad formats from the initial testing phase. That meant that when a title showed potential to scale, its monetization setup was already prepared to capture the opportunity.

    That approach paid off with Fruit Merge. As the title grew in late 2024, Bravestars saw its Liftoff revenue double.

    Their advice to other growing publishers is simple: integrate early and keep the technical setup current.

    “The continuous updates to the Liftoff SDK ensure that we are always leveraging your ad formats at their peak performance. This consistency has been essential in helping us maximize our revenue.“

    Diep Nguyen, Ads Monetization Team Leader, Bravestars Games

     

    2. Monetization improvements don’t always take months

     

    For StepUp, a social step challenge app, the impact came quickly.

    After integrating Liftoff Monetize in February 2026, the team saw an improvement within its first week.

    “From day one, Liftoff made an impact. We saw a 10% lift in ad revenue within our first week in February 2026.“

    Pratik Stephen, Founder, StepUp Step Challenge App

    For smaller publishers evaluating another monetization partner, early performance can help determine whether an integration deserves a bigger role in their monetization mix. StepUp’s experience shows that meaningful results can emerge quickly when the fit is right.

     

    3. The right support can help publishers optimize further

     

    Technology and demand are only part of the equation. As publishers grow, understanding where and how to optimize becomes increasingly important.

    For Dapps Pte. Ltd., which operates a daily group challenge gaming app, the responsiveness and recommendations from the Liftoff team have been an important part of the experience.

    “We’ve had a great experience working with the Liftoff team. They’re very responsive, proactive, and always provide valuable recommendations to help us optimize our monetization. Whenever we have questions, they’re quick to respond.“

    Dominik Seemayr, Co-Founder, Dapps Pte. Ltd.

    That support can range from answering integration questions to identifying opportunities within a publisher’s existing monetization strategy, giving smaller teams access to expertise without requiring a large internal monetization operation.

     

    4. Reliable performance creates room to grow

     

    For drama app publisher Guangzhou Weixun Network Technology, consistent performance gave the team confidence to expand its use of Liftoff. After evaluating results across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, the team increased ad requests to Liftoff, growing its share of overall ad revenue while maintaining stable long-term monetization.

    “Liftoff has consistently delivered stable ad performance for us. After analyzing results across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, we increased ad requests to Liftoff, growing its share of our overall ad revenue. We’re happy to continue sharing our product and waterfall optimization strategies as we work together to improve performance and strengthen our long-term monetization.

    Marko, Ad Monetization Manager, Guangzhou Weixun Network Technology Co., Ltd.

    For publishers managing multiple demand sources, reliable performance provides the confidence to allocate more inventory, keep optimizing, and build a monetization partnership over time.

     

    From first integration to scalable monetization

     

    These four publishers started from different places, but their experiences highlight a common approach to building a stronger monetization strategy:

    • Integrate early so monetization is ready when an app starts to scale.
    • Measure impact quickly and use early performance to guide where to invest.
    • Keep optimizing with the right technical setup, ad formats, and support.
    • Build on reliable performance as your app and monetization strategy evolve.

    Whether you’re adding your first monetization partner or looking for more performance from your existing setup, Liftoff Monetize combines global demand, flexible ad formats, lightweight technology, and hands-on expertise to help publishers grow.

    Ready to see what Liftoff Monetize can do for your app? Reach out to [email protected] or sign up at app.vungle.com.