Our first Q4 as a mobile marketer was brutal. We hit December with the same budgets and CPI targets as October. By December 15th, our campaigns had stopped delivering entirely—we couldn't compete with the CPMs brands were paying. Now we plan our entire year around seasonality, and Q4 is actually our most profitable quarter.
The Mobile Marketing Calendar
Key periods every UA manager should know:
Q1: The Golden Window
- Jan 1-7: New Year's resolutions + gift card spending + low CPMs
- Post-Super Bowl: Costs drop, engagement stays high
- Valentine's Day: Dating apps peak, others steady
Q2: Steady State
- Generally stable CPMs
- Mother's/Father's Day spikes for relevant apps
- Graduation season for education
Q3: Summer Slowdown (Sort Of)
- Many verticals slow (users outdoors)
- Gaming often peaks (kids off school)
- Back-to-school late August
Q4: The Gauntlet
- Oct: Halloween, CPMs start rising
- Nov: Black Friday/Cyber Monday chaos
- Dec 1-20: Peak CPMs, brutal competition
- Dec 25-31: New device installs, improving CPMs
The December Danger Zone
Dec 15-24 is the worst time for UA. E-commerce brands with massive Q4 budgets push CPMs to extremes. Unless you have exceptional LTV during holidays, consider pausing or reducing spend.
Category-Specific Seasonality
Gaming
- Summer holidays (kids home)
- Christmas break (new devices + free time)
- Weekend spikes year-round
Fitness/Health
- New Year's resolution peak (Jan 1-15)
- Pre-summer (April-May)
- Post-holiday guilt (early Jan)
E-Commerce
- Black Friday/Cyber Monday
- Prime Day (July)
- Back-to-school (Aug)
Finance
- Tax season (Jan-April)
- New Year financial resolutions
- Back-to-school (student finance)
Christmas Week Strategy
Dec 25-31 is underrated. CPMs drop as e-commerce winds down, but engagement surges as people play with new devices. It's often the best ROI window of Q4.
Planning Your Annual Budget
Smart budget allocation by quarter:
- Q1 (30-35%): Capitalize on low CPMs and high intent
- Q2 (20-25%): Steady-state efficient spending
- Q3 (20-25%): Summer strategy based on vertical
- Q4 (15-25%): Strategic holiday plays, not blanket spend
Tactical Seasonal Plays
Before High Season
- Build audience lists you can retarget
- Test and identify winning creatives
- Optimize app for conversion
- Lock in inventory deals if available
During High Season
- Shift to retargeting (cheaper than prospecting)
- Focus on highest-LTV audiences only
- Use seasonal creative themes
- Monitor hourly, not daily
Plan Smarter, Spend Better
ClicksFlyer's historical data helps you understand your app's unique seasonality patterns and optimize budget allocation throughout the year.