The app industry is evolving rapidly, and the App Growth Summit Berlin 2025, held June 18-19 at the stylish Spreespeicher along the River Spree, offered a deep dive into the latest shifts.
With over 600 attendees and 70+ expert speakers, this milestone 100th global summit from App Growth Summit delivered practical strategies for user acquisition, retention, monetization, and app store optimization (ASO).
Here's a rundown of the key trends and insights shaping the future of mobile apps.
Privacy-First Strategies Take Center Stage
Privacy regulations like GDPR and Apple's ATT are reshaping app marketing.
Foodpanda shared a clever approach, using weather signals to target ads while staying privacy-compliant.
Also, tools from companies like Axeptio simplify consent management, balancing user trust with campaign performance.
Privacy isn't just a compliance issue—it's a chance to build smarter, trust-driven strategies.
💡 ASO Guide: Why and How to Enhance Privacy Protection to Gain User Trust?
User Acquisition: Get Creative to Stand Out
Growing a user base is still critical, but the approach is changing. While Meta, Google, and Apple Search Ads remain go-to channels, non-traditional methods are gaining ground.
Influencer partnerships, podcast sponsorships, and creator-led campaigns were highlighted as fresh ways to reach new audiences.
Dennis Mink from Bidease emphasized sharp measurement, while Roberto Louback from AppsFlyer shared benchmarks showing creative optimization can stretch budgets further.
The key is blending data with bold ideas to scale efficiently.
AI: The New Engine of App Development & Marketing
Artificial intelligence is transforming how apps are built.
StarBerry Games wowed attendees by showing how AI cut creative production time from months to days, speeding up market launches.
AI's also powering predictive analytics and personalization, with CleverTap demonstrating how it keeps users engaged.
This tech is giving smaller teams a shot at competing with the big players.
💡 More AI App Marketing Solutions
User Retention: The Secret to Long-Term Success
With acquisition costs climbing, keeping users is more important than ever.
Sessions explored full-funnel optimization and behavioral analytics to reduce churn.
Iterable's workshops showed how tailored push notifications and in-app messages boost loyalty.
A/B testing remains vital, but speakers like those from Freeletics noted it's getting tougher to see big wins in crowded channels, calling for more precise strategies.
💡 How to Increase Conversion Through A/B Testing?
App Monetization: Balancing Ads & In-App Purchases
Apple's evolving App Store policies are pushing developers to rethink monetization.
The summit dug into balancing ads and in-app purchases, with RevenueCat offering tips on optimizing paywalls.
Recent App Store rulings are also opening doors to web-based revenue, reducing reliance on platform fees.
Paddle's web payment tools were a hot topic, pointing to a future of hybrid revenue models.
ASO: Beyond Keywords to Strategic Growth
App Store Optimization (ASO) is no longer just about keywords—it's a core growth driver.
The Beyond Keywords panel, featuring experts like George Natsvlishvili from Storytel and Oksana Bozhkova from Hily Dating App, highlighted AI-driven ASO for creating assets and refining keyword strategies.
💡 AI-Driven App Marketing: How Next-Gen AI Models Reshape User Acquisition & Retention
Aligning ASO with paid campaigns was a big focus, though measuring impact in complex channels remains tricky, with A/B test win rates slipping.
The solution? Treat ASO as part of a broader growth strategy.
Web Revenue: The Next Frontier
App Store rulings are shaking up revenue models, with web-based payments emerging as a key opportunity.
Tools like business calculators and platforms are helping developers tap into subscriptions, direct payments, and alternative marketplaces.
This shift offers more control and less dependency on app stores, paving the way for sustainable growth.
Editor's Comments
The App Growth Summit Berlin 2025 was a treasure trove of fresh ideas.
The "Beyond Keywords" panel really drove home how far ASO has come—moving beyond simple keyword tactics to leveraging AI for smarter asset creation and keyword refinement.
Hearing from experts like Storytel's George Natsvlishvili and Hily Dating App's Oksana Bozhkova, it's clear that tying ASO tightly to paid acquisition campaigns is now a must for maximizing impact.
That said, the struggle to measure results in today's complex channels, coupled with slipping A/B test win rates, is a real pain point.
For ASO pros, the takeaway is unmistakable: success hinges on blending ASO into a broader, cohesive growth strategy to boost visibility and drive conversions.
For more insights, visit our Events page or explore ASO trends at ASO World.
