Playbook: Detect In-App Creative Fatigue Before CPI Balloons

Playbook: Detect In-App Creative Fatigue Before CPI Balloons

Fatigue shows up before the CPI chart panics. Catch it early:
— Track creative-level CTR and install-rate daily, not just weekly spend
— Watch frequency per user — in-app fatigue hits fast on capped audiences
— Flag the early signal: CTR holding but install-rate falling = users clicking, not converting
— Compare each creative's age to its performance curve; most rewarded/interstitial creatives decay in 1-2 weeks
— Segment by source — a creative fatigued on one network may still be fresh on another
— Set an auto-pause rule when install-rate drops a set % below the creative's peak
— Rotate in variants before the winner dies, not after

✓ Buys you lead time to refresh before CPI spikes
✓ Install-rate decay catches fatigue earlier than CPI does
✗ Short test windows can mislabel normal variance as fatigue
✗ Needs per-creative granularity some networks hide

Verdict: Use install-rate decay as your early-warning metric; refresh creatives on a 1-2 week cadence for high-frequency in-app placements.
Best for: UA managers running rewarded/interstitial creative at scale.