Mobile engagement outfit Apsalar is looking to provide developers with the smarts they need to make better decisions when it comes to user acquisition.

With the GREEs, DeNAs and Zyngas of the sector spending millions of dollars on getting their free-to-play games onto the charts, the balance of supply and demand has been fragmented.

But with more accurate information about potential users, Apsalar believes that even indies studios can build a sustainable business with relatively small value campaigns.

And that's where its new ApEngage platform comes into play.

Know your audience

Labelled a 'mobile behavioral advertising solution', it's built on the company's 230 million user profiles and backed with 100 billion data points.

Throw in Apsalar's proprietary data analysis algorithms and predictive models, and it claims this enables developers to find audiences who are interested in specific game genres, also breaking them in terms of their in-app behaviour.

Of course, how much gamers spend on IAPs is a key element, but Apsalar says that people can spend differently in different types of games.

Equally, some developers are interested in getting non-paying but highly engaged users who will spread the word about a game, perhaps hoping to change their monetisation habits with the good design of their product.

Marketers can also use the tools to reactivate former high-value users, drive users who abandoned a purchase to complete it; and cross-promote other apps.

True value

Of course, this activity could result in more expensive per user campaigns.

But Apsalar says the higher quality information it provides will give companies using ApEngage an advantage in terms of better understanding the worth of the install they are buying in terms of return on investment.

This could even result in cheaper and high quality users.

"We saw a need in the mobile market from our many conversations with customers and we are excited to be able to offer an intelligent solution for better acquisition and monetisation of engaged users with the launch of ApEngage," says CEO Michael Oiknine.

"We strive to continually innovate in order to better help mobile app marketers find the best, most profitable customers for their apps."

Currently available in a private beta, you can sign up for ApEngage via the Apsalar website.