Are you paying for installs that go nowhere?

Installs are NOT the final goal. You’re not here to win a popularity contest — you’re here to grow a business. And yet, too many UA strategies still obsess over install numbers like they’re the holy grail.

But let’s be clear about one thing — an install doesn’t guarantee long-term value. It doesn’t mean the user will come back, and it definitely doesn’t mean they’ll become loyal.

1 in every 2 apps that are installed is uninstalled within 30 days of being downloaded*. So if your strategy ends at the download, you’re paying to be ignored.

Chasing installs without value is how budgets disappear.

When does growth become a vanity metric?

Let’s say:

👉 You increase installs by 30% — cool!

👉 But how many open the app on day 2?

👉 How many complete key actions?

👉 How many generate revenue, or even stay long enough to see your value?

If the answer is “very few,” then you are chasing numbers instead of outcomes. It’s time to rethink the entire funnel — from acquisition, to retention, to lifetime value.

What real growth actually looks like.

Real growth isn’t about getting users in the door but what they do once they’re in. It’s how often they return, how long they stay, and the value they create over time.

The metrics that matter? Engagement. Retention. Frequency. And most importantly— LTV.

LTV is your real north star. It tells you who your best users are, where they come from, and how to find more like them. It might take longer to measure and be harder to track, but no other metric reveals more about real, sustainable growth.

At Rocket Lab, we focus on acquiring users that matter. The kind who stick, spend, and scale with your app.

So how do we do it?

• With smarter programmatic segmentation that targets high-intent, lookalike audiences

• With Apple Search Ads that capture users actively searching for solutions like yours

• With First-impact Ads, our OEM solution that puts your app in front of users from the moment they activate their devices — with segmentation options to reach people who already use similar or competing apps

• With real-time optimization loops that shift your budget toward what actually drives results, not just reach

The apps that win are not the ones with the most downloads. They are the ones with the strongest long-term performance.

At Rocket Lab, we don’t settle for quick wins. We build businesses.

As an App Growth Hub, we bring together data, technology, and regional expertise to design strategies that drive real impact.

Because installs are easy.

Impact takes strategy. }

Reach out to Rocket Lab and let’s turn your user acquisition into a long-term growth engine — not a vanity metric.

*Source: AppsFlyer