Founder Playbook · Sub Club by RevenueCat
9 tactics from Shane Ly
How to Optimize User Acquisition Across Major Ad Channels
Watch the full episode“Apple search ads I mean this is kind of like the starter kit of what I and many people recommend like if you're not at least starting with search ads you're probably leaving money on the table. Typically search ads are still working pretty well any measurement partner is still getting reports of the keyword data.”
Apple Search Ads Is Still the Starter Kit — If You're Not There, You're Leaving Money on the Table
Unlike Meta and Google which lost signal after ATT, Apple Search Ads retained keyword-level attribution and LTV visibility throughout the privacy changes. Shane still calls it the default starting point for subscription app UA: keyword data is actionable, LTV by keyword is measurable, and the channel remains less competitive than broader social. Skipping it is almost always a mistake.
“With the advanced srns we are starting to get more signals by sending additional parameters over for attribution. TikTok was the first one that did it with us following suit Snapchat also did that with us and then meta as well. We're getting the signals better quicker because we're not relying on SKAdNetwork's 24-hour delay mechanism.”
Advanced SRN Integration Restored Attribution Signal for TikTok, Snap, and Meta on iOS
The iOS signal loss crisis that followed ATT has been significantly mitigated by advanced self-reporting network (SRN) integrations. TikTok pioneered this with AppsFlyer, followed by Snapchat and Meta: extra parameters are transmitted at install time without requiring a device ID, recovering attribution that would otherwise be lost. The payoff is faster, more accurate signals — and critically, full LTV measurement so subscription renewals at month 3 or 4 are traceable back to source.
“Probably the biggest thing that Google's done in the last year from a attribution perspective is that YouTube now serves an ATT prompt. Very exciting for us because historically Google did not do any prompting so we're not able to — any measurement partners not able to — make measurement with Google using traditional methods. Now that YouTube has it that's been a huge advantage.”
YouTube's ATT Prompt Is the Biggest Google Attribution Unlock in Years
For years, Google was a blind spot in iOS attribution: no ATT prompt meant no device ID, so measurement partners couldn't connect installs to YouTube ad views. In 2024 YouTube began serving the ATT prompt, unlocking full deterministic attribution for the first time. Apps running Google UAC or YouTube ads can now see LTV by campaign, just like they can for Meta. Shane calls this the most significant Google measurement development in recent years.
“Opt-in rates itself it can be anywhere from somewhere below 10% to 50 to 60% depending on app we have seen really high acceptance rates on certain apps. We would still recommend prompting and ultimately it's another data point that you are able to capture and possibly reuse for re-engagement.”
ATT Opt-In Rates Range from 10% to 60% — Prompting Is Still Worth It
ATT opt-in rates vary wildly — below 10% for some apps, above 60% for others — but Shane's universal recommendation is to prompt regardless. Even a 15% opt-in gives you a deterministic audience to measure against and, importantly, a first-party signal you can pass back to ad networks for re-engagement campaigns later. The users who opt in are typically higher-intent, making the sample more actionable than its size suggests.
“We're just seeing overall more spend going into all three itself. The reason why is because now they're a little bit more confident in terms of hey is this actually driving performance. When iOS 14 first came out spend was held back right because even though you put money in they don't know is it driving results itself.”
Improved Attribution Is Driving More Ad Spend Across All Major Networks in 2025
AppsFlyer data shows UA spend rising simultaneously on Meta, Google, and TikTok in 2024-2025. The catalyst is measurement confidence: as advanced SRNs and new attribution methods close the signal gaps left by ATT, advertisers are willing to commit bigger budgets again. No single network is 'winning' the spend shift — all three are growing together because subscription app operators now have better evidence their money is working.
“Reddit has pretty much kickstarted their ad network this year so they spent a lot more time on it particularly app install campaigns so they've grown quite a bit they became srn in terms of doing attribution. They have a large user base so it's definitely one of those networks that are up and coming and something that should be considered for subscription apps.”
Reddit Is the Emerging Arbitrage Channel for Subscription App UA in 2025
Reddit became a proper self-reporting network for app installs in 2024-2025 and is actively building out its ad measurement capabilities. Because most subscription app UA budgets aren't there yet, the CPIs are attractively low relative to the intent level of users searching relevant subreddits. Shane flags it as the clearest under-exploited opportunity for apps willing to test beyond the Meta/Google/TikTok trifecta.
“The important part here is going to be measurement overall itself so having a place where you're able to see that performance in an unbiased way so essentially we want to be able to compare meta with Google with TikTok we also want to be able to see your influencers or your programmatic buys Etc so having all that in one place is very important.”
Central Measurement Platform Is the Foundation — Compare All Channels in One Unbiased View
Each ad network reports its own attributed conversions with an inherent bias toward overcounting. Shane's top tactical advice: use a neutral third-party measurement platform (like AppsFlyer) as the single source of truth so Meta, Google, TikTok, and influencer spend are evaluated on identical terms. Without this, budget decisions are distorted by whichever network shouts loudest about its own performance.
“The biggest tip here is to make sure that we have that data pipeline set up so you're able to see this measurement end to end. Where did they come from did they actually subscribe and is there a particular channel that maybe we should defocus because a majority of the users are churning.”
Build the Full Data Pipeline: Install Source → Trial Start → Conversion → Churn by Channel
Shane's most critical piece of advice for subscription apps: don't stop measuring at the install or even the trial start. The full pipeline must track install source → trial start → paid conversion → renewal → cancellation, all linked to the originating campaign. Without it, a campaign that drives massive trial starts but near-zero conversions looks like a winner in network dashboards but bleeds money in reality. The churn signal by channel is what enables real budget optimization.
“Any re-engagement like let's just say you acquire these users but they haven't made that subscription maybe there's an email push that gets sent out to them maybe they're re-engaged on another network but those are also important tactics just to make sure that we first acquire the user and then we get them into a subscription.”
Re-Engagement Campaigns Belong in the Acquisition Stack — Not as an Afterthought
Many apps treat re-engagement as a separate retention initiative, but Shane frames it as a logical extension of acquisition. Users who install but don't subscribe in the first session are warm leads — they've already cleared the install hurdle. A re-engagement campaign (email, push, or paid retargeting on the same network) that nudges them to start a trial is often cheaper and higher-converting than finding a net-new user. Measuring this loop closes the attribution picture.