UA (User Acquisition)

What is User Acquisition (UA)?

User Acquisition (UA) is the strategy of gaining new users or viewers through marketing efforts that lead to measurable outcomes—such as app installs, subscriptions, or increased engagement. In streaming, UA strategies vary significantly depending on whether you’re an advertiser looking to drive action, or a publisher or platform aiming to grow and retain your audience.

Although the term “user acquisition” is often used broadly, it’s critical to draw a clear distinction between advertiser-led user acquisition campaigns and publisher-driven viewer acquisition strategies in the FAST and CTV ecosystem.

What does User Acquisition mean for advertisers?

For advertisers—especially app marketers or performance-driven brands—user acquisition on FAST platforms means running campaigns designed to prompt direct actions from viewers. These ads typically appear during commercial breaks in FAST and AVOD content and are optimized to drive high-value results such as app installs, purchases, or website visits.

Unlike traditional TV advertising, these campaigns are data-driven and performance-based. Advertisers are not just paying for impressions—they’re paying for outcomes.

Key metrics for advertiser-led user acquisition include:

• Cost Per Install (CPI) or Cost Per Action (CPA): Measuring the cost of acquiring a new user through the campaign.
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS): Evaluating the revenue generated per dollar spent on advertising.
• Conversion Rates: Measuring how often viewers take the intended action after viewing an ad.

Performance campaigns are increasingly powered by AI-driven targeting and real-time optimization. Rather than relying on content branding or app name recognition, these campaigns focus on predicted performance—ensuring ads are shown to viewers who are most likely to convert. By using enriched metadata and contextual targeting, advertisers can align their messaging with the viewer’s interests and the content on screen, enhancing engagement and driving repeat success.

What does User Acquisition mean for publishers and streaming platforms?

For content publishers and streaming services, user acquisition is about viewer acquisition and retention. The focus is not on prompting immediate action, but on growing long-term audiences for a channel, app, or platform. This type of UA often happens through strategic distribution—such as syndicating FAST channels across multiple platforms or launching targeted marketing campaigns to attract new viewers.

Viewer acquisition at scale requires more than just reach. With growing competition and rising churn rates across SVOD, AVOD, and FAST services, platforms must not only attract new users but also keep them engaged over time.

Key success metrics for publisher-led acquisition include:

• Hours of Viewing (HOV): A core metric that reflects engagement and supports ad monetization.
• Viewer Retention: Indicates how well a platform keeps users coming back.
• Churn Rate: The rate at which users disengage or unsubscribe, which platforms aim to reduce.
• Ad Impressions and Fill Rate: Showing how effectively the platform monetizes viewership.

To scale successfully, publishers increasingly rely on automated, machine-learning-powered advertising tools that can identify high-value users based on real behavior—not just demographics. These systems help platforms find the right audiences across mobile, web, and CTV, delivering campaigns optimized for viewer engagement, retention, and revenue generation.

How are these UA strategies different—but complementary?

While both advertisers and publishers engage in user acquisition, their goals and tactics differ:

• Advertisers use FAST platforms to run performance campaigns that drive short-term, measurable actions—like downloads or purchases.
• Publishers and streamers use viewer acquisition to build and retain an audience for long-term engagement and monetization through content.

These strategies are not mutually exclusive—in fact, they work best when aligned. A well-monetized FAST channel with strong viewership becomes a more valuable destination for advertisers. At the same time, performance advertisers help fund the ecosystem, enabling platforms to reinvest in content, reach, and user experience.

To learn more about how Wurl can assist in achieving viewer acquisition goals within your profitability targets, check out ContentDiscovery — or for information on how to get differentiated demand for your channel, visit AdPool.