One97 mobility fund backed AppSurfer comes up with 'Try and Install' ad format
RainingClouds Technologies developed the concept of creating a ‘virtual’ browsing experience for mobile apps on the Internet. Their service Appsurfer was launched in October last year and has got good traction over the year. The company received an INR 1 crore seed round from One97 mobility fund and was also one of the Mobisparks where they presented AppSurfer.
In a new development, the company has come up with 'Try and Install' ads via which the mobile app itself can become an ad. Instead of the static banner or similar looking ads, the networks can now dish out an interactive. It is basically a Rich Media Interstitial ad unit which is supported by all major ad networks. For instance, if you are playing Angry Birds and after crossing level 1, an ad pops up. Instead of that ad being a static banner, the ad will now be an interactive HTML5 ad wherein one can play with the ad. It can be a Sudoku app ad which the user can try out in between the levels and install if he or she likes it.
Apart from the ad networks, Appsurfer can also be used by app developers for their campaign. How does it work?
a. Once you submit an app to the AppSurfer. AppSurfer creates and hosts interactive ad for your app.
b. In return, you get a creative ad URL for an app, which can be used in any ad campaign across ad networks of your choice.
"Thousands of developers have been using AppSurfer tools (App-widget, App pages, Embedding inside FB) for demoing apps for over a year. After running about half a million app-runs we have found that, the tools are performing exceptionally well. We have seen an average 16% CTR (Click to download) on our tools on web," says Amit Yadav, the co-founder and business head. Appsurfer tools are being used by 7000+ android developers and they have run 400k+ app runs till now.
A team of 6 at the moment, Raining Clouds is looking to raise a larger round of funding and is in talks. "We hope to close the round in a couple of months," says Amit. One of the promising mobile companies that emerged last year, AppSurfer has caught on good momentum and one can expect to hear a lot more from then soon. In the mobile space, we recently saw the acquisition of Hubbl by Airpush for $15 million which was one of the larger exits for a global company from India.
Website: AppSurfer