How Pocket FM Unlocked Revenue Through Device-Level Traffic Segmentation
Splitting Android and iOS traffic revealed monetization value that a single unified ad tag had been hiding.
The Challenge
When we started working with Pocket FM, all video traffic was being sent through a single VAST tag, combining both Android and iOS traffic. This made it difficult to understand device-level performance and optimize demand effectively.
As a result, premium inventory was not being fully monetized, limiting overall revenue potential.
Understanding the Opportunity
To identify areas for improvement, we analyzed performance across devices, GEOs, fill rate, and CPM. The analysis revealed a significant difference in monetization between Android and iOS traffic.
While Android contributed higher traffic volumes, iOS users consistently delivered stronger CPMs and higher fill rates, particularly across Tier 1, Tier 2, and premium markets.
This indicated that treating both platforms as a single inventory was restricting monetization opportunities.
Our Approach
Based on these insights, we recommended splitting traffic by operating system, creating separate VAST tags for Android and iOS inventory.
This enabled device-specific optimization, allowing demand partners to bid more accurately and ensuring premium iOS traffic received the highest-value demand.
Implementation
Pocket FM implemented separate traffic routing for Android and iOS inventory. Following the rollout, we closely monitored fill rate, CPM, revenue, and device-level performance.
Continuous optimization helped maximize the value of each operating system while improving overall monetization efficiency.
The Results
The impact of the optimization was significant. iOS inventory achieved substantially higher CPMs and fill rates, driven by premium user demand, and device-level optimization enabled better demand matching across the board.
Growth
Improved
Improved
Key Takeaway
Treating every device as one inventory pool was hiding real monetization value. Segmenting by operating system let each platform be priced and sold on its own merits.
The strong performance strengthened our partnership with Pocket FM, leading them to expand the collaboration by onboarding their audio inventory in addition to video inventory.