Launching a mobile banking app does not automatically deliver business impact. Installs are only the first step. The real challenge is turning those users into active account and deposit holders while maintaining sustainable acquisition costs.
This was the situation BISBANK faced as it prepared to launch its new mobile app. From the outset, the bank treated the app not as a branding initiative, but as a fully fledged digital channel with clearly defined financial targets.
Our role was to design a structured performance framework focused on measurable financial actions and predictable acquisition costs.
Challenge
Before launch, we faced several constraints:
- The mobile app had no historical data — neither behavioral nor analytical.
- The bank had limited brand recognition and no established trust in the market.
- The key business objective was deposits, not installs or registrations.
- Budgets did not allow for trial-and-error learning or inefficient optimization.
Under these conditions, a test-and-adjust model was too risky. Even minor optimization flaws could lead to financial losses.
Pre-Launch Insights
Before launching the campaigns, we analyzed brand perception among potential users. The findings were as follows:
- BISBANK was associated primarily with modernity and digital positioning.
- Trust-driving attributes — reliability, financial value, and app convenience — scored significantly lower.
- Users were hesitant to entrust financial transactions to a newly launched mobile app.
This meant that driving large volumes of traffic without optimization aligned with financial actions wouldn’t create business value.
Our Approach: System First, Scale Second
Instead of launching a standard app promotion campaign, we started by building a structured growth system designed to:
- Capture and measure real financial actions within the app
- Optimize campaigns for deposits rather than installs
- Scale media investment only after CPA stabilization
Business Logic
We treated installs strictly as the entry point into the marketing funnel. The only metric used to evaluate scaling efficiency was a funded deposit.
Within this framework, we embedded creative into the performance system. Also, we adapted visuals and messaging to each acquisition stage and scaling channel, aligning creative execution with deposit conversion rather than engagement metrics.
Analytics Before Advertising
A critical element of the project was building a complete in-app analytics framework before launching any paid campaigns. We implemented AppsFlyer as the central measurement platform.
Preparation
We worked alongside the client’s team to:
- Clarify the mobile app’s core business objectives
- Map all key user journeys within the product
- Build conversion funnel structures aligned with the bank’s financial goals
Based on this foundation, we defined 19 in-app tracking events covering:
- Account opening
- Deposit account opening
- Debit card issuance
- Loan applications
- All supporting steps leading to the final financial conversions
For the development team, we prepared a detailed technical specification outlining event logic and tracking structure. We also delivered Figma layouts with event mapping aligned to app screens.
Testing Prior to App Store Release
After SDK integration, we conducted a full testing cycle using pre-release builds for both iOS and Android:
- Verified accurate transmission of all in-app events
- Tested the conversion funnel from the first user action through deposit opening
- Eliminated duplicate and false event triggers
Only after validation was complete did we release the product to the app stores. In addition, we tested all events on organic traffic before launching any paid campaigns.
How We Scaled Paid Media
After confirming stable analytics performance, we connected Google Ads and Meta Ads so that the platforms received real financial signals rather than proxy metrics.
- Google Ads (UAC) became the primary channel for scaling deposit acquisition.
- Meta Ads supported the broader marketing funnel and drove app installs.
- Android was prioritized as the operating system delivering consistently lower CPA.
All decisions regarding channels, operating systems, and budgets were based solely on data.
What We Adjusted Based on Performance Data
During the project implementation, we made several structural adjustments:
- Stopped investing in iOS due to higher CPA
- Paused deposit-focused campaigns in Meta Ads
- Reallocated budgets to Google Ads, where the deposit CPA remained consistently lower
These decisions allowed us to scale deposit volume without increasing acquisition costs.
Results
During the active campaign period, we achieved the following:
Installs
- 1.6× increase in total installs
- 34% reduction in CPI
- 46,452 installs generated during the campaign period
Deposits
- 5.4× increase in average monthly deposit volume
- 4.3× reduction in CPA
- Scaled deposit volume without increasing acquisition costs
Business Impact
As a result, BISBANK gained more than efficient advertising campaigns:
- A controlled and predictable deposit acquisition channel
- Full visibility and control over financial conversions
- An analytics infrastructure ready to scale additional digital products
Example of the analytics infrastructure that provided full control over financial conversions and acquisition costs:
This project demonstrated how mobile banking can function not as a cost center, but as a controlled business instrument — provided that analytics and decision logic precede launching paid media.
Following implementation, the partnership continued across other digital products within the bank’s portfolio.
Client Feedback
Project Team
BISBANK
- Serhii Narozhniak, Head of Marketing
- Serhii Pavlenko, Senior Marketing Specialist
MixDigital
- Vadym Slavinskyi, Head of Digital Buying, Data & Analytics
- Alina Zalyubovskaya, Media Planning Team Lead
- Andrii Liubavin, Performance Group Head
- Serhii Zvarych, Web Analyst
- Kateryna Bondar, Account Manager
- Maryna Lastovetska, PPC Specialist
Let’s build a system designed for measurable results.
