Consent Strings to Revenue Threads: Unlocking CPM with a CMP

Every day, mobile apps are leaving revenue on the table. Whether it's fine-tuning in-app purchase offers, ad placements, or something else, there's no single route to optimizing app monetization. However, there is one aspect of monetization that every publisher should pay attention to: properly collecting, maintaining, protecting, and passing user consent strings. Indeed, these strings form the thread that can pull ad revenue forward. 

Last year, at our Maximizing Monetization panel at GDC 2023, we revealed a startling statistic: 78% of ad requests were not passing adequate consent strings. Meanwhile, those that were enjoyed significantly higher eCPMs.  

So, what's adequate, why does it matter, and what’s the situation today? Let's dive in. 

Broadly speaking, an adequate consent string is one that is up to date with industry standards. In Q1, publishers who were passing IAB TCF 2.0 consent strings were enjoying CPMs that were upwards of 90% higher than those who weren't. Yet, at the time, only 28% of apps were passing these strings. Most apps (61%) were passing Boolean-based consent, and an alarming number passed either invalid strings or no consent strings at all. 

Fortunately, adoption of TCF 2.0 has improved since last Spring, though significant room for improvement remains. Today, just 43% of ad requests are passing TCF 2.0 or later consent strings. This means that more than half of all ad requests are not optimized to unlock the best bids from premium demand. 

Why does this matter? In short, apps that pass valid and up-to-date consent strings still make more money than those that don't. Today, inventory in Europe with TCF 2.0 or later consent strings is enjoying approximately 83% higher eCPMs than inventory with only Boolean-based consent and three times higher fill rate than inventory that passes no consent information at all. 

Granted, there are nuances based on ad format, partial consent, and the like. Nonetheless, improving consent management is the single best thing that publishers can do to unlock their ad revenue potential. 

While some publishers may choose to manage consent in-house, this route is both arduous - particularly as new privacy laws go into effect and standards evolve - and increasingly incompatible with demand partners. For instance, Google will soon require publishers to leverage a Google-certified consent management platform (CMP) to continue monetizing.  

To help mobile publishers navigate these ever-changing regulations and industry requirements, we rolled out the InMobi Choice CMP, a completely free platform purpose-built for the needs of mobile app and web. 

Consent requirements and privacy regulations may change, but our commitment to helping publishers foster trust and unlock revenue will not. 

To learn more or get started today, visit https://www.inmobi.com/cmp.