Margarita Vasilevski
Margarita: VP of Performance Marketing at Scopely
Where to hear and read about Margarita Vasilevski1 episode or test
Margarita Vasilevski is VP of Performance Marketing at Scopely and joined a 2023 panel of mobile gaming growth leaders on post-ATT growth. The most useful thing from her is to read measurement tools for what each does well: an internal MMM for the big picture, Firebase for Google optimization, and real player content for creative.
it's not very actionable for again for a UA team because it's it's a little bit behind
How the Gaming Ecosystem is Approaching Growth in 2023
Margarita Vasilevski: the story and the lessons
1How Margarita Vasilevski uses media mix modeling
Vasilevski has an internal MMM that already helps drive some decisions. She reports success with the model, especially for precise insight on channels outside traditional user acquisition.
She is clear about the limit: it needs fully baked data, so results can run several months behind.
She keeps MMM for the big picture, not daily UA calls. Because of the lag, she calls it not very actionable for a UA team that has to move budget quickly.
The answer is to combine it with MMP data and incrementality platforms and keep testing combinations, since no single model gives the full picture.
2How Vasilevski runs Google UA
Vasilevski saw a clear uplift by optimizing off Firebase. After switching Google optimization to Firebase, she saw a really great uplift in performance, even though the underlying data is the same as the MMP.
It is not true for every title, but it holds statistically. She says Firebase is "just performing slightly better".
She treats ad copy as a core lever on Google. Search often brings the best quality and lowest CPI, so copy matters a lot. Her ranking of assets is video first, then copy, then banners.
Spend split between search, video and display differs in each game. Longer videos have a better chance of winning YouTube inventory, and static ads still feed search and display.
She credits Google with strong lower-funnel event optimization. She calls Google a great source of Android traffic, with iOS improving, and notes tROAS bidding for SKAN is in beta.
The creative mix is mostly out of the marketer's hands, so she focuses on the patterns that do hold.
3Vasilevski on influencers and player-made content
She is the panelist most advanced in influencer marketing. Influencer work is harder to measure and needs honest uplift readings, which is why it takes a more careful approach than standard UA.
Panelists describe influencer and CTV campaigns as needing to keep running even without directly attributed clicks or installs.
She prefers real player videos over actors simulating UGC. Some platforms supply actors or influencers who simulate UGC-style ads. She sees a difference when you engage actual players to make videos about your game and turn them into ads, and she found success with that.
The idea is to stay in touch with players and use what they make.
How the Gaming Ecosystem is Approaching Growth in 2023
Three mobile gaming growth leaders explain how they handle SKAN, measurement across MMP, SKAN and MMM, Apple Search Ads, Google UA and organic channels after ATT. Their practical takeaways include treating SKAN as the source of truth, investing steadily in non-direct-response channels, and building ads around the classic hook, gameplay, call to action structure.
Vasilevski has an internal MMM that already helps drive some decisions. She reports success with the model, especially for precise insight on channels outside traditional user acquisition.
She is clear about the limit: it needs fully baked data, so results can run several months behind.
She keeps MMM for the big picture, not daily UA calls. Because of the lag, she calls it not very actionable for a UA team that has to move budget quickly.
The answer is to combine it with MMP data and incrementality platforms and keep testing combinations, since no single model gives the full picture.
Vasilevski saw a clear uplift by optimizing off Firebase. After switching Google optimization to Firebase, she saw a really great uplift in performance, even though the underlying data is the same as the MMP.
It is not true for every title, but it holds statistically. She says Firebase is "just performing slightly better".
She treats ad copy as a core lever on Google. Search often brings the best quality and lowest CPI, so copy matters a lot. Her ranking of assets is video first, then copy, then banners.
Spend split between search, video and display differs in each game. Longer videos have a better chance of winning YouTube inventory, and static ads still feed search and display.
She credits Google with strong lower-funnel event optimization. She calls Google a great source of Android traffic, with iOS improving, and notes tROAS bidding for SKAN is in beta.
The creative mix is mostly out of the marketer's hands, so she focuses on the patterns that do hold.
She is the panelist most advanced in influencer marketing. Influencer work is harder to measure and needs honest uplift readings, which is why it takes a more careful approach than standard UA.
Panelists describe influencer and CTV campaigns as needing to keep running even without directly attributed clicks or installs.
She prefers real player videos over actors simulating UGC. Some platforms supply actors or influencers who simulate UGC-style ads. She sees a difference when you engage actual players to make videos about your game and turn them into ads, and she found success with that.
The idea is to stay in touch with players and use what they make.