What are OEM promotions, and when do they beat social ads?

When someone unboxes a new Android phone, the first apps they see are not chosen by Google Play. Phone makers run their own app stores, setup flows, app folders and notification channels, and much of that space can be bought. That is what OEM promotion means.

Where OEM placements appear

• Device setup. A list of suggested apps shown while the phone is being set up, often pre-ticked.
• Device app stores. Featured slots and search results inside the phone maker's own store.
• Folders and home screen. Recommended apps inside folders such as "Tools" or "Games".
• Notifications and lock screens. Push messages and wallpaper-style cards from the phone's own system apps.
• Preloads. Your app installed at the factory, so it is already on the phone when it is sold.

Why marketers use it

The audience is new phone owners with an empty home screen and a habit of trying apps in their first week. In markets where most people use Android and replace phones every two to three years, that is a very large audience that social feeds reach only indirectly.

Prices are usually set per install or per activation, so you pay for outcomes rather than impressions. Cost per install can be well below Meta or Google, especially in tier-2 and tier-3 cities.

When it works best

OEM promotion suits apps with broad appeal and a simple first session: payments, shopping, entertainment, utilities and casual games. It is weaker for niche B2B products or apps that need a long explanation before sign-up.

It also needs strict measurement. Every placement should be tracked through your mobile measurement partner, and install quality should be judged on day-7 and day-30 retention, not installs alone. Preload installs in particular need an activation event, because a preinstalled app that is never opened has no value.

How we run it

We start with a small test across two or three phone makers, compare retention and cost per activated user against your social and search channels, and then move budget toward the placements that hold up. Talk to us if you want a test plan for your app.