Success Story

By combining category-specific algorithmic modeling with refined multi-market operations, Smadex supported BIGO Live’s growth across priority markets and delivered measurable improvements across scale, return, and user quality.

• 2.5× monthly spend growth in main markets
• 3× Day 1 ROAS growth in main markets in Q1 vs. the previous quarter
• D1 Retention on target, remaining stable while campaigns scaled
• Vertical video creatives with end cards became core winning creatives across both regions, outperforming other formats in conversion efficiency

BIGO Live aimed to scale high-quality live social users in competitive priority markets while maintaining strict ROI, retention, and attribution standards. To support this goal, the UA team needed a partner that could deliver not only traffic volume, but also user quality, long-term return, and consistent multi-market performance.

Phase 1: Building a category-specific optimization framework

Smadex’s bidding engine continuously learned from BIGO Live’s core conversion events, helping campaigns identify and reach high-value live social users in highly competitive environments. This category-specific modeling enabled Smadex to focus on quality signals beyond install volume, supporting BIGO Live’s retention and return goals.

Phase 2: Scaling with refined multi-market operations

Based on the user structure, traffic dynamics, and competitive landscape of each market, Smadex developed differentiated market-specific scaling strategies and creative directions. This allowed BIGO Live to scale in core markets while continuing to explore potential growth opportunities in a controlled and sustainable way.

Phase 3: Improving efficiency through creative and operational collaboration

Smadex worked closely with BIGO Live’s creative team to identify repeatable, high-performing creative directions. Dedicated AM and AdOps teams provided frequent performance reviews and rapid responses to market changes, data fluctuations, and campaign optimization needs.

This partnership model allowed BIGO Live’s UA team to maintain full control over its core KPIs while relying on Smadex as a long-term growth partner, rather than treating it as just another traffic channel.

Creative performance played an important role in the campaign’s success. For BIGO Live, vertical video creatives with end cards became core winning formats across both regions, delivering significantly stronger conversion efficiency than other creative formats.

By working closely with BIGO Live’s creative team, Smadex helped build a sustainable creative iteration loop, using performance data to identify effective angles, refresh assets, and support continuous campaign optimization.

BIGO Live is a leading global live social platform with a presence in more than 150 countries and regions. Through live streaming, real-time interaction, co-hosting, and virtual gifting, BIGO Live connects users around the world and enables real-time social entertainment across cultures and markets.

“Smadex demonstrated strong capability in balancing scale and quality across the core markets we care about most. They helped us scale quickly during key growth windows while maintaining retention and return amid rising bidding competition and tightening attribution rules. Their algorithmic optimization and AdOps responsiveness have made Smadex a highly reliable partner in our growth media mix.”

BIGO Live UA Team