Freemium mistakes, brand wins, and trusting your gut – lessons from Deezer’s Sherina Khalidi

Marketing plays a critical role in the success of subscription apps, as it is essential to make potential users aware of the app and persuade them to pay for it. Sherina Khalidi, VP of Performance Marketing at Deezer, shares her insights on balancing freemium models and the integration of brand and performance marketing for app growth. Initially, Deezer's aggressive push for converting free users to paid subscribers backfired, leading to a more user-friendly approach that maintained a balance between a free experience and monetization through ads. Khalidi emphasizes that a mixed approach of brand and performance marketing is more successful, as illustrated by Deezer's recent TV campaign focused on building a positive brand image. Furthermore, Deezer employs creative measurement strategies like media mix modeling and incrementality testing to navigate challenges posed by modern user privacy rules, while also recognizing the importance of trusting instincts over data in certain scenarios.