The Bottom 20% Rule – Trendify’s Framework for Managing Creators in Mobile App Ads

The Bottom 20% Rule – Trendify’s Framework for Managing Creators in Mobile App Ads

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Discover Trendify’s Bottom 20% Rule for managing creator teams in mobile app ads. Learn how cutting underperformers can boost performance and scale your ad results.

If you’re running paid ads for your mobile app and working with creators, chances are you’ve kept someone on the team longer than you should have. You hoped their performance would improve. You told yourself they were “almost there.” But in reality? They were dragging your entire ad account down.

At Trendify, we help mobile apps scale through content. And one of the most painful—but most impactful—things we’ve recently learned after managing 100+ creators is this: you have to let underperformers go fast. Here’s the exact framework we’re starting to deploy (called the Bottom 20% Rule) to keep our creator teams sharp, scalable, and profitable.

Let’s be honest—most founders get too emotionally attached. One creator does well for a few weeks, and suddenly you’re justifying missed deadlines and poor results with “well, they used to be great.”

We’ve been there too.

But the hard truth is this: underperformers create massive bottlenecks in mobile app marketing. Every weak video is wasted ad spend. Every bad piece of content inflates your CPIs. Every missed insight delays scale.

You can’t afford to get sentimental about performance.

Every few weeks, we’re starting to evaluate all our creators’ performance. Then we cut the bottom 20%—no hesitation. Here’s what the process looks like:

1. Identify Who’s Falling Behind

We’ll look at:

• • CPI (Cost Per Install)
  
• • CTR (Click-Through Rate)
  
• • Engagement rates (likes, comments, watch time)
  

If someone’s consistently underperforming compared to others—or falling below industry benchmarks—they’re on the radar.

2. Offer One Round of Support

Before cutting them, we offer one final test round. If they’re showing signs of improvement but haven’t had a breakthrough yet, we give them a last shot. If there’s no clear jump in results, we move on.

3. Let the Data Decide

No guesswork. No “gut feelings.” Just numbers. Creators are measured against the metrics that matter for paid ads. Performance is the filter.

This isn’t just about clearing dead weight. Cutting the bottom 20% actually elevates the rest of the team. Here’s why:

• • Top performers feel validated (they see results matter)
  
• • It prevents average from becoming the norm
  
• • Morale goes up—yes, really
  
• • The whole team becomes more competitive and accountable
  

If you’re scaling mobile app ads, your team needs to feel like they’re part of a high-performing unit—not babysitting weak links.

Scaling your mobile app through paid content doesn’t require hundreds of creators. It requires the right ones.

Use the Bottom 20% Rule to make performance part of your team culture. If you do, your ads will convert better, your content will stay sharp, and your top creators will stick around longer.

And when it time to scale? You won’t have to wonder who’s holding you back.

If you enjoyed this content, then you’ll love our podcast:

Scaling your Mobile App through Content

It’s your ultimate playbook for scaling your app smarter and faster.

Cheers.

- Srikar & Sai Karra