Retention & Revenue
Most AI chat apps convert only a small fraction of traffic to paying users, leaving the majority of sessions unmonetized. Contextual in-chat ads let you earn revenue from this traffic without disrupting the user experience.
Will ads hurt retention?
Section titled “Will ads hurt retention?”Contextual ads are matched to the conversation topic, so they feel relevant rather than intrusive. Because they appear as native cards inside the chat - not as banners or interstitials - they integrate naturally into the experience.
Key factors that protect retention:
- Relevance: ads match what the user is already discussing
- Native format: cards blend into the chat UI
- Non-blocking: ads never interrupt the conversation flow
- Frequency control: you decide when to call
fetchAds(), so you control how often ads appear
Revenue potential
Section titled “Revenue potential”| Metric | Traditional Display | Elo Contextual Ads |
|---|---|---|
| CTR | ~0.05% | ~10-12% |
| RPM | $1-3 | $8-15 |
Because ads are intent-matched, click-through rates are significantly higher than traditional display, which translates to higher revenue per impression.
A/B testing
Section titled “A/B testing”Elo will support A/B testing for ad slots, letting you control the percentage of impressions that deliver a live ad versus a control (empty pixel). This lets you measure the incremental impact on user behavior.
- Set a delivery split (e.g., 70% ads, 30% control) per ad unit in the dashboard
- Compare metrics between treatment and control groups
- Measure impact on time spent, engagement, and retention