Category: Marketing

In our world of smartphones and mobile devices, there is an incredible competition between applications to become the most used and the most popular. What makes an app popular is more complicated than you may think. The content of the app needs to be on point as well as the design.

Users need actually to be interested in using the app in order to consider even it. You no longer need to wonder why certain apps have found success and why others have bombed.

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We have shown some of the key factors and ingredients when it comes to developing a great app that people will also want to use. These can be used to guide developers and even to help users decide which apps they should keep on their devices and which ones should be removed forever.

Once Users Try It, Will They Be Able To Live Without It?

Users of the app need to have their lives drastically changed and improved when they use it. Otherwise, it will not be downloaded or will be deleted immediately to make room for more useful applications.

Applications that save users time and money are the most popular because users find that they would be lost without the assistance the app is providing. When a user is able to see the value in an application and is thankful that they are able to incorporate it, then the app will be successful. 

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Not only does this app need to deliver on this in terms of use, but if they want to be successful, then they need to market their app to show potential users the benefits. Users will only discover that they cannot live without the app if they download it in the first place.

Does This App Have A Purpose?

One of the first things developers need to assess is if the app has a purpose. Are users going to seek out this kind of app? The application that users want is one with a clear purpose. They want to be presented with a problem and know exactly which app will best help them to solve it. For example, if a user is lost then a map application is exactly what they will choose to help them navigate.

These apps, such as Google Maps, have a clear purpose. Mobile device users would actually prefer to use an app than spend time trying to navigate through websites to find the information they need. An app that helps users and has all of the information they could need is one that they would regularly use.

How Easy Is The App To Use?

No user mobile device users want to struggle to understand apps or what they are for. That is why making it easy-to-use is incredibly important. The information and the usability of the application can be complicated in nature, but they need to be easy for the user to handle in order to be successful.

READ ALSO: App crowdfunding

It needs to be very clear from the beginning because even if it takes reading a few instructions, users are going to look elsewhere for the services you were aiming to provide. If your application is based in retail, then the entire process should be clear to anyone. For example: finding the products, their reviews, making purchases, and searching through the inventory should all be straightforward.

Is This An App That Will Play A Daily Role?

If an app is something that users turn to on a daily basis, then it becomes part of their routine and quickly becomes something that they need for their day to be a success. If an app can be used daily, then it essentially becomes irreplaceable for a certain length of time.

Creating an app that is crucial to the day of a user should be the aim of all developers. This is something that the developer should consider for the long-term. The app should be something that the customer will use daily for many years, not something that they will use daily for just a short period of time. This short-term daily use can be seen in many diet apps, but if the app relates to overall health rather than just weight loss, it more likely to be a success for longer.

How Does It Look?

Users are drawn to the way apps look, almost more than they are drawn to the uses. If an application looks professional and visually appealing, then it is more likely to appeal to buyers initially and more likely to be kept on devices. Developers should consider every aspect of the design from the graphics to the color themes, fonts, titles, backgrounds, pictures, etc. Of course, the cost to develop an app would be higher. 

Crafting The Perfect App

In such a competitive market, developers need to focus on the customer and completely tailor their services. Also, developers should follow mobile application development trends. This includes everything from relevance, usability, and design. When developers have covered all of these factors fully, then their app will be much more successful than it would have been without investigating uses and users further.

The omnichannel experience is a term that most business owners will hear about but very few can implement them successfully. Many make the mistake of thinking that providing three or four channels for customers to contact the company is providing a full-fledged omnichannel experience.

To really achieve an omnichannel customer experience a business needs to view their multiple service channels as a single force that works flawlessly together. A successful multi-channel service ensures that each one is completely integrated and consistently supports each other channel a customer may use.

The majority of companies have different departments running each form of contact: email, phone, web forms and text messages. This may, at first, seem the most efficient form of management, but customers see a company as being a single force and therefore already assume an omnichannel customer experience.

READ ALSO: 5 reasons to develop apps for smartwatches

The fact that very few companies pay close attention to the integration of their connection channels means that there is a gulf between what the customer expects and what the company supplies. In order to avoid this common mistake here are five steps to follow for an efficient omnichannel contact experience.

1) Create A Variety Of Support Channels

The easiest place to start is to review if the company is offering all of the support channels that customers actually want. Carefully considering the customer and their preferred method of seeking information in their daily lives will help to make the contact avenues more efficient.

The most obvious place to see these mistakes is with phone-calls. The majority of companies will offer phone support as their main assistance channel. The average American will make between 1-5 phone calls a day, and that same individual will send and receive over 10 times as many text messages. With these statistics, it is strange to consider that very few companies offer text message-based contact channels.

Implementing certain channels of contact can be costly but to combat this each company should identify the three or four most desired avenues and only offer these to their clients. This will boost a customer’s willingness to contact the company and their overall experience. The chosen channels will vary based on the customers but should always be promoted on existing channels.

2) Centralize The Storage Of Customer Data

Centralizing data will change everything. One of the most annoying issues for a customer is having to explain the same problem to several service reps. Once a company has their chosen channels in place, then the first step to making these into an omnichannel customer experience is to combine all data in one central location.

This means that every member of the customer service team will have the same information and can pick up each conversation exactly where it finished last. This step is one of the easiest to implement and has extremely quick beneficial effects.

3) Integrate Channels

Having the channels in place that customers really want is a great start but until these channels are integrated, they can still cause problems. Customers not only want to contact a company in their preferred manner, but they also want a smooth and seamless experience. Switching between channels is rarely an easy thing to do with most companies.

Using an omnichannel communication platform will track exactly at what stage each customer’s interaction is with the company. The benefits of integrating the channels are huge. Firstly the service can be personalized, and each customer will feel the company is closely following their communication.

A second benefit is that each channel that suits the situation can be used. For example, text messages can be used for quick updates on information, which could be quickly switched to a live chat version if the information is not completely understood.

Aim to make everything quick, simple, and designed to benefit the customer as much as possible.

4) Automate

Live agents and the related waiting times can be one of the most frustrating aspects of a company to a customer. Automating at least a portion of the contact routes means that the business can offer a cheaper, more informed and more efficient customer experience.

Many companies avoid automation from fear of losing touch with their customers, but the reality is that the world is moving towards being completely free of human-to-human interaction for many processes, just consider purchasing train tickets, bank transactions, and airline check-ins. Considering where a company can automate without becoming annoyingly difficult to contact is the key to a successful omnichannel experience.

5) Form An Action Plan

Following these four steps shows just how simple the theory behind an omnichannel experience is but should highlight that implementing it in reality is not quite as straightforward. Therefore, it is important to create an action plan to make sure the business is on its way to integrating all of the channels and make the customer experience the best possible. The key to success is to follow these steps:

1. Research: Spend sufficient time finding the channels that are most used by customers or those that they would prefer to have as options. The assumption is the enemy in this step; often the business owner would approach a company in a far different way than the average customer. Conduct questionnaires to gather this information.
2. Centralize: As soon as possible move all data into a single location. Find a cloud-hosting platform that suits the number of customer records the company has. Research which platform suits the company in regards of size, usage levels, and the price.
3. Communication Platform: Find a company that offers a multiple communication platform that allows flawless switching between each channel. The best company to go for is one that offers complete integration and some level of automation.

The most important part of creating an omnichannel experience is to consider customer care. Each company will have a slightly different model that focuses more on a variety of channels, understanding the customer will make sure the business does everything to make communication as perfect as possible. Following the five given steps will put any company well on its way to achieving this.

Finding customers that will come back, again and again, is a process that is different for every application. For email and social methods, this is no different. The number of users, the frequency with which the app is used and many other factors need to be considered by mobile marketers.

Comparing and considering the benefit of each is something that will help mobile marketers direct their efforts. Determining which is better for businesses will certainly make a difference when it comes to finances and app success.

Social Benefits

The main difference between social methods and email methods is that an organic social approach fetches a huge volume of users while email gets high-value users. In a world that is becoming more and more connected, this is not surprising.

Due to the users acquired, mobile-first publishers should choose organic social marketing methods as their first choice for user acquisition. This method outranks many others that may seem to be extremely effective, but simply do not compare. The outranked methods include video ads, emails, and even installs that come with appealing incentives.

Those that will benefit most from this social organic install source will more often than not be small publishers. As a smaller or startup company, chances are the budget will be limited. Social methods are a more appealing option for small businesses that are still building their user bases. This is a good place to start acquisition on a budget.

This social method will attract medium-value users. This means that the cost of using this method returns less, but the cost of the acquisition is less as well. Mobile developers that put the focus on this method will generally end up with more attractive spreadsheets of results as they will be making some money and spending less than they would with email.

There is no better way to go about marketing for the purpose of acquiring users for a particular organization. Each business is changing, and the market is changing as well. This means that the best method probably isn’t just one thing but a combination of many different tactics at once. It has been shown that the most successful in business use many different methods that include optimization in the app store as well as PR.

Email Benefits

Email marketing methods of acquiring users is a tactic that has been around for a long time. This is not just because the email has been around longer but because this method works. In order for this method to be effective, the company has to have a large base of users that trust the company and what they offer. Though this is not something that can be built overnight, the relationship is something that can be very beneficial in acquiring mobile users via email.

It has been shown that companies that put their time and effort into feeling out their existing customers via email to convert to mobile have a huge success rate. The fact that the company enjoys such a high conversion rate and lifetime value is what makes this a favorite tactic among traditional marketers.

There are companies that have executed mobile user acquisition by email well and those that have not quite mastered the tactic. As always companies and marketers need to do a thorough analysis of the method and the potential for success for their venture. This will help marketing teams to optimize their campaigns and use them more effectively for the specific acquisition method and in general.

The size of the company and the budget do not matter when the company uses the mobile user acquisition method that suits them. This will help to maximize success and mobile marketing reach.

Mobile users have quickly adapted to using these devices in almost everything that they do. While this is great for the industry, it makes it hard for mobile marketers to keep up. These marketers not only need to keep up with the changing desires of their customers but at a speed that has never been seen in marketing ever before.

A few challenges are more prevalent for mobile marketers than others. Here are the three biggest issues they face in the market today and how these issues can be solved.

The Competition Is Fierce

The hypercompetitive market of the mobile marketing world makes it difficult to cope and makes the cost per install (CPI) higher. The industry is flooded with apps with over a million being offered through Google Play and Apple’s App Store. This is not surprising when you consider that stores like these receive over one thousand submissions of new possible apps every day.

From these numbers, analysis has found that the most competitive app category is games. The number of active games that users can download is nearly 400,000. The second most competitive category is business though it only has about half the number of active apps that games have.

The number of apps is only increasing and so is the cost per install. This number is growing along with the number of downloads available. Discovering an app organically is something very rare. This is why developers need to use paid installs, which are achieved via marketing. This highlights the rising costs as they are connected to the growing demand.

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What do the growing costs mean for the company acquiring new users? It means that since the cost is almost always increasing, the company will spend the same amount of money for fewer users. If they would like to maintain the number of new users that they get each month, then they will need to increase their spending.

How Do We Solve This?

It can be assumed that the trend of growing demands and growing costs will continue for a long time. Mobile Marketers should use this information and all of the information available to them to address this problem and make decisions.

Ensuring the money of the company is spent in the most effective and fruitful way is where this begins. Companies should use a performance-driven business model that only charges the company for actual use rather than for the installation. This can be made a condition of spending with a network that runs it. If the network does not seem interested, then it may be a sign of the network itself having problems. If the network is having problems and cannot deliver users as promised, then it is probably time to cut ties.

Assessing the network completely can ensure that working with the network will actually pay off rather than be a waste of money. An activity can be measured after the installation has been completed and from there the user can be assessed through the network.

Keeping Them Interested

Mobile marketers need to deal with the problem of retention when it comes to their users. They need to ensure that the app is changing and growing to fit the needs of the users. Marketers need to be in tune with what the app is being used for and how to ensure it continues to keep the attention and the interest of the users.

It is incredibly common that users will download an app, open it, and play with it once and then never think about it again unless it comes time to clear some room on the device. Through analysis, this is thought to happen roughly with around 20 percent of users. Although downloading and installing an app is part of the process, it is not enough to keep a business going. The app needs to be downloaded and used for the company to make any money.

The Solution

There are ways that mobile marketers can see how many users, based on percentage, return, and continue to use the app. This gives the marketers a general idea of how much they need to adjust in order to take that number from whatever it is, to be closer to 100%. This can be found by carrying out a cohort analysis.

From there, the marketer can use visual analytics in order to understand better how the users are using the app and how often. Essentially this helps to understand the general use. Analyzing each aspect of the user’s experience can help to pinpoint the areas that could be improved. Once these areas have been improved, then the percentage of customers that are returning or frequent users will certainly increase.

Note: There are important advertising-related fixes you can make to measure retention-related in-app events to know who the loyal users are and then connect them back to the networks that acquired them.

The Downsides of Linking an App

When an app download screen comes up unexpectedly and interrupts what the user was doing, it is not likely that they will just go with it and download the app. This disruptive linking happens at random times and can even come up when the user has already downloaded that specific app. In whatever scenario this happens, it can be detrimental to the app’s success.

How Can This Be Fixed?

Deep-links is something that mobile marketers can use in order to remedy the problem. These links will allow the user to be directed to their desired screen once the app has finished being installed. This kind of link, like many others, can also help to save user information, which can create an even more positive experience.

The seamless transitions deep-linking provides makes it easier for the user to navigate and get the information they wanted. This is something that also enhances their experience.

Mobile markets that are better able to focus their work on the mobile user experience and how the app is really being used will better be able to craft their app to be more competitive, keep users loyal and provide meaningful and useful links.

The modern addict is a very different image than the ones of the past decades. The addicts of our time are getting their fix from a range of online distractions. There is a great deal of literature and research that has gone into the narcotic effects of these sites such as Twitter, Pinterest, and, of course, Facebook.

In The Business Of Crafting Desire

In the modern age of selling distraction, it is the companies that can quickly form strong user habits that come out on top. These companies have a clever web of internal triggers that will cause users to visit their site without an external prompt.

READ ALSO: Getting Feedback for Your App

Marketing goes out of the window with habit-forming products. These companies simply become part of the daily routines of their customers. This is called the: ‘first-to-mind’ characteristic. When the customer is bored, sad, interested in a topic or has a spare moment they immediately think of the product and company.

The Basics

While it sounds very simple to create this kind of company as there are so many of these sites already active, it isn’t as straightforward. Manufacturing desire is a skill that takes time to develop. The successful companies are the ones that can create the right hook for their customers.

Habit-forming technology has some identifying characteristics that come up in everything from video games to advertising campaigns. These are the five steps to create an effective hook. Although the process can be applied to a varied selection of companies and products this guide is focused on consumer Internet companies.

1) Trigger

The start of the process is what powers whether it is successful or not. Most of the time the triggers work in a combination of both external and internal ones. The technology will provide the customer with an external trigger to start a cycle towards an internal trigger. Some example external triggers are links on a website, an email, or an app icon. The feelings that these external triggers create will eventually become internalized, and a habit is formed.

2) Action

Once the trigger creates a desire, then the action needs to be directed. This can be based on two aspects of behavior: motivation and ability. The key to encouraging the customer to take the action is to make it as obvious and to make it require the least amount of effort possible. This is the ability aspect of the process. At the same time, the design of the product must continue the motivation aspect by being immediately attractive.

3) Reward

The reward step of the process is one of the most intricate and needs to be carefully planned. It isn’t easy enough to give a predictable reward, it must be a variable reward. If you gave a person a box, and there is a minimal reward inside that was continually the same, they would quickly take the box for granted and lose interest. If the box occasionally threw out a larger more exciting reward, then that changes everything.

Creating intrigue puts customers into an intense hunting state of mind. This makes desire become the guiding force. As a variable reward system, it can form some of the strongest habits. With the examples of Facebook or Pinterest, it is the fact that rewarding content is different with each visit. It is not predictable, and, therefore, it creates a need to visit more often to get greater rewards and the user’s next big “hit”.

4) Investment

Most habit-forming processes finish with the reward and create a short loop. The key to manufacturing desire is the investing phase. This step has two main goals. Firstly the company wants the customer to have a high chance of passing through the process again and again. Secondly is to use the dopamine reward state to push customers into parting with some cash, time, data, effort, or social capital.

The difference between most sales pitches is that with manufacturing desire the investment will improve the service. In terms of online companies, it comes in virtual assets, learning about new features, and inviting other users. The company uses each investment to make the trigger even more attractive. This will eventually result in the reward being more exciting with every pass the customer takes through the hook process.

Using The Power Wisely

Habit design is a powerful tool and should be utilized carefully. It can create a whole range of entertaining parts of a person’s lift and healthy routines. It can, however, be used to create extremely damaging and wasteful addictions.

Whether it is right or not to use is certainly an important question but one that has to be answered while also remembering that the technique is already here and is here to stay. The benefits for companies are just too great, including greater access to the collection of customer data. The combination of access, speed, and data create a whole range of types of habit-forming triggers.

With such a powerful effect, it is clear how important it is for a company to understand the hook process and how to utilize it successfully. Equally, the average customer needs to know precisely how these processes work in order to prevent excessive and unwanted manipulation.

Being able to manufacture desire is what will differentiate between companies that succeed and those that fail in the future. This is especially true for those that can build a service around especially attractive internal triggers that don’t require any need for further marketing or external triggers.

By following the four-step process can help any company to create a successful hook based product. For the customer, being aware of the processes will help to keep this powerful technique from being put into the hands of companies that are profiting off of damaging habits.

With the right companies using positive triggers that generate healthy or life-affirming rewards will mean that manufacturing desire will place many customers on a hook cycle that will benefit them and their wellbeing in general.

App developers need to be familiar with a number of different devices and platforms in order to make their applications usable for everyone. Applications began when Apple introduced the App Store, which is now the primary way of accessing applications for phones and tablets.

Apps are now being developed for both iOS and Android platforms with some success but now there are even more devices and platforms being introduced to the mix. The platform that is gaining popularity quickly is the smartwatch.

Smartwatches have been around for longer than you might think but since their development over a decade ago, they haven’t seemed to gain any traction. That is all changing as companies like Google and Apple, and even smaller companies, are developing smartwatches that are more attractive and user-friendly for consumers.

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Is Freemium Really Killing the Digital Gaming Industry?

With a market that is primed to accept a new piece of technology, these companies are taking advantage. They are lowering the prices, improving the features and the style of the watches as well as making them more aesthetically pleasing for the user. When a watch is more technologically advanced and more fashionable then consumers are more likely to be interested in purchasing and using it.

The growth in popularity of the smartwatch has been just as rapid as the developmental changes that have been implemented. Part of this means developing apps that are suited for the platform used by the watches.

The reasons for developing apps for smartwatches will prove to be challenging as well as fruitful for developers. We have listed some of the main reasons to get involved in the new platform below.

1. The New Kid In Town

There are only a select few operating systems for smartwatches, and there are already many apps available or being showcased for each. The Android Wear, Pebble, and Apple Watch Kit are all platforms that have yet to reach their potential in terms of available apps and features.

The apps that are available add something to the usability of the watch and the overall performance. This makes the smartwatches something even more appealing and more functional than an average watch or timepiece.

Getting into this amazing market of applications early will create a place for the developer in the market. This also means having an understanding of how the platform works from the beginning and being able to compete with the skills of other developers in terms of flexibility. Developers can become well known in the industry when they get into smartwatch app development right from the start.

2. Improving UX

Since this is a relatively young platform in the development world, there are a lot of functions that have yet to be discovered or added. These missing features could make the user experience even better and could be something that developers can use to make a name for themselves. There is a huge amount of room for improvement in terms of the stock of apps and the features they could add to the watches.

It is normal for operating systems to be updated and improved with new features and elements put out by the company. This often happens frequently over the lifetime of the app. This is the case with apps used on platforms that have already been well developed.

Before companies are able to begin making improvements for the smartwatch platform, developers have the opportunity to make a contribution by making these improvements for the companies in order to better establish their brands. Pebble alone already has over 5,000 apps and that number is only growing. Developers need to get into this market if they want to be successful overall.

3. Paid Apps

While apps for phones and tablets are often free or based on a rate that reflects the use of the app, smartwatch apps are often paid downloads. This is good news for everyone involved in the development, as monetary elements are definite.

Most users are expecting to pay for the apps that they use on their smartwatches as that was what the system used when the watches first came onto the scene. Because of this, there are more chances for developers and companies to make more money from the apps they put out to customers.

The unique additions that these apps add to the smartwatches make them more usable and provide valuable functions for the user that they are happy to pay for.

4. The Issue Of Fragmentation

Understanding that fragmentation between platforms has been a headache that all developers and companies would like to avoid. It is also why most have put more time and effort into keeping the operating system of the smartwatches easier to use and understand.

While phones have different platforms that need to be accommodated for, the smartwatch platform is more controlled, with little variation. This makes developing apps much easier.

5. Impressive Attributes

There are things that smartwatches can do that will impress any user. Their functionality includes a lot more than just telling time. There are sensors that allow the watch to collect data and interact with other devices.

This is primarily useful for fitness and notifying the user but the watch is becoming more versatile than ever before with the ability to make payments and operate the user’s vehicle.

The potential is there for developers to use to their advantage. There are ideas that can be developed for the watch specifically and elements that can be used to enhance the user experience fully.

Remember those ads that appear when you are watching videos on Youtube or banners that pop-up when visiting an online store? These are examples of how businesses monetize their websites — the same works for, not only paid but free mobile apps. Free apps are dominating the app market, with 96% in Google Play and 90.3% on App Store driving $71.3 billion in revenue. But those applications are free, so how do apps make money? 

If you have or plan to develop a free mobile app and want to learn more about app monetization strategies, this article is right for you. Below, we explain how to make money from an app, and how to choose one that will work for your app. 

Let’s begin. 

How Much Money Do Free Apps Make?

Today, the average owner of a mobile device uses 7-8 applications daily. At the same time, only 5-10% of mobile app users are ready to buy a paid app, and around 98% of profit and downloads come from free mobile apps. The vast majority of mobile app users prefer to use free apps, and this number is continually rising. In the first half of 2019, the number of free app downloads in Google Play increased by 16,4% and raised $41,9 billion in revenue.

Being more popular among users than paid apps, free apps have the potential to generate a significant profit. But how to choose the monetization model for your particular app? Let’s look at tips and find out. 

How to choose the best free app monetization strategy

To select the most profitable and effective strategy for mobile app monetization, you need to consider:

Business goals. Every mobile app has its business goal, i.e., the way it solves a user’s problem. App business goals impact the monetization model since users interact with them in different ways for different reasons. For instance, in-app purchases would not perform as well as a subscription for a mobile music app or, a subscription mobile is not the best option for educational apps with a lot of custom content. Thus, you can get the most profit if you apply the in-app purchases model, combined with ads. 

Target audience. Knowing and understanding your target users, especially paying users, known as the money spending core, will give you a clear picture of the best monetization model. To achieve this, create a portrait of your app users, think about the functionality they might need, and try to forecast how much time they would spend in the app. 

Competitors. As we said, each app solves a particular problem for the user. Thus, to select a suitable way to make money from free apps, take a closer look at competitors and other apps in your niche. There’s a chance that the monetization strategy, used by other apps from your industry, will suit your business as well.

Wondering how free apps make money? Let’s see what strategies you can apply to earn money from your free app. 

CROWDFUNDING FOR YOUR APP DEVELOPMENT

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO MAKE A MOBILE APP?

How do free apps make money: The most popular monetization strategies 

Depending on your business industry and app type, you can apply one monetization model or several at once. The list of app monetization models includes:

• Advertising and affiliate marketing
• In-app purchases
• Paid subscriptions
• Freemium
• Sponsorship
• Crowdfunding
• Transaction revenue

Now, let’s look at them in more detail. 

Advertising and affiliate marketing

Seven out of ten free apps generate income from running ads and promoting other businesses. If you want to apply this most common way of free app monetization, you can charge:

• Cost-per-mile (CPM) or cost per impression. You receive the payment for every 1,000 views of the ad
• Cost-per-click (CPC). You receive payment when the app users click on display ads
• Cost-per-view (CPV). You charge advertisers for the number of ad views or the number of interactions
• Cost-per-install (CPI). You are paid each time your app users install the app you promote

HOW TO MONETIZE AN APP

As you can see, there are different types of in-app ad fees as well as methods of showing ads to app users. There are five ways you can display ads to your app users:

• Banner Ads or Display Ads. The banner ad appears at the top or bottom of the mobile device screen so the app users can freely use your app. However, the engagement rate of such ads is quite low (0.1%). 
• Video Ads. Such ads appear during natural pauses of app usage and last 10-30 seconds. This ad category also includes rewarded video ads when the app user is rewarded for watching a full ad video. 
• Native Ads. Native ads, including sponsored content or videos, are integrated into the app layout and do not distract app users. Thus, users consider native ads less irritating compared to other types of ads. 
• Interstitial Ads. This type of ad looks like full-screen pop-ups displayed when the user opens or closes the app. Thus, the user can either close the ad or click on it to learn more about the promotion. 

Sponsorship and influencer marketing

This type of app monetization is similar to ads, but the difference is deeper integration to the app. Let us explain. Apart from just running ads, you can place a sponsor’s logo or icon on the splash screen, footer, or integrate sponsored content with special offers right to your app. To make this type of monetization model more profitable, find sponsors with the same target audience. For instance, if you have a fitness app, you can find sponsors among fitness centers, personal trainers, or healthy diet websites. 

Influencer marketing is a bit different way of sponsoring since you will deal, not with the business, but with an individual opinion leader, well known within your target audience. In this way, such an opinion leader will promote your app to fans and attract new users to your app. You can also ask an influencer to become an ambassador for your app, which is a prevalent strategy among famous brands. 

In-App Purchases

With this app monetization model, you can sell different types of items, including: 

• Consumable items that the user can use within the app, such as health points or digital currencies. 
• Non-consumable items that could be used permanently, such as new games, maps, or as blocking. 

In-app purchases increase user engagement rates and have users glued to the screen. This monetization method includes integrating native app store payment gateways since app stores charge 3% from each in-app purchase. 

HOW TO MAKE A MOBILE APP

Subscriptions

You can try making money on free apps using paid subscriptions. However, this model works for only 5% of apps with high user engagement, such as productivity or educational, music, or video streaming apps. This type of payment requires integrating third-party payment gateways such as Stripe or PayPal. Thus, app stores do not charge any commission. The app subscription works in the following way: 

• After downloading a free app, the user receives a trial period, usually a month, to try your app. 
• When the trial period ends, if the user continues using the app, they must buy a subscription. 

There are two types of subscriptions: 

• Non-renewing subscriptions when the user buys an app subscription for a particular period, as in one, three, or six months. After the end of the subscription period, the user must buy another subscription manually, so there will be no unexpected bills. This type of app monetization works well for seasonal apps such as gardening, sport, or hunting. 
• Automatically renewing subscriptions means the app automatically charges user fees every month, six months, or once a year. To ensure that app users will buy a subscription after a trial period,  users receive access to the app only after typing in their credit card details. 

Freemium 

You can make money from a free app using the freemium model, which is similar to the subscription model. The main difference is that the app user can use the free app version with basic features without any time restrictions. But, to receive an advanced feature-rich app version, users must pay monthly or annual fees. Statistics show that only 0.5-2% of app users buy a premium app version. On the other hand, a free version of your app will reach a broad audience and make your app viral. 

Crowdfunding 

Crowdfunding is particularly popular among startups and has proven to be an effective way of raising money. In North America alone, crowdfunding generated over $17.2 billion during 2018. If you need to attract additional funding for app development or marketing needs, you can use one of more than 400 crowdfunding platforms where any platform user can donate money. The most popular crowdfunding platforms for raising funds to mobile app projects are:

• Kickstarter
• Indiegogo
• CrowdFunder
• AppsFunder

To launch your crowdfunding campaign, you need to complete the following steps:

• Create fundraising goals for your campaign. Consider that your goals should be SMART- specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based. 
• Craft your story to tell others what your app is about, how you decided to develop it, and what problem it solves. In this way, you will show your app’s potential. 
• Create a compelling video, since video content is the most engaging means of storytelling. 
• Design a campaign page where you provide investors with a detailed description of your project. 
• Use social media to drive potential investors to your campaign. 

Transaction fees

You can charge transaction fees for making money with free apps if your mobile app belongs to the marketplace segment where users transact money. This niche includes not only e-commerce apps but also:

• Flight and hotel booking apps
• Dog walking apps
• Meal ordering apps

And others where there are buyers and sellers. For charging transaction fees, you need to integrate a third-party payment gateway API to your app. This task requires experience in coding, so we recommend hiring mobile app developers.  

Monetization model	Works best for	Things to consider
Ads	Any type of app, except for branded apps (e.g. e-commerce)	Pay attention to how many ads you use in your app so it doesn’t drive users off Design an app with ads in mind, so the app is usable Use less intrusive types of ads
Freemium	Apps with a broad audience Apps that are about making progress, e.g. games, educational apps, fitness apps	Maintain a balance between free and premium accounts
In-app purchases	Gaming Dating Apps with separate unique features or content	Broad audience Be clear about all micro-transactions Prevent accidental IAPs
Subscription	Content-based apps like streaming services	The constant development of new features or content Exceptional service and support Clear payments

In a nutshell

Free mobile apps have a more significant market share compared with paid apps. There are many strategies for free mobile app monetization, and each of them has a different user engagement rate and will generate a different amount of income. We recommend selecting the monetization model on the basis of your app niche, its purpose, and your target audience. 

To make your free app even more profitable, you can combine different monetization strategies: 

• You can run ads and offer users a paid ad-free app version, which is a win-win situation for you and your users. 
• You can also combine in-app purchases and subscriptions, or advertising and subscriptions.

If you find this article useful, I’ll be glad if you’ll share it with your friends on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Nowadays when the tech world is rapidly developing it takes a lot to put away “business-sharks” or throw them off balance. But even in the ever-changing area of the business industry, the conversion caused by the mobile field is a lot to take in. Mobile is not just a whole new landscape. It is a different state of mind.

One helpful step in adapting to this new reality is letting confusions and misunderstandings go away. It’s one thing if you’re building a mobile app as a hobby. However, it’s another story if you’re going to develop a business. To assist you to do that, here are some simple tips to follow.

1. Capital accumulation depends only on the client base

Today’s business directors clearly understand that having a numerous client base does not mean that your product will be turned into a benefit for your profit. A lot of mobile apps are being offered free of charge. It means that mobile promoters need to make more efforts while creating their mobile application monetization plan.

They may learn from other mobile company’s mistakes that have translated their achievements into cash. But there is one positive moment in the Smartphone revolution that has created some new profit sources. Nowadays, entrepreneurs don’t need to encourage users for using their products because user data is becoming a whole new currency. 

2. A good marketing strategy means to be in the spotlight

The first rule is to choose quality over quantity! A small group of trusted and nicely selected users would be more effective in earning capital than tons of users.

It’s weird to see that even nowadays big companies are looking for collecting as many app downloads as possible instead of focusing on loyal users. While it may appear to be silly, to invest resources in a smaller source of customers instead of a wide range is what mobile marketing calls for. 

3. Stay away from the red ocean strategy

A highly competitive market must be a prerogative. However, it doesn’t mean that you should fall out of business. User’s instability sometimes could work for you if you have a creative background and managing and marketing skills to beat up a rivalry.

Conducting close focused research and the market investigation is important in any case, and even if you come up with a completely original idea, you would still have to do enormously hard work to succeed. The notion line is simple: don’t let the opposition turn you back and simply make a task to improve your skills and win a competition.

4. Entrepreneurs are the chosen few

Due to opening new markets and fields of investigation, the popularity of mobile app solutions has turned a lot of entrepreneurs without a solid tech background into qualified mobile leaders.

Because, the fact we carry a cell phone every day, use different apps, play games, and live a digitized lifestyle creates plenty of possibilities for building our own successful business. 

5. Creating a great product is the most important issue

There are plenty of mobile companies that believe wholeheartedly that storming the App Store with their digital products without any proper basis is a profitable business deal. You need to give your product a favorable push with a smart launch strategy, followed by disputable optimization efforts.

You must take into consideration this little but very useful truth, and set a target replacing the misguided notion of “If you create it, they will buy”.
And last but not least. Here is a story about the owner of a small community-minded mobile coffee truck. She needed an effective way to increase her customers including a simple messaging system that will show the truck’s location and suitable hours.

Since launching her app, the benefits to her project have exceeded all the expectations. Her winning app feature is a loyalty card that she actively promoted. So, it is a good sample of a good strategy for small business development. She said:” Customers save money, and we make money. So, it’s a win-win.”

Even an experienced entrepreneur can learn something useful from this list of tips.

In this strange and relentless world of mobile application development, the first impression is the thing that matters the most. If your app attracts attention – this is the goldmine.

While it seems to be an obvious thing to claim, some tend to ignore the user experience and first impression, hoping that content alone will make it gangbusters. It doesn’t work like that, however, because in order for the user to get to your amazing content, s/he needs to have your app on their mobile devices.

The consequences of failing to make a positive and ultimately engaging impression are well-known, but there is hope as there are several fairly simple ways of making your application look attractive in the app market.

Here are 10 tips that will help you to make your app look cool in the app store.

How to Market Your Mobile App?

Clearly defined target audience

App store works in mysterious ways at times. There are thousands upon thousands of applications of all walks of life — but only those which happened to be in top-25 charts are making serious business. The rest is just there doing time and stuff. Why is it so?

The reason for that lies in the users. For the most part, they are not looking for some peculiar deep cut options, they need to do something, and they simply take what is lying on the surface. The logic behind this decision is simple — apps presence in the top-25 is a noteworthy sign that this particular app is actually useful and trustworthy.

This means — in order to get through you need to be in the top-25. How? Two words — App marketing.

If you want to compete with the big boys — you need to convince users that your app is worth attention. Your goal is to thoroughly explain what makes your app better and/or different from the others.

How? Look at the application from the user’s point of view. Channel directly to their needs and expectations for certain kinds of apps. Why should he care about it? That’s the secret.

Focus on local markets and work on regional rankings

Another important element is knowing where your target audience is situated country-wise. It is one thing when you need to get into the top 25 of the United States and completely another when you need to get into the United Kingdom top 25. Thresholds are different and the competition varies.

By localizing your target market and focusing your efforts on building up the presence there you can save yourself a lot of time and money. It is that simple.

In the case of non-English speaking countries, it makes sense to make a fully localized version. Even though it seems like everyone knows English — not everyone is comfortable using it. The thing is — for the most part, users prefer to use an application in their native language. Adding support of other languages broadens the international appeal of the application and immensely widens your audience.

Apply an App Store Optimization (ASO)

App Stores are huge. It is easy to get lost there. The success of an application depends on the discovery factor. For the most part, users are either skimming on the top or going straight through the referrals. The majority of users don’t go beyond that.

But since there are hundreds upon hundreds of various applications trying to present themselves in the most engaging manner possible — the competition for the top spots is very high. Even if your app is actually better than the others in a selected field — it doesn’t mean it will stand out in the search results. Quite the contrary is within a probability.

Hopefully, App Store SEO aka ASO can help.

How? You see — search engines are weird beasts with less reason than a bag of bats locked in a submarine. They live by their own rules and you can study them in order to turn the tables into your favor.

By applying ASO you give yourself an additional advantage in the quest for user’s discovery. Simple adjustment of the description and elaborations of the title can work magic for the discovery factor. Combined with high volume low competition keywords — it moves your app up the search results ladder straight to the top.

Learn more about app store optimization or google play store optimization.

Make your app icon distinct

An icon is the first thing users see of your application. In many ways, it is a “make it or break it” situation. You either hook the user, and he goes on to check out the description and the screenshots, or he just moves on through the search results.

An icon shows what your app represents. It is your coat of arms. It tells what the app is about through common symbolism.

Here are a few handy tips on making a distinct icon:

• It should be catchy and easy to remember;
• It should not be cluttered (remember that it’s the icon, not a screen)
• It should be tied to the purpose of the app;
• It can be a play on words or images based on the app’s purpose or name.

Make a convincing screenshot showcase

Screenshots play important role in the consideration of whether to download an app. On the surface it seems like a nothing deal — just throw in a bunch of screenshots that show how an app works – that’s how app developers usually see it. But in reality, it is a bit trickier.

Upon selecting screenshots for the App Store page, you need to keep in mind how users perceive them. They need to understand what is what and how it works through static images. If done right, screenshots can serve as a strong rationale for your mobile app marketing campaign. However, you should keep them to the point and ultra-descriptive.

Here are several things you need to keep in mind about the visual presentation in the App Store:

• Show full cycle of navigation (for example, on-boarding process)
• Show features of the app and appropriate screens for them
• Record a video of how the app works
• Tell a story to the user of how s/he could use the app

Take full advantage of the video opportunities

While adding video presentation to the page may seem abundant — it can be used to further the impression of the product and incite positive decision i.e. download.

How does it work? Basically, this is like an ad for the app. Don’t simply repeat your screens, but rather, make the user want to use your app and be happier / healthier / more positive (whatever your app is designed to do).

For example, how the app solves a particular problem or how it allows doing more than other apps. The key element is relatability. If the potential user can’t relate to the problem depicted or doesn’t identify himself with the target audience, chances are s/he won’t get the app (unless s/he falls in love with the design or micro-interactions…)

Make description credible

While the visual aspect is able to raise awareness and carry out the first contact — it is a description that makes a final stroke in the “to install and or to pass on” story. The well-written description of an application works on two fronts:

• Explains what the app is about;
• Presents apps value proposition;

Keep in mind that the text consists of two parts. One that is seen in the search results and the rest of the app page. You need to make the opening lines as catchy as possible so that the user will go to the app page and consider the download.

Think about it from a user’s perspective. For example, you need an app to take notes. You’ve found one and it looks kinda fine, but the description is just some atrocious mix of buzzword mumbo-jumbo and hapless braggadocio. You go “yikes” and move on.

Here are several handy tips on how to make app description work in your favor:

• Must be written in an engaging manner;
• Must explain the purpose of an app in plain words;
• (optional) Show the benefits and advantages of your product in contrast with competitors;
• Must be slightly intriguing.

Secure glossy user reviews and ratings

User ratings and app reviews are an incredibly influential factor when it comes to consideration on whether to download an app. Basically, the better app store reviews the better conversion. However, it is also one of the places where you have little control over the situation.

It can go both ways — scare off potential users due to exposing flaws and inconsistencies or convince them to try it out by the sheer power of positive reaction.

How to secure good reviews? It all comes to one thing — make a good app that is actually useful and tested through and through before going on the market. And if there any problem occurred, just fix it on the notice.

Word of Mouth matters

Referrals are one of the most common ways of discovering new applications. What makes it happen? In a nutshell, it is a direct result of the positive reception of your application. I.e. app is so good, users are telling other users to try it out.

How to make it? Basically, try-hard, and make a good app, spice it with a clever marketing campaign, and voila.

However, because of that, there is little to no control over it. You can’t artificially generate positive word of mouth.

Sure, you can strike a partnership deal with an influencer who will recommend your app to his audience but that is not a guarantee of positive word of mouth. In fact, it can backfire as an attempt to shove something down the throat.

Make frequent updates

One of the most effective ways of maintaining a consistent presence in The App store is through a steady stream of updates. The logic behind it is simple — it shows that an application is still moving forward and evolves into a better thing.

There are several types of updates worth mentioning:

• Regular updates — refined features, fixed problems, etc;
• Optional updates — supplementary features (new photo filters, etc);
• Seasonal updates — April’s Fools Day treacherous trolling user experience;

Every update in one way or another is a legitimate reason to remind already engaged users about an app and also attract new users through readjusting ASO.

In conclusion

Promoting an application is a challenge. But with these little tips in mind, you can be sure that all your marketing efforts will be ultimately fruitful.

If you decide to rebrand your product, don’t forget your mobile strategy. It’s always a decisive ritual of transformation when you decide to rebrand your product line because mobile is no longer a by-product.

Mobile strategy plays an integral part in a whole process, whether it’s to stand out from competitors, increase sales, exclude a negative image or present new features. We have compiled 5 marketing questions each entrepreneur should ask themselves before starting a rebranding journey.

1. Do I really need an app?

Apps aren’t suitable for all types of companies, so why this question is important. You definitely need an app, when you can offer mobile users an improved, balanced experience that connects with your brand’s nature. The app should work in a way users can interact with the label. On the other side, when should you remove your app?

There are many apps that need a real purpose because a lot of brands are launching an app just for the sake of one without counting of the added value. The best proof that your app isn’t worth your precious time and money when it demonstrates the same content that is featured on your website.

2. The interface of the website. How should it look?

Let’s be honest, there is nothing more embarrassing and irritating in 2015 than creating an awkward website that is not suitable for mobile screens. Moreover, visiting sites via mobile phone far exceeded desktop, users. All that really matters that you must guarantee that your website is mobile-friendly because consumers will buy or download your product using their mobile devices.

3. Should your brand use Multilingualism?

If companies want to interact with consumers and form a deeper connection, they must speak “their “language. During the rebranding process, the majority of labels change their names and logos to show a new identity. This new “personality” will most likely endeavor to advertise new fresh ideas and values, but don’t forget that the language used by your project should reflect this “breezy identity”.

4. Target the proper audience?

When you decide to rebrand your product, usually your target audience isn’t going to remain the same. It is a great opportunity to focus your strength on those you are trying to attract the most.

The same thing with a mobile strategy: Your new label’s audience must apply in your mobile ad targeting. Truth be told, mobile is a perfect background for brands who want to check different groups as the eventual target audience.

5. How should I introduce my new marketing concept?

For those who are making some changes to their concept, there is one important rule. They should inform their customers and the whole market about the name, slogan, or logo changing for their company.

In this case, you can use some really aggressive strategy like a mobile advertising campaign on popular platforms. This method will inform customers about your re-branding.

For example, Airbnb decided to change its logo that was not appropriate for the entire concept of the company. A new logo was about the Belo symbol that stands for ‘belonging’. Their entire strategy was built then on the ‘belonging’ basis and theme.

It was perfectly adapted to their website, interface, and, of course, mobile application. However, they did not prepare their customers for changes, and the brand got its portion of negative feedback after the logo was released. People just called it ‘ugly’ and ‘weird’ with no idea what it was.

So, what lesson can we learn from this example? Well, you should remember that before showing your audience your new image, look, and concept you should educate them. And mobile marketing would be the perfect decision for that task.

So, you should launch some really massive educational campaigns to demonstrate your new features, logo, corporative colors, and stuff. Lead your customers to step by step to the whole new concept. This will be your perfect foundation for rebranding.