Top 6 Models to Monetize Your Mobile Ads

Mobile App Monetization

You probably have heard about mobile app monetization – monetizing app to generate revenue. Here, we are talking about mobile ad monetization – monetizing mobile ads to get the ready-to-buy users. It simply means implementing effective mobile ad strategies to convince the users to click the ad and complete the task.
 

With the increasing competition in the mobile advertising space, app marketing experts are gaining deeper knowledge of mobile purchase behavior of users and marking the tipping point to make the mobile ad strategies more effective. From various strategies, here we have focused on monetization models – mobile ad platforms used to deliver a huge variety of ads to the users.

1. Banner Ads

You can occupy the top or bottom space of the app to display your ads with the help of banner ads. When users are in a mood to search something new within the app, they will come to your ads, click them and download a new app or watch a video or whatever the ad is for.
Banner Advertising Platforms: Apple’s iAd, Google’s AdMob

2. Interstitial Ads

The name is quite confusing, but its concept is clear to understand and implement. Interstitial Ads occurs at some specific point like the ad appears at the beginning of the app or at the end of level completed on game app. 
Interstitial Advertising Platforms: TapJoy, RevMob, Flurry

3. Rewards Ads

Rewards Ads are used to offer rewards to the users if they complete any task. You can grab users by offering reward points, deals, discounts, coupons, freebies, etc., via reward ads. Like Interstitial Ads, Reward Ads also occur at the particular point, for example, if the user completed a hard level of the game, a pop-up message will occur, displaying some rewards like freebies or a discount on a meal in a nearby restaurant.
Rewards Advertising Platforms: Kiip, Avocarrot

4. Offer Walls

These types of ad models are for Unity game makers or marketers. Using offer walls, you can give an option to users to buy virtual goods of the game in exchange of real money or complete some action within the game to enjoy the virtual items free of cost.
Offer Walls Advertising Platforms: TapJoy, StartApp, Fiksu

5. Notification Ads

Notification Ads capture immediate attention of users even if they are not active on your app. These Ads are mostly to remind users about the app, pushing them to come back or letting them know about the newly introduced updates.
Notification Advertising Platforms: AirPush, LeadBolt

6. Native Advertising

Native Advertising is used by content based app where they can display ads on the news feed. Facebook is a good example of native advertising as it is showing ads as a part of the news feed and doing pretty well.

Native Advertising Platforms: AdRoll, Sharethrough, PubNative

Selection of a mobile ad model depends upon the quality, user engagement and content of the app. Research first before you choose any model and try to understand the best suitable model for your app. Right choice will boost your mobile app monetization campaign towards the way of success, but the conditions would be reversed with a wrong selection. So, better to spend a good amount of time on research.

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Include your Mobile App in your Marketing Strategy

No matter whether you have a big or small business, bringing a mobile app as a part of your marketing strategy is a smart decision. In fact, from every 5 consumers, 4 are using smartphones for shopping and performing other online tasks. 2014 has already marked as the year of mobile internet usage – surpassed the usage of desktop browsing.  That’s why, these days, apps are the single most lucrative marketing tools available there for businesses and organizations, helping them to get in touch and keep getting in touch with the masses.

However, bringing a mobile app to the marketing strategy is a lot more than just integrating a mobile-friendly version of your business. Heaps of work goes on while creating a mobile app that meets the business requirements and consumers’ needs. But, how to put a finishing touch on such goal? This blog is all about the challenges and efforts used to face them when you have a mind for mobile app marketing strategy.

The Biggest Challenge

Every user has a different behaviour when it comes to mobile and its apps. Not all will remain engaged with the app, not all will leave the app after one time usage. You will get the real benefits from users who remain engaged with the app for a long time. Studies reveal that 20% of total apps are used only once and you have to do the best to keep your app away from such stats.

The biggest mistake industries are doing is that they are trying to make a replica of website in the form of app. An app is a small version of your business not your website. Make it like mobile friendly software and keep it best for mobile user experience. Furthermore, the following five tips will help you create a fresh, modern and responsive app experience for your users.

1. A Mobile Perspective

An app should not be a mixture of features; it should be a frame of what users want and how to serve them seamlessly on mobile via app. Start counting the characteristics of your favourite apps and use them again, you will find that they are so reliable and smooth to use. The same approach must be present in your app to keep the users engaging.

2. Easy and Effective Navigation

After planning the set of features you want to integrate into your app, the next step is to simplify the navigation to the end user. A quickly accessible and easily digestible content is what users wish to read on their mobile. It means the navigation should work like if users open the app, they can easily navigate to their favourite content without tapping more than 3 times on screen. It should be easy enough that whatever the page user opens, he must return back to the home screen with a click.

3. Visual Aesthetics

Initially, users get interact with the designs of the app and later its features. Before the user decides whether to engage with the app or not, he looks for visual design as it is the one user sees, knows, and relates first. Visually immersive and impressive designs make the users feel sleek when they type, swipe, tap and pinch on their mobile screen.

4. Mobile Tools

Mobile tools increase your capacity to build apps faster and easier. They will also help you accomplish various mobile app tasks within a short time. Some important tools like push notifications, Geofencing, etc. all will give your app a push to be more advance for users.

5. A Path to Monetization

App monetization is a comprehensive strategy that fills your funds for future plans. If you want to make your app a prime source of income, start planning your monetization strategies and implement them while making the app. You can charge an upfront fee for the app or there are lots of methods that make you earn through free apps like in-app purchases, in-app advertisements, subscription charges, cost for more advance features, etc.

Summing It Up

Put all the above actions together and also incorporate your own creativity to give a boost to your app marketing services. The best thing for above steps is that they don’t require large financial outlays to get done as you can follow them even without spending a penny. Remember that all the above actions require constant time investment and active observations of maximum benefits for best results.

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5 Steps to Prepare Your Apps for the Holiday Rush

A gift-given season is ahead and 91% of people have already decided to make their purchase via mobile app. Another 96% of users have decided to browse their products for next purchases via mobile app. It means, soon, app stores will become cram-full with a massive traffic and tons of app requests. As soon as the holidays arrive, the users will boot up, get-up-and-go to the app stores to have a great app collection to pass the holidays.

A Flurry report says that during Christmas days of 2013, an increase of 91% has been notified in app downloads which is very high as compared to other days or the first half of December. For December 2014, estimations and expectations are quite higher as compared to last year because of big breaks of apps with supplementary user benefits. Thus, it will prove to be a wonderful season with a phenomenal opportunity for app makers, app publishers and app marketers.

However, app developers and marketers are required to cover the wide area of key considerations during such season. One of the notable matter is the shutdown of Apple iTunes Connect during Christmas holidays due to which new app versions will not be released and users will not be able to get an updated version. So, it’s a perfect time to learn about how to prepare app for the holidays. To make your apps perfect for the holiday season, few tips are assembled here, which may prove to be a useful advice for you and your app.

Start Your Planning for App Version and Pricing Updates

As you will not be able to add any version or make changes to your app, once the iTunes Connect Shutdown, so it’s better to start the plans and implement them before the holidays. If you have another app development idea for next version or want to update the app pricing policy, this is the right time to put the thinking into action.

Garnish as Per the Occasion

When you pay a visit to the retail store during the end of the November or the whole month of December, most of times you will hear the music which is played to inspire your purchase decision and revisit intention. You have to apply a similar trick at your app. Instead of music, integrate some holiday themes to delight the users’ eyes, to increase their engagement and to enhance the click-through rates.

Don’t compromise on pricing associated with your business goals

It’s good to give discounts to grab a huge audience, but make sure that your discounts are not affecting your business goals. You must utilize holiday season to earn a good amount of profit, make sure that you are not going on a reverse side. Calculate your metrics before applying any strategy to see the estimated profits. With this, you will become able to plan more perfectly without comprising your basic profits.

Empower the First Impression

During the holiday season, the lucky are those app developers whose apps impress the users at a first glance. They are rewarded with customer loyalty and retention just because of the impressive first impression. You can also enable your app to leave a long lasting impression on the user’s mind by empowering the tools that solves almost all issues of users. In short, you have to engage your customer’s by resolving their questions and helping them in the best possible manner.

Carry on with your campaign

Don’t stop when the holidays come to an end. Keep going on with your campaign as after Christmas, New Year is the next celebration event of users when they might expect something from your app.

Many consumers are planning to buy a new device on this Christmas and they are looking for apps they will downloads when they hold the device in their hands. Keeping apps ready is necessary so that when users are searching for some interesting one, your app must grab their attention to be the first app of their new device.

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Writing a Press Release for a Ready-to-launch App

Writing a press release before the official release of the app is a first step towards the pre launch app marketing strategy which no one likes to skip as it helps to build a strong base. Writing a press release is an easy task, but writing a press release that actually stands out is considerably a hard work. Every week tons of press releases are published online, limiting the chances of having a good amount of people to read the press release of the new app launch.

A great coverage is possible only when you put the mixture of time, effort, standard rules and syntax. Start putting in your efforts by collecting the mail ids of journalists, bloggers, etc. you know will publish your app. Instead of a press release, send them a friendly note first, including a sentence or two describing the app, a link to a screenshot or video, and a polite request for whether they’d like to publish your press release. Finally, send a press release of your app to those who accepted your request.

Here is a breakdown of elements, you need to write an effective press release that your reporters and bloggers can scan easily and get a good sense of what’s there something new and noteworthy about your app.

Press Release Structure

Let’s go through stepwise.

1. App Icon and App Name: Start your press release with the icon of the app at the top and place the name nearby so that people can easily recognize your app.

2. Subject: Put a short and sweet sentence as a subject line of the press release. It should be in a way that readers at least get the idea of entire news. For instance, it’s a new release; you can say that your app is available now on app stores.

3. Summary: It’s not easy to keep the users hook to read the full post. Summary is the chance for you to convince your users to read further. In summary, you have to tell them how your post is interesting and what they will get if they read it. Don’t make it too long to be boring. Keep it in the limit of two to three sentences.

4. Intro: Again re-explain your app in 2/3 sentences, but in a different way as it must look different from the summary. Add location and release data before starting introduction writing.

5. Screenshots: Constant reading sometimes makes the readers feel bored. Colorful images make the reading more interesting for readers. Put the screenshots of your app after intro to leave a long lasting impression of the app on the user’s mind.

6. Description: Here comes the key part of your press release. If readers reached to this part, it means they are willing to know about your app, its purpose, its features, its benefits or everything that describes the app. Explain the app, what it does, which features it contains, which benefits it delivers, why users must install it and be in touch with it.

7. Facts: Price, Availability & Coming Up: Put the facts in a one or two lines with the app price, release date, OS requirements, language, etc.

8. Website URL with Information: Mention the URL of your app or the website of your company along with an invitation to pay a visit to it.

9. About the Company: Put a line, describing about your company like the awards you won, apps you made, etc.

10. Declare Ending: Throw “###” at the end to declare the end of the press release.

11. Contact Information: Make a way for your users to reach you by putting some contact information at the end.

Conclusion

A good press release is the one written to the point, laying the true records of facts and made in a readable format. Attractive and informative headlines, useful summary and some images of the app, all together can give a beautiful shape to the press releasewriting for app that users like to read. Using the above given structure, you can also write a press release related to the new version of the app, additional features, necessary updates, etc.

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5 Actionable Ways to Monetize your Freemium Apps

Nowadays, the most effective way to earn money from apps is to launch a freemium app. Users are more attracted towards free app as a freemium app works like a sample which users can try for free and if they like it, they can proceed confidently for the premium version. Freemium app version keeps the users happy with limited features and removes the fear of losing money in premium app.

In the app store market, freemium models are making more money than paid apps. Numerous app marketing and advertising methods are there, opening the ways for developers and app marketers to obtain an ROI, if applied in a right manner, at a right place and at a right time. Here are several best-performing methods and a strategy to apply them with your app.

Add Ability using Add-Ons

Using add-ons, you can enable users to take direct action via apps. For example, your users are using freemium version of app, integrating add-on of premium version can motivate your users to upgrade for more features directly from app. It is a great way to ensure a good cash flow via a freemium app.

Content Subscription Plan

Content subscription plan works well for news, gossip and any other app, delivering any content to users. Users love to get tips on topics, they love to read. Paying a penny in a month for great tips is not a big deal for users. For example, women love to read beauty tips, you can offer them content subscription plan for daily beauty tips. So, if you have any app like this, you can open a huge opportunity to earn some money from your users.

In-app Purchases

You might be thinking that in-app purchases and add-ons are working in a similar way so both of them are same. Of course, they are working in a similar way, but they are different based on the features, they avail. Add-ons are just a part of additional features in an app while in-app purchases can be anything, it can be a feature, it can be an advertisement, it can be a new level of a game, new tips for an art app, etc. In-app purchases are named as the most common and effective of app monetization.

Promotion and Sale of Physical Products

Apps can effectively play the role of an advertiser who promotes your products and convince users to buy them. High profile companies like Nike and FitBit, also has released their own apps to promote their products. Apps are delivering a better user experience due to which users are more addicted for apps and companies are taking a huge benefit of such addiction.

Offer Limited Experience At Free of Charge

Offer your freemium app with a limited experience and a premium app with a full experience. If users are happy with your freemium version, they like to be happier with the paid version. Excite your users with the limited experience and offer them a full experience in exchange of real money.

Conclusion

Popular apps like Candy Crush, Clash of Clans, Pandora Radio, Hay Day, etc are totally free, but in actually, they are earning in millions even more than the paid apps. These lucrative yet free apps are called as freemiums and also considered as an inspiration for those, looking for indirect ways to earn money from apps.

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Which is the best Revenue Model for my App?

App Monetization, App Revenue Models

Apps can be monetized via paid models, freemiums, in-app purchases, and others. It depends on your business needs and targeted goals that which model you would like to choose from. Each model comes with a different set of benefits, shortfalls, and a different monetizing strategy. Let's see, which app revenue models have a best match with your business and its goals.

Model 1: Free App - Ad Revenue

In this model, your app will be free for users, and your revenue will come from ads shown by your app. Ad revenue model is a slowest money maker for which you have to keep some patience. Once your app gets fixed in a huge number of smartphones, it will give you a way of constant earning. Facebook, Yelp, etc are some successful examples of ad revenue model.

Characteristics

• It is easy to build traffic with free app
• From total app downloads, 95% are free
• Ad revenue model is quite challenging for startups

Model 2: Free App - Alternate Revenue Model

Alternate revenue model refers to offer an app at free of cost and follow the multiple ways of earning revenue from it. You can offer ads, deals, coupons, redirection to an eCommerce site, and other app monetization strategies. It means earning from the free app via different revenue models. Here, you are free to follow any strategy as per changing circumstances of your business or changing moods of your users. A popular app named Urbanspoon follows various revenue models including affiliate networks, ads, brand advertising, city search ads, etc.

Characteristics

• Appreneurs are free to follow and change the revenue model
• With alternate options, chances are more to grab the huge number of users
• Quite challenging to follow this model

Model 3: Paid App - Freemium Model

Freemium model includes two types of app: one is free to download for users and second one is a part of the upgrade with advance features for which users have to pay. Your free app will convince users to turn to upgrade version by paying for it. Freemium model is considered as the best money maker for apps of almost all categories like games, entertainment, utility, etc. StickTennis, Angry Birds, etc. are some great inspirations of the freemium model.

Characteristics

• Freemium model is a best way to promote your paid app
• With free app version, you can also use ads to earn revenue
• Appreneurs have to manage two apps

Model 4: Paid App - Price Model

Paid apps generate a direct and immediate income. But only few consumers get convinced to pay for the apps, they haven't used any more. For startups, launching a paid app had been an ever challenging task as their business name is not a brand on which users can trust and pay for their app. For big brands like Microsoft, it is easy to grab users even with paid app.

Characteristics

• A direct way to earn revenue, especially for big brands
• Quite difficult to get the users for a paid app
• Required to have a good traffic growing source

Model 5: Gaming App - Virtual Currency Model

Nowadays, virtual currency is the most profitable model in the app world. Gaming apps have their own virtual currency, which users can use to move to the further levels and to obtain this currency; users are required to pay real money. This model is connected with gaming apps and if the game is truly addictive in nature, then users will not wait a lot to pay for it. Some popular apps like Temple Run, Gunship Battle, etc. are additive games that easily convince the users to pay for virtual currency.

• Best revenue model for addictive games
• Easy to earn in a short amount of time
• Creating an addictive game app may cost you a lot

Model 6: An App - Subscription Model

Subscription model works best for magazine and video content publishers, but they have to put a lot of work to get the users sign up and keep up with a subscription on a regular basis. The developer has to maintain a constant innovation within the apps to keep up with this model as it is quite weak to hold the users for a long time.

• Only some apps can have an assured success with it
• Requires constant innovation by developers
• The most risky model to follow

Conclusion

It is not mandatory to use any one model listed ahead. You can even go for multiple models with one app like following a freemium model along with ad revenue, so when users switch to upgrade, they can get rid of extra ads. Opportunities are many, but you have to be creative to grab them and get the most out of them.

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Mobile Website or Mobile Apps: What does your business needs?

App Marketing, Mobile App Monetization

When you are trying to decide whether you need a mobile app or a mobile website for business, you 

have to consider lots of factors ranging from cost to the development cycle to the targeted audience. Mobile website and mobile app both have their own advantages and disadvantages which one has to evaluate to reach the final decision. You can either create a mobile app or a mobile website or both, looking at the current needs of your business.

Key Difference between Mobile App and Mobile Website

Before analysing the ups and downs of mobile app and mobile website, you have to understand the 

key difference between them so that you can take decision more confidently.

A mobile website looks like any other website; just a difference is that a mobile website is designed for handheld devices or you can say for touchscreen devices like smartphones and tablets. Like any other website, a mobile website also includes text, data, images, videos, call-to-action, location-based mapping, etc.

Mobile app is a type of software that users download and install on their mobile device. Mobile apps can be used without internet connection. Users don't require opening browsers to use the mobile apps. To get an a mobile app for the particular operating system, users can visit various portals like the Apple app store, Google Play store, Blackberry App world, etc. Apps are also efficient enough to integrate contents like a website or much more than that.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Mobile Apps

Advantages

• Doesn't require any browser for use
• Adaptable by all screens
• Mobile app can use the other functions of device like GPS, camera, etc.
• Builds loyalty among customers and increases retention
• Runs faster than mobile website
• Doesn't require internet connection
• Users spend more time on apps as compared to the web
• Send push notifications to users
• App marketing ensures an improved ROI

Disadvantages

• Requires long term investment and high maintenance cost
• Updates require in every few months to keep the users hooked
• Require to insist customers for downloads
• Need good app reviews and ratings to get it up on the app store
• Require to create different apps for each platform
• Extra charges by app stores

Advantages & Disadvantages of Mobile Websites

Advantages

• Easy to update
• Requires low investment and low maintenance charges
• Easily searchable and optimizable
• Compatible with all platforms
• No extra charges by any portal

Disadvantages

• Relies on internet connection
• Need a browser 
• Has less control on the type of device
• Cannot send push notifications to users
• Can't use the other functions of mobile device

Which is More Preferable - An App or A Mobile Website?

You will find the answer of this question within the criteria of what you want to build or what your business needs. For instance, if you have plans to create a game, an app would prove to be a better choice or if you want to deliver mobile-friendly content across the wider audience, a mobile website is more preferable. In some cases, you might require creating an app as well as a mobile website to fulfil your business needs and connected goals.

Statistics: Mobile Apps and Mobile Web

• According to Neilson, smartphone users spend their 89% of time on mobile apps and only 11% on the mobile web
• Consumer retention and engagement with apps is higher than mobile web
• Apps offer a richer experience of in-app purchases or in-app ads, unlikely in mobile web
• An app can be sold or let you earn a good revenue via in-app purchases while a website cannot be sold and also cannot convince users to pay for surrounding ads.
• Freemium apps are earning higher revenue through various mobile app monetization strategies

Conclusion

In a quickly evolving mobile market, a mobile presence is must via app or a mobile web or both. You can't assure whether your decision is right or wrong, but looking at the current stats, benefits and shortfalls and most importantly, your business needs and user's expectations will take you close to the right choice.

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