Download - Technological Strategies & Monetization
Technological strategiesTechnological strategies&
MonetizationIvano MalavoltaIvano Malavolta
http://www.di.univaq.it/malavolta
Mobile Web
Mobile web seems to be the only longlonglonglong----termtermtermtermcommercially viable content platform for mobile commercially viable content platform for mobile devices
Reasons:
• Fragmentation
• The web• The web
• Distribution Control
• Consumer expectations
• Web Ubiquity
Fragmentation
If you go native…
there are too many platforms to be supportedthere are too many platforms to be supported
The Web
the only medium for information and services that lastsfrom over 15 15 15 15 yearsyearsyearsyearsfrom over 15 15 15 15 yearsyearsyearsyears
The web is an advancedadvancedadvancedadvanced technologytechnologytechnologytechnology• webGL• Local storage management• Positioning & mapping• Physical engines• Physical engines• Real-time data• Push• …
Distribution Control
BeforeBeforeBeforeBefore........OperatorsOperators
NowNowNowNowDevice and Platform makers
FutureFutureFutureFutureDevelopers
Consumer expectations
UsersUsersUsersUsers expectexpectexpectexpect thingsthingsthingsthings totototo just workjust workjust workjust work
� they don’t care about what platform they have
�they simply expect that your app will be availablefor their device
so…
YOU HAVE TO BE CROSSYOU HAVE TO BE CROSSYOU HAVE TO BE CROSSYOU HAVE TO BE CROSS----PLATFORMPLATFORMPLATFORMPLATFORM
Web Ubiquity
The web is the only platform that
• works across devices• works across devices
• apps share the same set of standards
• the same app can work also on a desktop
Web Ubiquity
The mobile web is also
• The easiest platform to learnlearnlearnlearn
• The cheapest to produceproduceproduceproduce
• The most standardizedstandardizedstandardizedstandardized
• The easiest to distributedistributedistributedistribute• The easiest to distributedistributedistributedistribute
Native vs Web vs Hybrid Apps
There are no golden rules here…
It depends on a lot of factors, such as
• Which typetypetypetype ofofofof appappappapp are you creating?
• WhenWhenWhenWhen do you need it?
• What are your skillsskillsskillsskills? • What are your skillsskillsskillsskills?
http://bit.ly/GWOaP1
Skills/tools
NativeNativeNativeNative HybridHybridHybridHybrid Mobile WebMobile WebMobile WebMobile Web
Objective-CJavaCC++C#VB.net
HTMLCSSJavascriptMobile development framework (like PhoneGap)
HTMLCSSJavascript
VB.net
Device Access
Native Hybrid Mobile Web
Full access:(Camera, microphone, GPS, gyroscope, accelerometer, file upload, etc…)
Full access:(Camera, microphone, GPS, gyroscope, accelerometer, file upload, etc…)
Partial access:(GPS, gyroscope, accelerometer, file upload)
Native App
PROPROPROPROLets you create apps with rich user interfaces Lets you create apps with rich user interfaces and/or heavy graphics
CONSCONSCONSCONS• Development Time• Development Cost• Development Cost• Ongoing Maintenance• No portability (apps cannot be used on other platforms)
Mobile Web App
PROPROPROPROOffers fast development, simple maintenance, and Offers fast development, simple maintenance, and full application portability
One mobile web app works on any platform
CONSCONSCONSCONSCONSCONSCONSCONS• Can’t handle heavy graphics• Can’t access camera or microphone
Hybrid App
PROPROPROPRO
Combines the development speed of mobile web Combines the development speed of mobile web apps with the device access and app store distribution of native apps
CONSCONSCONSCONSCONSCONSCONSCONS
• Can’t handle heavy graphics.
• Requires familiarity with a mobile framework
Mobile Business Models
There are 4 main ways to make money with apps:
1. Paid1. Paid
2. Ad-supported
3. Freemium (virtual goods)
4. Subscriptions
Paid Apps
You simply set a price for your app and sell it in a store/marketstore/market
There are 3 main stores:• Apple Store
– 30% of revenue + 99$ subscription• Android Market• Android Market
– 30% of revenue + 25$ subscription• Windows Phone Marketplace
– 30% of revenue + 99$ subscription
Price Definition
The key is finding a balancebalancebalancebalance between functionality and what users will find reasonablewhat users will find reasonable
If users are not satisfied, then they will make bad bad bad bad reviewsreviewsreviewsreviews
A bad review keeps potential users away
ExperimentExperimentExperimentExperiment with different price ranges
TIPTIPTIPTIP: paid apps are downloaded far less, but may be perceived as being of higher quality
Price Ranges
< .99 $
< 4.99 $
4.99+ $
< 4.99 $
simple apps
complex appsutilities
qualitative apps withgreat expectationshttp://bit.ly/HgYdxH
http://bit.ly/HgYmkR
http://bit.ly/HgYock
Ideal Workflow
1. Analyze competitorscompetitorscompetitorscompetitors and their apps price2. Set an initialinitialinitialinitial price price price price (high)2. Set an initialinitialinitialinitial price price price price (high)
– Remember, new apps get more visibility
3. ExperimentExperimentExperimentExperiment with price ranges to find the right balance
TIPTIPTIPTIP: people love free and on sale stuff
Putting your app “on sale for a limited time” helps a lot in getting visibility within the store and in dedicatedblogs
Ads
You develop your app and then you placeplaceplaceplace adsadsadsads within it
Ad service providers will show ads
in your app and pay you 60-70% of
the money they collect from
advertisers
It is the easiest way to monetize
free apps
http://bit.ly/Hh4sBL
Ads workflow
1. Sign up to an ad service
2. Register your app to the service2. Register your app to the service
3. Embed the ad code into your app
4. Get money from the ad service provider
Ad services
There are hundreds of Ad services providers, like:
• AdMob• AdMob
• Apple iAds
• TapJoy
• Mobclix
• InMobi• InMobi
• …
There are also mobile ads aggregators, like Inneractive
http://inner-active.com/
Freemium (Virtual Goods)
You distribute a free copy of the application
but there are some paid “premium” services paid “premium” services paid “premium” services paid “premium” services but there are some paid “premium” services paid “premium” services paid “premium” services paid “premium” services that you offer in addition to the basic free service
You can also provide a discriminatory free: You can also provide a discriminatory free: consumers get it free, businesses pay
Virtual goods
Premium services may be anything:
• calling credits for Skype• calling credits for Skype
• virtual items in games
• “ego services” in social networks – like badges, virtual objects, etc.
• new levels• new levels
• extra features
Implementation
You may realize it by:
• Proposing two version of the same app:• Proposing two version of the same app:– the litelitelitelite version, usually free
– the fullfullfullfull version, paid app with a complete set of features
• Single app with inininin----appappappapp purchasespurchasespurchasespurchases for additionalgoodsgoods
Subscriptions
Users subscribe to asubscribe to asubscribe to asubscribe to a service service service service and pay a regular fee to continue accessing the serviceto continue accessing the service
Existing subscribers can input their username and password in the same way as on the website
Those who want to subscribe can via your websiteThose who want to subscribe can via your website
Subscriptions
The revenue is sustainable and can auto-renew just as other Web-based subscriptionsother Web-based subscriptions
However, it requires users to leave the app and visit the publisher's website to subscribe
If everything else fails…
BuildBuildBuildBuild appsappsappsapps forforforfor someonesomeonesomeonesomeone else!else!else!else!BuildBuildBuildBuild appsappsappsapps forforforfor someonesomeonesomeonesomeone else!else!else!else!
That is, help companies who don’t have the expertise to build mobile applications and develop apps for themdevelop apps for them