How to monetize an application or a mobile game?

One of the questions that arise when defining a mobile application project is how to make it work. This question is all the more important in that in most cases it is a great investment, both in terms of money and time.

Spending a few thousand euros to create an application is a risk, especially when you know that 20% of mobile applications are only opened once. This is why, before hiring programmers to start development, it is essential to take time to define the application project in every detail: functionality, app design, user experience, typography and , and finally the marketing strategy to monetize your application.

Choose a monetization solution adapted to the application’s specificities

One of the simplest solutions to monetize an application is the integration of advertisements. Many free mobile games, such as Angry Birds, generate their income. It is also common to use the in-app payment method. The user can download the application for free, but he must pay to access the content. Spotify is a good example of this type of business model. In the case of mobile games, the player can, for example, buy extra lives or gadgets to improve the performance of his character.

A Playspan study shows that one in three gamblers spent real money on digital purchases of this type. The proof that the development of video games can be very profitable.

Another solution for monetizing an application is to oblige the mobinaute to pay before being able to download it. Since Apple users are more likely to pay for content than Android or Windows Phone users, this business model most often applies to iOS applications. The game Cut the Rope illustrates this trend: it is available for free on Google Play Store while on the App Store its download costs 1.99 $.

Monetize a free application without ads? It is not easy. There are certainly free applications that do not generate revenue, but thanks to their popularity they have been bought by big companies, thus allowing their creators to become millionaires … Take as example Instagram which was bought by Facebook for $ 1 billion. You are still recommended to make a business plan a little more … realistic.