While developing a mobile game can be a process that’s fuelled by passion and creative expression, at the end of the day it also needs to make money to be justifiable.
Monetization in the mobile gaming space is a tricky and often controversial subject, but there are ways to go about this that won’t rub players up the wrong way. Here are a few options to try out on your next project.
The Power of In-Game Ads: How to Maximize Revenue Without Alienating Players
In-game ads can be a powerful way to monetize your mobile game without pushing players over the edge.
The way to do this right is by leveraging analytics data and understanding your
target audience. That way, you can tailor ad placements that are more likely to be effective.
Likewise, considering the timing of when these ads appear is essential in order to ensure they don’t intrude on player enjoyment or disrupt their game experience too much.
With proper execution you’ll find that in-game advertising isn’t just profitable – it’s also a great way for developers to build relationships with their audiences without sacrificing user engagement.
Leveraging Cross-Promotional Strategies to Increase Monetization Performance
Cross-promotion is a great way for mobile game developers to increase their in app monetization potential.
By partnering with other developers who offer similar titles in adjacent genres, you can create mutually beneficial relationships that will bring in more revenue for both parties.
The same goes for developers that have games already on the market which have an audience to tap into. Advertising your new game within an existing game can conjure an audience for it almost from thin air.
If you’re still unsure about this type of game marketing, working with an agency like upptic.com is a wise move. You’ll get the strategies and support you need, whether you’re launching your first game or trying to grow an existing property.
Suggested Read: The 7 Stages Of Game Development
Crafting Compelling Offers That Make Sense For Your Mobile Game Audience
Let’s say you want to sell your game on an app store and avoid in app monetization altogether, instead generating all of your revenues from straightforward sales.
In that case, it’s important to create offers that make sense for your specific audience. They need to be in reach of their budget, while still giving you a margin to make a profit.
It’s worth testing different pricing levels and discounts to see which is most effective, even if that means making regular tweaks and paying attention to sales data over time.
Designing Engaging Payment Experiences Through Microtransactions and Subscriptions
Microtransactions and subscription models make it possible to monetize your mobile game while keeping players on-side and engaged, rather than cheesed off.
Of course it’s important to design and implement microtransactions and subscriptions in a thoughtful way. Game marketing is about striking a balance between what’s reasonable and affordable to players, and what represents a good ROI for developers.
It’s worth avoiding any step that will leave you accused of having a pay-to-win title on the market. Giving players the option to pay for purely cosmetic in-game items which don’t actually impact their ability to win or lose is a better option in this regard.
Wrapping Up
Aggressive, intrusive and disruptive monetization strategies are a real problem in the mobile game development space, so you can actually stand out from the crowd by going out of your way to keep players on-side. Rewarding them for playing and tailoring monetization to their needs and preferences, rather than shoving it in their faces at every turn, is the best path forward.
Also Read: NFT philosophy: concept and basics in game development
