Eamonn Carey
Head of Digital, MHP Communications
@eamonncarey
eamonn.carey@mhpc.com
05 October 2013
Marketing your app
2
My	
  first	
  love
3
4
What	
  everyone	
  wants
5
6
The	
  reality
Before	
  we	
  start	
  -­‐	
  some	
  reality
7
Pre-­‐launch	
  and	
  launch
8
Product	
  market	
  fit
9
Make	
  it	
  social
• Connect	
  to	
  Facebook,	
  Twi7er,	
  Game	
  Centre,	
  your	
  phonebook	
  or	
  
anywhere	
  else	
  that	
  can	
  help	
  you	
  grow	
  your	
  userbase
• Don’t	
  be	
  spammy!	
  These	
  are	
  powerful	
  tools.	
  Use	
  them	
  in	
  
moderaEon
• The	
  right	
  tools	
  can	
  be	
  used	
  as	
  a	
  direct	
  channel	
  to	
  your	
  market
10
Talk	
  to	
  the	
  right	
  audience
• Research	
  where	
  your	
  potenEal	
  users	
  congregate	
  
• Find	
  the	
  right	
  forums,	
  blogs	
  and	
  plaGorms
• Engage	
  with	
  them
11
Manufacture	
  scarcity	
  
• Create	
  demand	
  by	
  making	
  something	
  slightly	
  more	
  difficult	
  to	
  get
• Don’t	
  make	
  it	
  impossible	
  or	
  una7ainable	
  for	
  normal	
  users,	
  but	
  
just	
  ask	
  for	
  a	
  li7le	
  effort
12
Remember
• Users	
  need	
  to	
  be	
  pulled	
  in	
  -­‐	
  they	
  will	
  not	
  find	
  you	
  just	
  because	
  
you	
  think	
  they	
  will
• Connect	
  with	
  users,	
  influencers,	
  bloggers	
  and	
  journalists	
  early	
  
and	
  oNen	
  -­‐	
  don’t	
  annoy	
  them,	
  but	
  do	
  make	
  them	
  feel	
  that	
  their	
  
opinion	
  is	
  valuable	
  
• Use	
  TestFlight	
  or	
  other	
  apps	
  to	
  let	
  key	
  influencers	
  or	
  journalists	
  
get	
  a	
  sneak	
  peek	
  at	
  your	
  app
• A/B	
  test	
  -­‐	
  look	
  at	
  the	
  numbers	
  -­‐	
  see	
  what’s	
  working	
  and	
  what’s	
  
not	
  and	
  learn	
  from	
  that
• Examine	
  potenEal	
  partnerships	
  -­‐	
  you’re	
  in	
  a	
  room	
  with	
  some	
  very	
  
smart	
  people	
  from	
  Mobily	
  -­‐	
  could	
  you	
  work	
  with	
  them,	
  a	
  local	
  
brand	
  or	
  local	
  media	
  organisaEon?	
  
13
Scaling	
  and	
  retenJon
14
Using	
  your	
  users
• Can	
  you	
  use	
  your	
  users	
  to	
  grow?
• Dropbox	
  generates	
  3m+	
  referral	
  links	
  a	
  month	
  -­‐	
  cheaper	
  than	
  
paying	
  $233	
  to	
  $388	
  for	
  a	
  paying	
  subscriber	
  
• As	
  before,	
  don’t	
  be	
  spammy	
  -­‐	
  make	
  it	
  worth	
  your	
  user’s	
  while
15
Give	
  users	
  a	
  reason	
  to	
  come	
  back
• A	
  5%	
  increase	
  in	
  customer	
  retenEon	
  can	
  mean	
  a	
  30%	
  increase	
  in	
  
profitability	
  for	
  companies
• The	
  probability	
  of	
  selling	
  something	
  to	
  an	
  customer	
  is	
  60/70%,	
  
with	
  new	
  users,	
  this	
  is	
  just	
  5%-­‐20%
16
Source	
  -­‐	
  Bain/Market	
  Metrics
Paid	
  search
17
• A	
  hugely	
  effecEve	
  way	
  to	
  find	
  your	
  audience
• CPA	
  costs	
  in	
  the	
  Middle	
  East	
  tend	
  to	
  be	
  slightly	
  lower	
  than	
  in	
  
other	
  markets
• No	
  shortage	
  of	
  inventory	
  or	
  networks	
  to	
  work	
  with
How	
  much	
  does	
  a	
  user	
  cost?	
  
18
Source	
  -­‐	
  Fiksu	
  indexes
Talk	
  to	
  your	
  customers
• Simple,	
  automated	
  emails	
  create	
  a	
  feedback	
  loop	
  and	
  make	
  
people	
  feel	
  valued
• Incredibly	
  valuable	
  way	
  to	
  get	
  feedback	
  from	
  people	
  who	
  are	
  not	
  
obliged	
  to	
  say	
  nice	
  things.	
  
• ConEnue	
  to	
  engage	
  with	
  press,	
  bloggers,	
  influencers	
  and	
  others
19
Remember
• Launching	
  your	
  product	
  is	
  only	
  the	
  start	
  
• Most	
  apps	
  are	
  downloaded	
  and	
  used	
  less	
  than	
  10	
  Emes
• The	
  best	
  way	
  to	
  counter	
  this	
  is	
  to	
  turn	
  your	
  users	
  into	
  your	
  
biggest	
  advocates	
  -­‐	
  make	
  it	
  worth	
  their	
  while
• Paid	
  search	
  is	
  an	
  amazing	
  way	
  to	
  juice	
  your	
  DAU	
  and	
  MAU	
  
numbers,	
  but	
  it	
  can	
  be	
  a	
  false	
  economy	
  -­‐	
  you	
  want	
  recurring	
  
users	
  rather	
  than	
  one-­‐off	
  downloads
• Don’t	
  neglect	
  the	
  press,	
  media	
  and	
  influencers	
  you	
  culEvated	
  
pre-­‐launch
• Always	
  listen,	
  learn	
  and	
  adapt
20
Revenues
21
Why	
  don’t	
  apps	
  make	
  money
• Think	
  back	
  to	
  product	
  market	
  fit	
  -­‐	
  revenue	
  needs	
  to	
  be	
  
something	
  you	
  think	
  about	
  before	
  you	
  start	
  -­‐	
  where	
  do	
  in-­‐app	
  
purchases	
  happen,	
  where	
  are	
  ads/rewards/incenEves	
  relevant,	
  
how	
  do	
  I	
  maintain	
  scale
• Most	
  app	
  developers	
  are	
  not	
  salespeople
• Mobile	
  adverEsing	
  and	
  IAP	
  ecosystem	
  is	
  sEll	
  growing
22
The	
  opportunity
• Great,	
  well	
  designed	
  apps	
  which	
  are	
  well	
  thought	
  out	
  can	
  sEll	
  
rise	
  to	
  the	
  top
• Brands,	
  organisaEons	
  and	
  businesses	
  want	
  in	
  on	
  this	
  market
• Huge	
  opportuniEes	
  exist	
  for	
  partnerships,	
  sponsorship	
  and	
  more
• The	
  right	
  partners	
  not	
  only	
  deliver	
  revenues,	
  but	
  also	
  scale
• The	
  mobile	
  adverEsing	
  ecosystem	
  is	
  gefng	
  more	
  robust	
  -­‐	
  CPA,	
  
CPC	
  and	
  CPM	
  rates	
  are	
  increasing	
  and	
  bigger	
  brand	
  buys	
  are	
  
happening	
  on	
  mobile
23
In-­‐app	
  purchases
• Make	
  them	
  must-­‐haves
• Does	
  it	
  tap	
  into	
  the	
  fear	
  of	
  missing	
  out?
• Don’t	
  annoy	
  people	
  -­‐	
  make	
  sure	
  they	
  
can	
  sEll	
  play	
  the	
  game	
  or	
  use	
  the	
  app	
  
without	
  IAP
• Keep	
  it	
  simple	
  -­‐	
  too	
  many	
  opEons	
  
confuse	
  and	
  annoy	
  people
Examples
• Unlockable	
  secEons	
  or	
  tools
• Unlimited	
  turns	
  or	
  lives
• ‘Save	
  me’
• Remove	
  ads	
  from	
  app
24
In-­‐app	
  ads
25
Source	
  -­‐	
  PlacePlay
The	
  difficulty
• eCPM	
  rates	
  and	
  average	
  revenue	
  per	
  daily	
  acEve	
  user	
  (APRDAU)	
  
are	
  low	
  outside	
  the	
  US
• Lots	
  of	
  mobile	
  ads	
  are	
  poorly	
  designed,	
  lead	
  to	
  non-­‐mobile	
  
desEnaEons	
  and	
  are	
  not	
  naEve	
  to	
  your	
  app
• Customers	
  hate	
  mobile	
  ads
26
The	
  opportunity
• More	
  and	
  more	
  mobile	
  ad	
  networks	
  are	
  coming	
  on	
  stream	
  every	
  
day
• Test,	
  test,	
  test	
  and	
  adapt	
  -­‐	
  look	
  who	
  is	
  offering	
  the	
  best	
  inventory
27
NaJve	
  ads,	
  rewards	
  and	
  incenJves
• The	
  best	
  ads	
  are	
  ones	
  that	
  don’t	
  feel	
  like	
  ads
• Rewards,	
  incenEves	
  and	
  in-­‐app	
  placement	
  works	
  incredibly	
  well
28
The	
  big	
  opportunity	
  -­‐	
  partners
• Partners	
  have	
  scale,	
  budget	
  and	
  a	
  markeEng	
  machine	
  that	
  can	
  
help	
  make	
  you	
  a	
  real	
  success
• Sponsorship	
  markeEng	
  offers	
  both	
  partners	
  an	
  opportunity	
  to	
  
win
29
Remember
• Think	
  of	
  how	
  you’ll	
  generate	
  revenues	
  early	
  and	
  oNen
• Look	
  at	
  ways	
  of	
  integraEng	
  the	
  revenue	
  generaEon	
  process	
  into	
  
your	
  app	
  in	
  a	
  seamless	
  way
• Talk	
  to	
  businesses	
  and	
  partners	
  -­‐	
  you’ll	
  find	
  a	
  lot	
  of	
  people	
  are	
  
open	
  to	
  co-­‐promoEons,	
  sponsorships	
  and	
  more
• Read	
  -­‐	
  there	
  are	
  countless	
  threads	
  on	
  Quora	
  and	
  arEcles	
  
elsewhere	
  talking	
  about	
  new	
  methods	
  of	
  generaEng	
  revenues
• Don’t	
  just	
  make	
  money	
  for	
  making	
  money’s	
  sake
• Don’t	
  annoy	
  your	
  users
30
Thanks
31
@eamonncarey
eamonn.carey@mhpc.com

Some thoughts on promotion, marketing and revenue generation for people building apps.

  • 1.
    Eamonn Carey Head ofDigital, MHP Communications @eamonncarey eamonn.carey@mhpc.com 05 October 2013 Marketing your app
  • 2.
  • 3.
  • 4.
  • 5.
  • 6.
  • 7.
    Before  we  start  -­‐  some  reality 7
  • 8.
  • 9.
  • 10.
    Make  it  social •Connect  to  Facebook,  Twi7er,  Game  Centre,  your  phonebook  or   anywhere  else  that  can  help  you  grow  your  userbase • Don’t  be  spammy!  These  are  powerful  tools.  Use  them  in   moderaEon • The  right  tools  can  be  used  as  a  direct  channel  to  your  market 10
  • 11.
    Talk  to  the  right  audience • Research  where  your  potenEal  users  congregate   • Find  the  right  forums,  blogs  and  plaGorms • Engage  with  them 11
  • 12.
    Manufacture  scarcity   •Create  demand  by  making  something  slightly  more  difficult  to  get • Don’t  make  it  impossible  or  una7ainable  for  normal  users,  but   just  ask  for  a  li7le  effort 12
  • 13.
    Remember • Users  need  to  be  pulled  in  -­‐  they  will  not  find  you  just  because   you  think  they  will • Connect  with  users,  influencers,  bloggers  and  journalists  early   and  oNen  -­‐  don’t  annoy  them,  but  do  make  them  feel  that  their   opinion  is  valuable   • Use  TestFlight  or  other  apps  to  let  key  influencers  or  journalists   get  a  sneak  peek  at  your  app • A/B  test  -­‐  look  at  the  numbers  -­‐  see  what’s  working  and  what’s   not  and  learn  from  that • Examine  potenEal  partnerships  -­‐  you’re  in  a  room  with  some  very   smart  people  from  Mobily  -­‐  could  you  work  with  them,  a  local   brand  or  local  media  organisaEon?   13
  • 14.
  • 15.
    Using  your  users •Can  you  use  your  users  to  grow? • Dropbox  generates  3m+  referral  links  a  month  -­‐  cheaper  than   paying  $233  to  $388  for  a  paying  subscriber   • As  before,  don’t  be  spammy  -­‐  make  it  worth  your  user’s  while 15
  • 16.
    Give  users  a  reason  to  come  back • A  5%  increase  in  customer  retenEon  can  mean  a  30%  increase  in   profitability  for  companies • The  probability  of  selling  something  to  an  customer  is  60/70%,   with  new  users,  this  is  just  5%-­‐20% 16 Source  -­‐  Bain/Market  Metrics
  • 17.
    Paid  search 17 • A  hugely  effecEve  way  to  find  your  audience • CPA  costs  in  the  Middle  East  tend  to  be  slightly  lower  than  in   other  markets • No  shortage  of  inventory  or  networks  to  work  with
  • 18.
    How  much  does  a  user  cost?   18 Source  -­‐  Fiksu  indexes
  • 19.
    Talk  to  your  customers • Simple,  automated  emails  create  a  feedback  loop  and  make   people  feel  valued • Incredibly  valuable  way  to  get  feedback  from  people  who  are  not   obliged  to  say  nice  things.   • ConEnue  to  engage  with  press,  bloggers,  influencers  and  others 19
  • 20.
    Remember • Launching  your  product  is  only  the  start   • Most  apps  are  downloaded  and  used  less  than  10  Emes • The  best  way  to  counter  this  is  to  turn  your  users  into  your   biggest  advocates  -­‐  make  it  worth  their  while • Paid  search  is  an  amazing  way  to  juice  your  DAU  and  MAU   numbers,  but  it  can  be  a  false  economy  -­‐  you  want  recurring   users  rather  than  one-­‐off  downloads • Don’t  neglect  the  press,  media  and  influencers  you  culEvated   pre-­‐launch • Always  listen,  learn  and  adapt 20
  • 21.
  • 22.
    Why  don’t  apps  make  money • Think  back  to  product  market  fit  -­‐  revenue  needs  to  be   something  you  think  about  before  you  start  -­‐  where  do  in-­‐app   purchases  happen,  where  are  ads/rewards/incenEves  relevant,   how  do  I  maintain  scale • Most  app  developers  are  not  salespeople • Mobile  adverEsing  and  IAP  ecosystem  is  sEll  growing 22
  • 23.
    The  opportunity • Great,  well  designed  apps  which  are  well  thought  out  can  sEll   rise  to  the  top • Brands,  organisaEons  and  businesses  want  in  on  this  market • Huge  opportuniEes  exist  for  partnerships,  sponsorship  and  more • The  right  partners  not  only  deliver  revenues,  but  also  scale • The  mobile  adverEsing  ecosystem  is  gefng  more  robust  -­‐  CPA,   CPC  and  CPM  rates  are  increasing  and  bigger  brand  buys  are   happening  on  mobile 23
  • 24.
    In-­‐app  purchases • Make  them  must-­‐haves • Does  it  tap  into  the  fear  of  missing  out? • Don’t  annoy  people  -­‐  make  sure  they   can  sEll  play  the  game  or  use  the  app   without  IAP • Keep  it  simple  -­‐  too  many  opEons   confuse  and  annoy  people Examples • Unlockable  secEons  or  tools • Unlimited  turns  or  lives • ‘Save  me’ • Remove  ads  from  app 24
  • 25.
  • 26.
    The  difficulty • eCPM  rates  and  average  revenue  per  daily  acEve  user  (APRDAU)   are  low  outside  the  US • Lots  of  mobile  ads  are  poorly  designed,  lead  to  non-­‐mobile   desEnaEons  and  are  not  naEve  to  your  app • Customers  hate  mobile  ads 26
  • 27.
    The  opportunity • More  and  more  mobile  ad  networks  are  coming  on  stream  every   day • Test,  test,  test  and  adapt  -­‐  look  who  is  offering  the  best  inventory 27
  • 28.
    NaJve  ads,  rewards  and  incenJves • The  best  ads  are  ones  that  don’t  feel  like  ads • Rewards,  incenEves  and  in-­‐app  placement  works  incredibly  well 28
  • 29.
    The  big  opportunity  -­‐  partners • Partners  have  scale,  budget  and  a  markeEng  machine  that  can   help  make  you  a  real  success • Sponsorship  markeEng  offers  both  partners  an  opportunity  to   win 29
  • 30.
    Remember • Think  of  how  you’ll  generate  revenues  early  and  oNen • Look  at  ways  of  integraEng  the  revenue  generaEon  process  into   your  app  in  a  seamless  way • Talk  to  businesses  and  partners  -­‐  you’ll  find  a  lot  of  people  are   open  to  co-­‐promoEons,  sponsorships  and  more • Read  -­‐  there  are  countless  threads  on  Quora  and  arEcles   elsewhere  talking  about  new  methods  of  generaEng  revenues • Don’t  just  make  money  for  making  money’s  sake • Don’t  annoy  your  users 30
  • 31.