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Proven and Time Tested Ways to Increase Revenue for Your Game App

Increase Revenue of Your Game App. Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to boost revenue. Discount has always come out as lucrative. Player vs Player, the new mantra of engagement. No mistakes at game launch.

Bharat Mamtora, Blogger

August 18, 2017

6 Min Read
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Gaming apps are one of the most contested app niches with millions of apps struggling for the share of the market revenue. Naturally, maintaining a good revenue with steady player acquisition, engagement and retention is not an easy task considering the fact the the game market has overwhelming number of options. But in spite of this competition, there are games which maintained profitability and consistent flow of revenue. Learning from these gaming apps, here below we are going to explain a few of the proven and time tested ways to increase revenue. Here we have picked 4 of these tested and tried methods.

1. Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to Boost Revenue

Just because the mobile games industry is tremendously competitive, you always need to measure the performance and output of your game in terms of user acquisition, engagement and revenue. With thousands of game titles in every niche, you can only beat competition when you know where does your game app stands competitively. This is not possible without tracking the key performance indicators or KPIs. These metrics allow you knowing about the insights and figures about the performance of your game as a business. The role of KPI is visible in two principal aspects as mentioned below.

Retention: It is a common knowledge that the games which retained its players for highest time frame are also most profitable ones. Now the retention of the game players can be measured across various time frames including weekly, monthly and yearly span. The possibility of making in-game purchases increases many folds when a player returns to play the game several times or frequently. Obviously, retention rate depends upon how a game can develop and maintain an emotional connection with the players and how the game remains enjoyable over a period of time.

Average Revenue Per User (ARPU): The overall earning on the game from all your users are divided by the number of users in a given time frame and there you get Average Revenue Per User or ARPU. The primary focus of this metric is to ensure increasing revenue by engaging individual players and making them transact with in-game purchases more. Promoting premium versions, gated features and promotions such as gift cards can help increasing the revenue per user.

2. Discount Has Always Come Out As Lucrative

As far as user acquisition for game players is concerned, giving players a price slash in the way of discount is always a proven and lucrative way luring more players to buy the game or opt for the premium download. It has been observed world over that good discount tremendously push download numbers and help more engagement.

As far as the case studies of mobile games are concerned, even a slight discount in sales results in a proven hike in sales volume and overall revenue. Though there is also a big downside to offering discount just because once you give discount, users will want more in future. There are many big names in the app and mobility market who does not just give any discount at all. The second disadvantage is that it will make customers form a habit of buying apps only with discounts.

But in spite of all these, discounts are still a viable way to promote your app and boost sales. Instead of providing point blank discounts from the early on, rather use discounts mindfully and diligently to boost the sales of certain of your offerings. Rather opt for the middle path in respect of using discount as a tool. Freemium is a great option to combine best of the three worlds, respectively free, premium and a discounted price for the premium.

 

3. Player vs Player, The New Mantra of Engagement

When does player agree to pay for a game? Well, they pay only when they enjoy playing the game and becomes engaged. That means, the game must provide substantial value to the players to make them continue playing. Only at a certain point of their game playing session they are more susceptible to decide buying something and making an in-game purchase. Typically, longer the players are engaged, there are more chances for them to pay and transact.

Question is, which types of games enjoy more player engagement? Are the most engaging game playing experience stems from single player games or gaming apps where two or more players can engage to play a game? As far as the result from the majority of games is concerned, player vs player games always enjoy higher engagement and consequent flow of revenue. Moreover, these games by allowing players to invite friends and connecting contacts through social channels also provide more scopes of acquisition and frequent engagement. All studies indicate that player vs player games earn a better revenue compared to the solo games. The average revenue per user from a solo game stands at around $5-$10, while the same for the player vs player games stands at $20-$350.

4. No Mistakes at Game Launch

Finally, launch is a crucial consideration to give your game an initial boost in terms of quick engagement. As soon as the player taps on the game icon, the game should be launched without beating around the bush. Most unsuccessful games have something common in them and it is nothing but the delay in allowing players play the game. First time players like to play a game and wish to have an idea of the game from the first hand game playing experience. There are certain deterrents that undermine this quick game playing experience. Let us have a look at them.

  • Does your game app allows offline game playing? If not, it can prevent game players from engaging with the game at certain times when internet connection is not available.

  • Secondly, make the registration process whether it is by providing personal details or by sharing social profile, optional. Allow players play your game with a guest account to ensure instant and quick game play.

  • Do not force them download game characters and game equipments until they get away with the initial level of game play.

There is no better way to ensure steady revenue for a game app than making the game experience engaging and rewarding for the players. All the above mentioned ways are tested and tried in majority of successful games for their effectiveness in engaging game players and thereby boosting revenue.

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