For many Android app developers, the Google Play Store is the only route to market. However, this approach can be somewhat limiting because the Google Play Store, despite being the default app store on most Android devices, doesn’t reach everyone in the Android ecosystem.
In fact, depending on who you are trying totarget – your app may never achieve its full potential if your marketingstrategy is limited to promotional activities within the confines of the GooglePlay Store.
No other product or service would limititself to a single marketing channel. So why shouldn’t app developers exploreother options to position their apps in front of the right person at the righttime?
The question you need to ask yourself is:If I want to reach more of the right people, should my app delivery strategy bemore “multi-channel”?
But first …
What’sWrong with the Google Play Store?
At first glance, absolutely nothing. TheGoogle Play store is the number one route to market for app developers. It’sthe first place the majority of smartphone users will turn to when they arelooking for app recommendations or want to download the latest “must have” app.As such, we recommend all app developers should include and optimize their applistings on the Google Play Store.
However, this doesn’t mean the Google PlayStore isn’t without its problems.
While it could be argued that the GooglePlay Store has created a level playing field, where app developers can competeregardless of size and marketing budget, this isn’t always the case.
In a highly competitive market, there are currently more than 3.3 million apps available on the Google Play Store, getting your app seen can be something of a challenge. To remain visible and drive engagement, app developers need to invest in an ongoing App Store Optimization (ASO) program and paid promotion strategy.
Getting to the top of a category in theGoogle Play Store and staying there can be really expensive – and this isbefore you take into account the fact that Google will receive 30 percent ofany revenues you generate from premium downloads or via in-app purchases.
Note: The high cost of in-app purchases was just one reason why gamesdeveloper Epic decided to sidestep the Google Play Store when launching theAndroid version of Fortnite.
Further Reading: Will Epic Games Change The Way Smartphone Users Download Apps?
Successful exploitation of the Google PlayStore, like any other marketing channel, requires app developers to get theirheads around concepts like cost per acquisition and customer lifetime value.Until you know these figures – you will never truly understand the profitpotential of your app.
It's also important to remember when yourmarketing budget dries up, your apps will lose visibility.
There are other issues app developers needto be aware of when focusing all their efforts on the Google Play Store. Themost pressing, and perhaps sounding somewhat counter-intuitive when we arediscussing the world's biggest app store, is the fact that the vast majority ofsmartphone users don’t actually download apps from app stores.
MoreThan Half of Smartphone Users Don’t Download Apps
A recent study suggested that 51 percent of smartphone users downloaded zero apps every month. Those who do actively download apps tend to do so very sparingly with 13 percent downloading just one app per month, 11 percent downloading two, 8 percent downloading three, 5 percent downloading four, and 7 percent downloading five to seven apps. At the top of the scale, only 5 percent of smartphone users download more than eight apps every month.
There are many reasons why people don’tdownload apps from the Google Play Store. These include limited device memory,limited wi-fi connectivity, fear of fraud, or just lack of interest. If you aregoing to reach these people, you're going to have to get a little morestrategic about your app distribution plans.
AlternativeApp Stores
The Google Play Store isn’t the onlyAndroid app store on the market. However, most of the big players (eitherindependently operated or offered by smartphone manufacturers and mobilenetworks) have the same problems as the Google Play Store concerningcompetition and trust (compounded with much smaller user-bases).
Is it worth making your app available onthese platforms? Yes – but pick them wisely. An app store operated by the likesof Amazon (the Amazon App Store is the default choice for owners of Kindle Firedevices) or Samsung will have a considerable user-based and therefore have thepotential to distribute apps in volume. Others might not have the same reach.As you will have to invest time, effort and money in optimizing these secondaryapp stores just like you would on the Google Play Store, you may find smallerapp stores don't deliver the same bang for your buck as the big guys. Don't bea busy fool and try and work with everyone.
AlternativeDistribution Strategies
Thanks to Android’s open platform it ispossible to distribute apps outside of the app store environment.
Apps can be made available for download viayour own site or even by email.
This can be an attractive route to marketif you have a high-traffic website, extensive social media following orextensive email subscriber base.
By offering your apps direct to users, youmay be able to bypass those hefty Google Play Store fees for premium (paid) appdownloads and in-app purchases. However, while this might be an incrediblylucrative strategy for high profile apps, such as the aforementioned Fortnite,for most developers this strategy may not be worth the additional developmenttime to create a standalone application (completely outside of the Google Playeco-system which will manage things like payments and subscriptions).
Trustand Security
The biggest challenge app developers havein going direct is one relating to trust and security. Users will be very waryabout downloading an application or sharing credit card details with anorganization they are not familiar with. As such, conversions (downloads) may be limited and fail to deliver anacceptable return-on-investment. It's also worth pointing out if you aredelivering apps via a website or email – there is a greater potential forpiracy and fraud.
Because of this, most developers whopromote their apps via their websites and email, tend to direct users back tothe, you guessed it, Google Play Store. The reason for this is simple. Onlinemarketing is difficult enough – why do something that will ultimately restrictyour conversions – when a perfectly usable (and secure) solution is at hand.
It’s also worth noting that 30 percent ofnothing is nothing – so don’t try and save money by cutting off your supply.
Betweena Rock and Hard Place
OK, we may be painting a rather bleakpicture here. App developers have a choice between investing heavily in AppStore Optimization and then giving a further substantial sum of money away inthe event of a download and future engagement, or spending a considerableamount of time, effort and money promoting an app via an environment whichmight not be suited to most smartphone users and will definitely restrictdownloads and any future potential.
Thankfully, there are a number of alternativeand highly successful routes to market.
SingleTap™ Installs
For app developers who want to emulate EpicGames and offer their apps direct to their public, Digital Turbine’s SingleTap™ solution takes care of all the heavy lifting involved with such adistribution strategy.
The SingleTap™ soluton does exactly what it says on the tin — it downloads an appfrom a simple link or banner on a website or email from a single tap. Bybypassing the Google Play store, users do not experience the disjointed brandexperience of jumping from website to app store to app and save money byavoiding the 30% tariff charged by the marketplace.
As well as maintaining brand integrity andsaving money on acquisition fees, this creates opportunities for app developersto explore alternative (more low cost) app marketing strategies, includingemail marketing, social media marketing and content marketing.
The SingleTap solution is particularlybeneficial to organizations with high traffic websites, large email lists andsocial media followings. But what if you are starting from a less prominentposition?
Pre-LoadedApps
Digital Turbine helps developers of allshapes and sizes deliver pre-loaded apps to highly engaged audiences all overthe world.
A pre-loaded app is presented to the smartphoneuser at the time of maximum device engagement – the moment of unboxing.Pre-loaded apps can be targeted by device, geography, network, and many othercriteria, ensuring your app is essentially delivered to the right person at theright time.
Pre-loading takes the problem ofdiscoverability out of the equation. Your app is available from the moment adevice is first activated. In fact, pre-loading may be your only chance tofavorably position an app in front of the 51 percent of smartphone users whonever visit the Google Play Store. It also guarantees user trust anddramatically reduces the risk of marketing fraud.
Further Reading: How Pre-Loading Apps Can Help Developers Circumnavigate Fraud.
A pre-loaded app is primed for engagementand will not disappear from view the moment your marketing budget runs out or acompetitor prices you out of the market. This means engagement does not endjust because your campaign has.
Further Reading: Smartphone Apps with a Future – Long Tail Profitability.
Depending on your target market, we mayeven be able to guarantee engagement with our Cost-Per-Acquisition (CPA)pricing strategy.
If you are looking for a real alternativeto the Google Play Store, Pre-Loading your apps across Digital Turbines networkof device manufacturers, and mobile networks will almost certainly give you'rethe edge.
To learn more about pre-loading your app,speak to one of our app marketing and distribution experts today.
