Gaming app monetization has two primary purposes. One is to increase the recognizability of a brand and gain a loyal audience; the other is to obtain revenue, as every app is a business. However, the second part might become an obstacle for many developers. According to statistics, around 95% of the users are more likely to download free apps from App Store and Google Play services, which means that making profits on paid downloads or subscriptions is not going to be possible. Yet, there is an alternative model of mobile games monetization, which we are going to talk about below.
Advertising as a money-making tool
This instrument is worth applying if you are developing a product for the general audience. If an app is used by a small number of users, there are not many chances of getting any revenue. In the case of mobile games, we deal with mass products. Everyone plays games – adults, children, people of various interests and wealth. Monetization via advertising means placing banners and other ads within your app. Here are some types of ads that might be shown to your players:
- Horizontal banners;
- Inserts during the loading of the game or in between its sections;
- Short video clips, etc.
When you use advertising to obtain your revenue, you have the opportunity to keep the app free for the users. Your income depends on the advertisers, and it is passive, i.e. does not require any additional actions from your side.
How to start earning on advertising
First, you need to find a reliable programmatic advertising service. To do so you can follow expert online forums, look through the catalogs of such resources, and read user reviews on Google.
After the service is chosen, you need to register at the SSP (Supply Side Platform), and set up your personal account and advertising campaign. From that moment on, the automated system is going to suggest your app as an ad slot to advertisers. Your income will come in no time! The more people use your app, the higher the income.
Another advantage of programmatic advertising is that the ads in your game are only shown to the precisely targeted audience, which means that they are demonstrated only to those users who might be interested in the advertised products or services. Such ads do not annoy the users and do not make them want to quit. They are organically embedded in your gaming app and do not interfere with its operation.