May 14, 2012 at 14:32How to make money on a desktop application?
Today, many companies, both large and not so, have a desire to earn income and try different directions. Orientation to one narrow market segment is an erroneous strategy in the conditions of rapid and highly competitive development of modern technologies in all areas and thematic niches.
Many companies develop small useful applications not for the order, but for themselves. Such applications will constitute a good reputation of the company as a portfolio, allow you to familiarize users of the application with the company, as well as gain invaluable development experience. Such applications are usually distributed free of charge, in order to attract the largest number of active users. But sooner or later, the question of application monetization becomes. Any business loves expense and balance, and if the costs invested in development have not paid off, then this is a signal for the leader.
The modern marketing market offers various options for monetizing applications. And only the right combination of a software product and a way to make money on it can bring companies considerable revenue. The main options for monetization are:
Premium versions.
Plan application development so that you can introduce two options for its use: free and premium.
A free application should have enough wide and attractive functionality to attract the interest and attention of a modern audience. Do not expect users to be immediately prepared to pay for additional features. In many cases, the idea of monetization comes already during the success of the free application. This is the best option because To earn money, you just have to think over and refine the Premium version, and most importantly, correctly present information about it to users.
The main task at the start of your project is to create the widest possible range of active users. Accumulate satisfied users and get used to the use of your software. Supplement and expand the functionality of both the main and Premium versions.
With the correct selection of functionality, over time, users will begin to buy the application to expand their capabilities. When calculating the cost of the application and the desired income, remember that, according to research, less than 10% of users will switch to the paid version.
Remember, creating Premuim versions is not the most profitable, but a stable and predictable way to monetize your ideas. And most importantly, it is honest with the user, because the modern user is very picky, and his respect will serve you more than once in the future.
Affiliate Programs
Developing the idea of the application, it is worthwhile to think about what additional relevant information and services you can provide your future user. Ideas may come up while viewing affiliate offers from various companies in your niche. Sometimes, you can go from the opposite - get the idea of the application based on attractive offers of affiliate programs.
Placing information about partners in your software in the form of banners, buttons or in a more original way will give the user the opportunity to use the services of your partners, and you can make money on their activity. Choose the method of advertising carefully and unobtrusively so that the user does not ask himself the question why he is using your application, remember that excessive advertising is an annoyance and doubt.
The key to success of this type of advertising is a successful combination of application functionality and themes of affiliate programs; spend time on a thorough and comprehensive study of this issue. Let the advertising component become a logical complement to your software, and affiliate services and information will be useful and thematic.
App sale
If the application is in demand and is popular among users, there will always be a company or investor who wants to buy this application. Be sure that customers who offer you a serious amount for the rights to your software already have a business strategy and know how to make money on its popularity or on the basis of clients.
In many cases, this is a good way to monetize, as you will not always be able to implement a strategy similar to the idea of your customers. Before refusing a deal, evaluate how much was spent on development, whether you currently have a clear plan for developing and monetizing the application, how much you can get from monetizing, and most importantly, how quickly this will happen.
Donate
If none of the options above suits you, just try to enable your users to subsidize the development of your application. A direct and frank request will have a more effective response in the hearts of users and may bring you very good income. With this approach, you will not lose your users and their respect.
Contextual advertising
One of the most unsuccessful ways to make money on an application is to place contextual advertising similar to Google Adsense. There are a number of reasons why you should think about the appropriateness of such monetization:
Users do not like explicit advertising, especially in desktop applications. Users are more loyal to contextual advertising on the web, but the desktop is associated with people with a personal and comfortable place to work and have fun, and the appearance of advertising is intrusion into personal space and violates the boundaries of the comfort territory. Therefore, intrusive and frank advertising in the application provokes a mass rejection of its use, especially when there are alternative applications with similar functionality. Therefore, starting an advertising campaign, think about whether you are ready to lose your users?
Regardless of the path that you take, the most important thing is a creative approach and original ideas. The creative component in promoting your application will be able to provide you success and income. Therefore, we wish you original ideas and inspiration in the promotion!
Many companies develop small useful applications not for the order, but for themselves. Such applications will constitute a good reputation of the company as a portfolio, allow you to familiarize users of the application with the company, as well as gain invaluable development experience. Such applications are usually distributed free of charge, in order to attract the largest number of active users. But sooner or later, the question of application monetization becomes. Any business loves expense and balance, and if the costs invested in development have not paid off, then this is a signal for the leader.
The modern marketing market offers various options for monetizing applications. And only the right combination of a software product and a way to make money on it can bring companies considerable revenue. The main options for monetization are:
- development of Premium versions or additions to a software product;
- the introduction of advertising affiliate programs;
- selling a promotion application;
- a call for a voluntary contribution to the development of the application by users;
- implementation of contextual advertising in the application
Premium versions.
Plan application development so that you can introduce two options for its use: free and premium.
A free application should have enough wide and attractive functionality to attract the interest and attention of a modern audience. Do not expect users to be immediately prepared to pay for additional features. In many cases, the idea of monetization comes already during the success of the free application. This is the best option because To earn money, you just have to think over and refine the Premium version, and most importantly, correctly present information about it to users.
The main task at the start of your project is to create the widest possible range of active users. Accumulate satisfied users and get used to the use of your software. Supplement and expand the functionality of both the main and Premium versions.
With the correct selection of functionality, over time, users will begin to buy the application to expand their capabilities. When calculating the cost of the application and the desired income, remember that, according to research, less than 10% of users will switch to the paid version.
Remember, creating Premuim versions is not the most profitable, but a stable and predictable way to monetize your ideas. And most importantly, it is honest with the user, because the modern user is very picky, and his respect will serve you more than once in the future.
Affiliate Programs
Developing the idea of the application, it is worthwhile to think about what additional relevant information and services you can provide your future user. Ideas may come up while viewing affiliate offers from various companies in your niche. Sometimes, you can go from the opposite - get the idea of the application based on attractive offers of affiliate programs.
Placing information about partners in your software in the form of banners, buttons or in a more original way will give the user the opportunity to use the services of your partners, and you can make money on their activity. Choose the method of advertising carefully and unobtrusively so that the user does not ask himself the question why he is using your application, remember that excessive advertising is an annoyance and doubt.
The key to success of this type of advertising is a successful combination of application functionality and themes of affiliate programs; spend time on a thorough and comprehensive study of this issue. Let the advertising component become a logical complement to your software, and affiliate services and information will be useful and thematic.
App sale
If the application is in demand and is popular among users, there will always be a company or investor who wants to buy this application. Be sure that customers who offer you a serious amount for the rights to your software already have a business strategy and know how to make money on its popularity or on the basis of clients.
In many cases, this is a good way to monetize, as you will not always be able to implement a strategy similar to the idea of your customers. Before refusing a deal, evaluate how much was spent on development, whether you currently have a clear plan for developing and monetizing the application, how much you can get from monetizing, and most importantly, how quickly this will happen.
Donate
If none of the options above suits you, just try to enable your users to subsidize the development of your application. A direct and frank request will have a more effective response in the hearts of users and may bring you very good income. With this approach, you will not lose your users and their respect.
Contextual advertising
One of the most unsuccessful ways to make money on an application is to place contextual advertising similar to Google Adsense. There are a number of reasons why you should think about the appropriateness of such monetization:
Users do not like explicit advertising, especially in desktop applications. Users are more loyal to contextual advertising on the web, but the desktop is associated with people with a personal and comfortable place to work and have fun, and the appearance of advertising is intrusion into personal space and violates the boundaries of the comfort territory. Therefore, intrusive and frank advertising in the application provokes a mass rejection of its use, especially when there are alternative applications with similar functionality. Therefore, starting an advertising campaign, think about whether you are ready to lose your users?
Regardless of the path that you take, the most important thing is a creative approach and original ideas. The creative component in promoting your application will be able to provide you success and income. Therefore, we wish you original ideas and inspiration in the promotion!