Top 5 App Monetization Strategies to watch out in 2019

Do you believe that every individual app, out of 4.5 million already available across both the leading stores and hundreds of more added daily, is able to generate good revenue that can keep its survival continue ? Do you think that different tactics adopted by mobile app developers for monetization really pay off ?

Does every app-monetization method that developers integrate into their apps earn handsome money ?  If you think so, you are far away from the reality. In fact, not every app in an app stored is considered as a financial success.

An app turns financially successful when it’s based on the best of the app monetization strategies. In this post, we will not discuss what a good app idea and its flawless execution, and the continuity in iterating can contribute to the success of an app as we assume that the app we are talking about does not lack for these two things.

We will see how an app can better monetize. Let’s see the top 5 monetization strategies that mobile app developers should watch out to make their app financially successful in 2019.

Bring in-app advertising (IAA) and in-app purchasing (IAP) under a single revenue platform

In-App Advertising (IAA) and In-App Purchase (IAP) are the two most profitable monetization models. Almost all developers want to use them, but it’s difficult to apply both them together. The key problem is that there are different vendors for IAA and IAP.

Also, it turns out to be difficult for mobile app developers to work with different app providers and to cohesively understand the app users and collectively optimize both ad models.

2019’s top approach should be employing these two models tunefully on a single platform. Developers can design a functionality through which they can manage IAA and IAP on a single platform.

Also, we will see companies providing IAA will also start providing IAP (and vice versa). When this happens, developers will be able to unify revenue managements as well as having thorough insights on each of the users to effectively maximize apps monetization.

Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies for effective app monetization

Mobile app developers are already looking at advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning to radicalize the mobile app development approach in terms of UI, UX, productivity, and performance. Some developers are also looking at the possibilities of improving the app monetization with the use artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities.

Using AI and ML at the monetization front helps developers have deeper insights of users and track revenue expectations from each of the individuals.  

AI and ML approaches will be applied to IAA and IAP.  With an AI and ML-capability enabled monetization model, mobile app developers will be able to learn about the lifetime value of a user and fine tune the model to keep increasing it. AI and ML also help publishers receive fair prices for all their app spots.

Applying data monetization tactics to improve mobile app monetization

Data drives an effective mobile app monetization. We can say it as the data monetization because data is as valuable as money. The digital world is more data oriented now. Everything we see online on search engines and social media platforms is based on our personal preferences and past behaviors. So, we see what we have been looking for.

Businesses with the right data position them in the right direction and keep improving the existing product or service range. Also, the right data-set can reveal the quality of users and help businesses understand whether a specific user-group would buy from them or not.

With data, developers can learn where does a particular user hang out today in mobile apps? Mobile apps have access to a great amount of user data. Using data in the mobile app monetization means to collect, segment and transfer the impersonal, identifiable user information to the data collectors. Data monetization has nothing to do with personal information of users as users always stay anonymous.

Native Ads, Smart Banners, Rewarded Videos

Users have become an effective conversion channel as they are nowadays spending significantly more time on apps. Advertisers and brands understand this trend and, thus they have started to shift their budget from the web to apps.

As of an estimation of App Annie, spending on the app advertising will triple and reach $201 billion by 2021. With such a massive investment, the app industry is expected to become the third largest economy in the world in the next couple of years. Of course, it will happen by providing more efficient grounds for more efficient mobile app monetization.

Developers have observed higher user-engagement driven by in-app traffic. This is why the CPM for app impressions costs more than web traffic. Still, the mobile app advertisement isn’t a novelty in the digital marketing because the industry keeps evolving. And so do different ad formats.

AR & VR powered ads will grab a significant share of the market

AR and VR are now turning to mobile app advertisement too. Both of these technologies can power ads which then fit perfectly in the app environment and enhance user engagement with gamification. Many shopping apps are already using AR powered tools to show users how particular sunglass or makeup would look on their face. They are the indirect advertisements which appear more like a tool, but they basically serve their hidden purpose: to increase the user engagement and sell more!

In 2019, we will see many companies or developers coming out with AR and VR capabilities to enable ads in their products / services and generate revenue.