making a profitable mobile app: simon newstead - 20130219
DESCRIPTION
Making a Profitable Mobile App: Simon NewsteadTRANSCRIPT
We’re hiring!
Who’s here today?
• Programmer?
• Designer?
• Product person?
• Boss?
We’re hiring!
Changed to this…
Me Girl™ - 3D Mobile games
We’re hiring!
Reached #1 Role Playing & Strategy Game
We’re hiring!
Why a profitable app?
• Getting investment is hard • Proof of a product-market fit • Scalable repeatable business model • Grow…. fast!
We’re hiring!
Quiz - Who wins this fight?
vs
We’re hiring!
Core Loop
Do something Get something
Spend something
We’re hiring!
Quiz
• Why do people spend money in apps?
We’re hiring!
Why do people spend money in apps?
• Want something • Functional • Aesthetic • Social*
• Save time
To impress To revenge To nurture To support To befriend …
*
We’re hiring!
Consumption
• Lots of things to spend lots of money on • Lots of ways to marginally improve progress • How would they spend $10,000 in a month?
We’re hiring!
How to create a hit game?
We’re hiring!
Study, child.
We’re hiring!
Learn about your target users
Talk to them. Listen.
We’re hiring! 14
Pick your niche
• Can you name any of the angry birds clones?
• Be unique. Be early.
Bullet hell MMO Social music quiz 3d fashion
We’re hiring!
Concept Testing Unbiased
We’re hiring! 16
Inject personality & brand
We’re hiring!
Mechanics Design
Retention Monetization Viral
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Lesson Learned
Hype vs fundamentals
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Tech Architecture & Feasibility
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Paper Playtest
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Mockup Usability Test
We’re hiring!
Prototyping
We’re hiring! 23
Beta on Android • Get early user feedback • Fast iteration cycles • Account & app flexibility • Benchmark retention & monetization • “Protect” your commercial launch
We’re hiring! 24
A/B test • Tune major parameters • DIY or use 3rd party (Swrve etc) • Get your game in best shape possible before
launch Don’t rush & “accept” statistically insignificant
results
We’re hiring!
Tell me about your situation!