The opportunity for app developers to build app businesses outside of their home countries is enormous. All over the world, rapidly-growing markets are ripe for new users and create the possibility of lucrative app monetization. Diving into these app markets, however, must be approached with caution.
This week, the Apps Alliance staff focused on the challenge of taking an app global and how to adapt in local markets. You can see an exclusive post on DEVSBUILD.IT from Si Shen, co-founder and CEO of Papaya Mobile, about how to take your app global.
Here are a few key takeaways to consider when taking your app to new markets around the world.
- The global mobile app market is growing very quickly. AppLift estimates that global mobile games revenue will rise to $35.4 billion by 2017. Si Shen of Papaya Mobile estimates that there are going to be 500 – 600 million more smartphone users in the coming years.
- Smaller, lesser-known markets are growing at an even faster rate. Regions like Latin America, Middle East & Africa, and Asia Pacific grew more than 30% year-over-year in games revenue. In Thailand, approximately 10,000 downloads are necessary to be #1 in “Top Free,” about 1/8th of the amount of downloads needed to be in the “Top 10 Apps” category in American app stores.
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Adapt your app’s content and marketing strategy to each local market. Si Shen points out that “localization will also require that you offer culture-appropriate content and game mechanics (particularly with mobile games), local billing services, and localized marketing activities tailored to your target demographic.”
- Find local partners to help with distribution, PR, and operations. The culture of each market is different, so finding a local app publisher or distribution service will greatly improve your chances for success. If you plan on sticking around for the long-haul, establishing a local office could be extremely helpful for credibility and legal hurdles.
- Know the behavior of a market and crush it! Each market around the world presents different opportunities for success. Priori Data points out that communication, gaming, and entertainment apps on Google Play in Japan are becoming more popular. Si points out that mobile commerce apps will be the next big wave in China.
We’ve compiled a few useful resources for taking your app global in this week’s newsletter. You can see more about global app markets in the Global Markets section on DEVSBUILD.IT.
