[NEW VIDEO] What�s the most important growth metric for your app?

In this week�s App-etizers, Max shares what�s the most important growth metric for your app. If you�ve been following the series, we last recently discussed how the secret to rapid growth is to not focus on growth at first, but instead focus on user engagement. Likewise, the most important growth metric to focus on isn�t a traditional growth metric at all. Watch the episode to learn more:

To discover more insights about app growth, download our eBook, The No-Nonsense Guide to Growing Your Mobile App. Until next time, be sure to stay connected on all things AdMob by following our Twitter and Google+ page.

Posted by Raj Ajrawat

Product Specialist, AdMob

[NEW VIDEO SERIES] Watch App-etizers, Bite Sized Insights for App Developers

Today we�re launching the first episode of a new YouTube series called App-etizers, bite sized insights for app developers. For this first episode, watch Max (Google AdMob Specialist) share the secret to growing your mobile app.

To learn more about app growth, download our eBook, The No-Nonsense Guide to Growing Your Mobile App. Until next time, be sure to stay connected on all things AdMob by following our Twitter and Google+ page.

Posted by Raj Ajrawat
Product Specialist, AdMob

AdMob Story: DivMob

Founded in 2012 in Vietnam, DivMob has produced over 10 gaming apps, garnering over 23M downloads worldwide. Watch their story on how they partnered with AdMob to grow their company. 

To check out DivMob�s success story, or any other of our other success stories, visit us at at the AdMob website. Until next time, be sure to stay connected on all things AdMob by following our Twitter and Google+ page.

Posted by Henry Wang
AdMob Marketing

AdMob Story: Backflip Studios

We recently did a case study with Backflip Studios, a wildly successful gaming company with over 300M downloads of their popular games Paper Toss and Ninjump. Founded in April 2009 in Boulder, Colorado, Backflip Studios started out with the idea that mobile was going to change the landscape and ecosystem of gaming. They created free engaging games and grew a huge user base but weren�t sure how to build a sustainable gaming business. Watch their story on how they built their company with AdMob.
To see more stories like this, visit Success Stories on the AdMob website, and stay connected to all things AdMob and more by following our Twitter and Google+ page.

Posted by Henry Wang

AdMob Marketing

[New eBook] Download Making Money: The App Monetization Playbook

The future is bright for mobile apps and their developers, but the road to success isn�t always smooth. With challenges all along the way � in designing, developing, growing and monetizing mobile apps, the process can be overwhelming without the right tools and resources to help.

In a survey Google conducted last year, 25% of app developers had a hard time finding quality resources and support around monetization. That�s why we�re releasing a new eBook today called Making Money: The App Monetization Playbook. 

We are thrilled to help bridge that gap for app developers like you by providing a detailed map of Google's tools and resources. Whether you�re part of a large company building multiple apps or you�re just getting started building your first app on your own, you�ll find helpful tips and best practices that you can use right away. Download a free copy here.

For more tips on app monetization, be sure to stay connected on all things AdMob by following our Twitter and Google+ page.

Posted by Shirley Bartov,
Content Marketing Manager

3 steps to earn higher user ratings

Need to raise your app�s ratings and increase downloads? Gimmicks and hacks to get higher ratings and more reviews won�t get your app meaningful long-term growth. Instead, the best way to get better ratings is to build authentic relationships with your users�truly listening and responding to their feedback. This leads to a better product experience, loyal users, and ultimately sustainable growth.

Here are three steps to use reviews and ratings to improve your app and increase user engagement.

Step 1: Read and address ratings comments

• Book an hour in your calendar each week to read through ratings comments.
• Reply to user reviews to help address their concern or gather more detailed feedback. 
• Pay extra attention to those who gave you 1 or 2-star ratings as their comments will give you more insights for improvement.

Step 2: Create user friendly opportunities to collect feedback

• To make sure you�re getting feedback from the most appropriate users, define the signals that prompt your target audience like �reached Level 10�, �completed the first booking�, or �opened 3+ times in a week�
• Choose a placement in your app where you don�t interrupt user experience. Unexpected pop-up messages asking for a rating can bother users. Instead, place the review request after a user has had a positive interaction with your app, like successfully completing a task or level.
• Ask about the user�s happiness level first. Depending on their happiness level, provide different channels to escalate their feedback:

Step 3: Analyze and act on user feedback

• Apply filters to see feedback by rating, written language, app version, and/or device.
• Understand your user better by interpreting comments against user-related metrics such as download sources, retention rates, and in-app behavior. 
• Update your app with users� feature requests and fix issues they have raised. Be sure to respond to the comment directly in the Play Store, sharing the positive changes you�ve made.

The hard work of building relationships and responding to user�s concern won�t pay off instantly, but it can lead to longer term success. Until next time, be sure to stay connected on all things AdMob by following our Google+ page.

Posted by Amelia Walkley
Marketing Communications Specialist, AdMob

How FGL helped indie game developers increase their revenue by 50%

Adam Schroeder
Co-Founder, FGL

FGL is not your average app company. They don�t build apps themselves, instead they help independent game developers grow their business and generate more revenue. So far, they�ve earned over $20M in revenue, guiding over 30,000 registered developers from 105 countries around the world. Using AdMob well is one of the secrets to their success. We recently got to discuss their business with co-founder Adam Schroeder. To check out FGL�s success story, or any other of our other success stories, visit us at http://www.google.com/admob/success.html. Until next time, be sure to stay connected on all things AdMob by following our Google+ page.

Posted by

Desiree Motamedi

Product Marketing, AdMob

How do you market your app? Get tips from top developers in our video series

Launching your app is one thing, driving lots of downloads is another. Your app is competing against millions of others and whether you have a marketing budget or not, you should have a promotion plan in mind. But what does a good app marketing plan look like? What features can you build into your app so it markets itself?

Don�t answer that right now. Watch the fifth video in the App Developer Interview Series by AdMob instead. Our panel of app developers has discovered how to get millions of downloads, so check out their tips and tricks!

The App Developer Interview Series and App Developer Business Kit are initiatives from AdMob to educate app developers about how to grow their idea into a successful app business. To learn more about building, marketing and monetizing your app, visit the The App Developer Business Kit on the AdMob website, and stay connected on all things AdMob and more by following our Google+ page.

Posted by Mike Schipper
Product Marketing Manager, AdMob

Top 3 Strategies App Developers Can Use to Maximize Success this Holiday Season

There�s nothing like the excitement of unwrapping gifts on the holidays. More and more often those gifts are shiny new devices � ready to be filled up with apps. At family gatherings, we pull out our phones and share photos and videos � and recommend our favorite apps. So it�s not surprising that the holiday season has meant big business for app developers. But just how big, and how can you be ready?

It�s big
"With the holiday season upon us, app marketers have a tremendous opportunity to capture new users by jumping on the surge in downloads", said Marcos Sanchez, VP Global Corporate Communications for App Annie. "If last year is an indicator, it would be no surprise if we see a doubling in the number of downloads from Google Play in the US."

Cloud and mobile testing firm SOASTA reported that 3 in 10 mobile device owners were planning to download an app on December 25th of last year. Millennials were the most likely age group to say they would download an app that day, with 47% planning on it.*
*http://www.emarketer.com/Article/App-Downloads-Nearly-Doubled-on-Christmas-Day/1010508#sthash.9jwl3sGD.dpuf

Be ready with a winning strategy

Proper planning across the entire app workflow will help you reach this app-hungry audience. Here are the top 3 strategies for making the most of this peak time:

#1 Customize your app for the holidays

• Small changes, like changing the background or app icon, can have a big revenue impact.
• The more you customize for the holiday, the more likely your app will be highlighted in app stores. For instance, change to holiday colors or themes in your design.
• Create multiple versions of your apps and target each version based on regions that celebrate the holiday vs. ones that do not.

#2 Plan ahead to ride the traffic wave

• Be prepared for big traffic spikes so that you can capitalize on them � make sure to create and implement a load balancing plan, with an additional contingency plan in case systems get overwhelmed.
• Keep approval periods in mind when scheduling and publishing app updates � iOS has a manual review process with a ~2 week approval period, so submit ahead of time to be ready for December.
• Don�t do any new feature releases around peak times until they�ve been thoroughly tested � with so much competition during peak periods, you don�t want the user's first experience with your app to be buggy.
• If you do have to launch, do vigorous testing first � use one of Google�s various A/B testing services for Android apps to help with this.
• It doesn�t end at Christmas Day � it's great to get the download at Christmas, but what happens after is just as important. As more users come online and download apps, ad impressions increase through January. Consider optimizing the ad experience during that time and focus on retaining those users.

#3 Monetize, monetize, monetize!

• Implement smart banners to optimize the size of ads that display across devices and various screen sizes to ensure higher click-through conversion rates.
• When you drive more users, your rankings will go up, which will allow you to earn more through ads and in-app purchases. If you have a paid app, consider discounting or offering your app for free during the holiday season � app download and engagement is highest during the holidays.
• Integrate interstitials � Developers tend to see good ad revenue growth when they implement interstitial ads, as seen by Raon Games with their game, Bouncy Ball. They achieved a 30% revenue growth even with a limited use of CPC interstitials. 

Implement as many of these best practices as possible and you�ll be ready for the holiday rush. To find out more about optimizing your apps, visit our Help Center. Be sure to tweet your holiday app wins to @AdMob.

Posted by Desiree Motamedi

Product Marketing, AdMob

Want to learn about app funding? Watch our video series for tips from successful developers

Does your app need funding to get off the ground? Even if you have a simple app, there may be hosting costs as your user base grows, or you may want budget to invest in marketing or hire expertise. But should you go at it alone or get funding from an outside backer?

Learn about when to consider funding and what are the options available in the second video in the App Developer Interview Series, as told by our panel of developers and app experts.

We would love to also hear what has helped you decide which funding option to take. Please share with us in the comments below.

The App Developer Interview Series and App Developer Business Kit are initiatives from AdMob to educate app developers about how to grow their idea into a successful app business. To learn more about funding, marketing and monetizing your app, visit the The App Developer Business Kit on the AdMob website, and stay connected on all things AdMob and more by following our Google+ page..

Posted by Mike Schipper
Product Marketing Manager, AdMob

Top tips on how to grow your app idea into a successful business

Mobile app growth is exploding, driven by more and more people using mobile devices. To help you build a successful app business, AdMob has created The App Developer Business Kit. You can use this guide to help you figure out the right tools and steps to build an app business - whether you're an entrepreneur with an idea, or a developer with an app already available for download. Take a look below at some of the top tips for starting and growing your app business.

How to start building an app: To start, you�ll learn about the key principles that everyone should consider when building an app including ideas for funding, tech tips for building apps, and ways to earn revenue. You�ll also get a sneak peak into how Polish app developer Szymon Klimaszewski�s Blood Pressure app became one of the most downloaded health apps in the Google Play Store.

Build a user base: It�s important to have a clear app marketing strategy and to promote it effectively. Discover ways to attract more users and reach new markets through a deep-dive into how to promote your app. You�ll also see some great examples of how a few developers turned their app ideas into reality.

Understand the user: Different app users have different needs, and reaching your user audience isn�t easy. Get a good understanding of how users vary across the globe and some advice on how to reach them through recommendations based on survey data from the five hottest app markets in the world � US, UK, China, Japan, South Korea.

Grow an app business: Get answers to common app business development questions: How should I expand my app business? How do I keep innovating?

We hope you find the business kit informative and helpful as you build you mobile app business. Make sure to visit the AdMob website to view the complete App Developer Business Kit, and stay connected on all things mobile apps by following our Google+ page.