Presented by Xsolla
Web shops are crucial for mobile game monetization, as well as player retention, retargeting and re-engagement, without third-party platform costs. In this VB Spotlight, industry experts break down the benefits of web shops and offer monetization strategies you can put into action right away.
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Mobile game developers are constantly seeking ways to expand their player base and increase revenue opportunities – especially in light of the recent changes on both iOS and Android. Game developers are particularly interested not just in user acquisition, but incrementality with their paying users today, to help grow the average revenue per paying user. A web shop is a great way to do that, and it comes with an array of opportunities and advantages, says Berkley Egenes, chief marketing officer at Xsolla.
“A web shop is your own online ecosystem,” he says. “You control the message, the branding and the promotional benefits you provide for the game. From there you can offer everything from subscriptions to bundle packs and other unique offers tailored to individual players, all in a single branded online experience that drives user engagement and grows the average revenue per paying user.”
Web shops are driving success stories for publishers like Tilting Point, he adds. “For their game Star Trek Timelines, developed by Wicked Realm Games, the company tells us they attribute nearly a quarter of the title’s incoming revenue from the game’s web shop.”
Here’s a look behind the success stories.
Driving engagement, sales and retargeting
Players want the convenience of immediate access to in-game currency and items, and that’s where a web shop is crucial in delivering the kind of experiences that keep them coming back for more every time. Plus, the ability to offer promo codes revs up a web shop’s appeal and keeps the player checking back for deals and incentives.
For example, Star Trek Timelines offers exclusive high-value packs that are only available on the web, increased web-only discounts and twice-weekly offers, all to to help drive demand to their web shop.
While in-app purchases have their inherent benefits, web shops offer tremendous flexibility in payment methods, and provide a seamless transaction experience. Players can use any of their preferred local payment methods, including bank cards, PayPal, ApplePay, GooglePay and Amazon Pay, earned game credits, and even gift certificates. Through Xsolla, partners can curate a branded experience for their players with the localized payment selections, allowing each player to pay in their method of choice. And every transaction can be made seamless, driving them back to the game after every visit, to keep engagement high and revenue growing.
Enhanced personalization and scale
With that seamless pipeline between the game and the shop, the amount of valuable first-party user behavior data grows — you know who is buying, what, and when, and can connect it to how they behave in-game. From there, you can set up promotions and targeted offers and provide exclusive bonuses and incentives to players too, he adds.
This level of personalization, combined with segmentation strategies, allows developers to test and iterate different approaches to engage and retain players effectively. The scalability of web shops enables developers to create highly targeted email and newsletter campaigns, identify the social media platforms players spend the most time on, offer targeted deals and campaigns with partners like Adikteev and YouAppi, and even include bundles and exclusive promotions that catch player attention, encouraging repeat purchases and increased player lifetime value.
“Owning the online experience through a web shop and driving that engagement directly to the right consumers at the right time is showing significant incrementality,” Egenes says. “Essentially, it’s the opportunity for game developers to leverage foundational ecommerce philosophies around promoting a true consumer brand. When you do it effectively for your user base, you’ll see significant growth – in some cases we are seeing upwards of 4x growth in incremental sales.”
To learn more about the ways web shops are transforming mobile game monetization and engagement strategies, plus a blueprint for establishing your own web presence as app platform restrictions loosen, don’t miss this VB Live event!
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Agenda
- How a web portal helps developers gain more monetization control
- Increasing value outside the mobile ecosystem
- Driving player awareness and engagement
- Eliminating friction and making it easy to transact
- And more!
Presenters
- Enric Pedró, Vice President of Growth, Tilting Point
- Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing Officer, Xsolla
- Mike Minotti, Managing Editor, GamesBeat (moderator)