Build Your App Business Fast with Microsoft App Services

by | May 4, 2022

As advertising proliferates and finds its way into almost every aspect of the online experience, the need to stand out and impinge on the market has become more critical than ever before. Fortunately, Microsoft continues to evolve powerful advertising tools, engagement technologies, and data analytics that can help you create an extremely well-focused marketing strategy for your apps with excellent net gains at the lowest possible overhead.

The starting point is always a realistic understanding of your app. What problem does it solve or what benefit does it offer? How will it be used and under what conditions? Target audience demographics? Which browsers do your prospects use the most, and for what purpose?  Many marketers, particularly start-ups, have only an expectation of the answers to these questions.

Microsoft, through their Windows SDK, Advertising SDK, Store SDK, and the Microsoft Store, makes features available to you that can increase user engagement, convert prospects, and maximize revenue. The more users engaged, the more accurate data can be collected, tracked, and analyzed.

There is a core principle hidden in this: you have to build up your business fast or you will lose your audience. Your true market is moving fast. You have to move faster. Microsoft provides a scale of operation that can help you boom your business quickly.

Determining a pricing model for monetization

The first step toward monetization and business building is to create a pricing framework that works for your app. Microsoft provides several flexible options. In the app submission process, you can make choices.

  • Charge upfront with a comprehensive range of price tiers including per market prices and limited-time sales.
  • Trialware with limited or full functionality for a specified time before purchase, or show ads until the full version is purchased.
  • In-app upgrades.
  • Add-ons from within the app.
  • Join the Microsoft affiliate program.

Choose your markets

The Microsoft Store extends over 240 countries and regions. Your app can be offered in all eligible markets or you can dial in specific markets you want to focus on. Set your restrictions on how you want your app to be discovered and acquired and schedule availability after the app passes certification.

Intelligent advertising options

According to Microsoft, “In-app advertising continues to represent over one-third of the revenue that developers make from writing apps for the Microsoft Windows platform.” Microsoft’s ad mediation service can serve ads from multiple ad partner networks. They can configure the service for you and have their machine learning algorithms maximize your revenue across all the markets your app is featured in. Choose from a variety of seamlessly integrated ad formats such as banner ads, video ads, interstitial ads, and native ads.

Note: While much of this can be automated, it is important to ensure the ads being served are in line with the app’s UX and customer profile. Ads that aren’t relevant or contextual can affect the perceived quality of your app.

Analyzing revenue data

All the actions above generate an enormous amount of data that, if properly analyzed, can give you a deep and proprietary insight into your customers and your market. You may discover lucrative opportunities for new apps based on exhibited needs and desires your data brings to light. Data analytics gives you a strong competitive edge, not only to lead the competition but also to create new markets where there is no one else in your space.

Microsoft provides extensive reports so you can accurately track the performance of your operations:

  • Payout summary
  • Acquisitions report
  • Add-on acquisitions report
  • Advertising performance report
  • Analytics data obtained using REST API
  • Customer segment creation
  • Customer feedback reports
  • Usage report

Accurate data reports properly analyzed can reveal potential affiliate malfeasance or revenue divergence, sometimes more immediately than other types of business security systems.

The CleanApps.Org mission is to help app makers and promoters thrive by keeping compliant with existing laws, regulations, and policies and to promote best practices from click to sale. We are also passionate about highlighting platforms that work hard to bring out the best app marketing. We see the Microsoft Store and its supporting technology as a transformative force in compliant app marketing success.