Not that long ago – January this year – Gartner conducted a study on the state of the mobile app market. And while the market itself is in a very good condition, the individual app developers tell a different story.
Gartner reports that less than 0.01 percent of mobile apps will be considered a financial success by their developers through 2018.
In plain English, that’s just one app in 10,000. So does this mean that the app market has just been rendered not worth joining altogether?
Not entirely. Here are the things that affiliates should consider.
Are You After the Main Stream Success?
There are basically two sides of the mobile app market of today: you either try to take your app as wide as possible and make money through the app distribution itself, or you set a good sales funnel in the background that works regardless of the size of the distribution.
The first path is represented by apps like Flappy Bird, Angry Birds, and so on – all those extremely successful apps that have been downloaded by millions of people.
The other path is represented by apps that we can’t even name because they’re sitting in the background making money quietly.
What this means for you is that if you want the main stream success, you will indeed have to battle 9,999 other apps to become the 1 successful project.
If you go the other way, you won’t have to worry about that.
Operate in the Micro
Most affiliate apps operate in the micro. They are targeted to a narrow group of users with specific needs.
The reason why this works over trying to reach a general audience is because you can fine-tune your offers and the app’s appearance to cater to that specific user group.
On-Site Distribution
Once you have a small app that focuses on a very specific user, you can use your main website to promote the app, instead of relying on the app store to do it for you.
Seek Out Partnerships With Other Apps
Having your own app allows you to pursue partnerships with other complementary apps. This basically works like a JV where you and your new partner cross-promote both apps to your audiences.
Work With Other Distribution Platforms
Although the official app stores have the biggest user base, you should also look into niche marketplaces that have easier access to your target user group.
Mobile app market is surely not a straightforward place to make money as an affiliate, but you can still be successful if you’re willing to approach it at a slightly different angle.