Presented by Sanlo
In the mobile games business, webshops are becoming a key ingredient for more revenue and better margins. To really make the most of them, game developers need to treat webshops as an always-on monetization and LiveOps channel. Mobile game developers have a lot going on, so launching a brand new store and monetization channel sounds daunting. But there’s an opportunity to maintain a robust webshop without adding work or needing to hire. Let’s dive into how you can sustain an effective webshop with zero fuss, and some best practices that you’ll need to enable.
A plug-and-play approach will help you run an active, effective webshop with less headaches
You shouldn’t have to hire new people just for your webshop efforts. The current team that handles monetization and LiveOps should be able to seamlessly extend that work to your webshop.
To avoid extra work and complexity, choose a webshop platform that integrates with your current tech stack and workflows. This means you can maintain your webshop without having to learn a new platform, hiring new team members or overburdening your team with new tools and more work. Look for providers with strong API integrations for automated updates and operations.
Extend proven strategies to your webshop
Your webshop won’t thrive with a “set it and forget it” approach. Building a successful and sustainable webshop involves extending strategies that already work well for your game with additional incentives exclusive to your webshop. Here’s how you can do that:
- Webshop Incentives: Give your players a clear reason to buy from your webshop instead of the App Store or Google Play. Offer discounts or added value to motivate them. For example, offer a 10% discount on all items compared to in-game store prices, or give 15% more value (e.g., gems or coins) per dollar spent in the webshop.
- Free Gifts: Just like you use free gifts in-game to attract and retain players, do the same in your webshop. Exclusive free gifts available only through the webshop can entice new users and reward loyal players, encouraging them to regularly visit and explore your webshop.
- Personalized Offers: Use player data to tailor webshop offers specifically for them. Extend your in-game personalized offers to the webshop, with the added incentive of discounts or extra value.
- LiveOps Content: Incorporate live operations content into your webshop strategy. Host live events, offer time-limited content updates and provide exclusive discounts. These dynamic elements create urgency and excitement, driving more traffic and purchases.
These are levers your team is already pulling in-game, so be sure to integrate your webshop with that infrastructure to build a sustainable approach.
Success stories: Scopely and Playtika
Scopely is a prime example of how a well-integrated webshop can drive significant revenue. The company says Marvel Strike Force captures around 50% of its total sales through its webshop by using personalized offers, live events, content updates, exclusive discounts and webshop-only milestone bonuses. This success shows the potential of a well-managed webshop integrated into the game’s broader strategy.
The trend of integrating webshops into core monetization strategies is gaining traction. Playtika, for instance, reported that 25% of their FY2023 sales came through their DTC channels (aka webshops), which was a 5.3% YoY increase.
Key takeaways
- Seamless Integration: Make sure your webshop platform integrates smoothly with your existing tech stack and process, leveraging APIs for automation and efficiency.
- Extend Proven Strategies: Apply successful in-game strategies to your webshop, like free gifts, personalized offers, and live ops content.
- Active Marketing: Use in-game promotions, social media campaigns, and email marketing to drive traffic to your webshop.
- Continuous Engagement: Keep your webshop dynamic with regular updates and strategic content management to maintain player interest and boost sales.
We’re here to help
Integrating a well-managed webshop into your mobile game’s monetization strategy can significantly enhance player engagement and drive revenue. And you shouldn’t need to invest in new resources to do so. By extending your proven strategies to the webshop and ensuring seamless integration with your existing tech stack, you can create a sustainable and effective webshop practice. To learn more about how Sanlo can help you manage your webshop efficiently and integrate it into your existing tools and workflows, visit sanlo.io.
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