In this tutorial we will discuss what you need to do to deploy your app to the Google Play Market and how to make money $$$.
Google Play Account
To start deploying apps you will need an account with play.google.com/apps/publish/ . This will cost you one time about $25 fee.
Uploading new app:
- prepare / sign (with certificate) app for the production release
http://developer.android.com/tools/publishing/preparing.html
http://developer.android.com/tools/building/building-studio.html
http://developer.android.com/tools/building/building-cmdline.html - signing with:
- debug key (normal development)
- private key (for Play Market)
http://developer.android.com/tools/publishing/app-signing.html - prepare icons, screenshots, promo images
- prepare promo text
- prepare YouTube video of your app
Creating New Key Store
- create one Key Store per application in case you want to sell or transfer it later
- use separate passwords for New Key Store and the app-specific Key inside
Once you created a Key Store you can "Generate Signed APK..."
Android Studio can remember your passwords, but you have to set a master password for that.
Upload signed APK to Google Play Market
Once you deploy your app you will be able to monitor various things such as:
- installs / uninstalls
- upgrades
Marketing, marketing, and marketing
Marketing is essential for success of your app, it often takes more time and money to market the app than to write the code. This is where we often fail as developers.
- marketing of a bad product is a waste of money
- not marketing of a good product is sad
- build in social sharing features
- issues of selling and marketing with children apps
Monitoring Tools: Flurry
Monetizing your apps
- develop apps on topic that is useful to YOU, not others -- You will need the fuel for burning that midnight oil, lots of it!
- develop multiple apps -- you can never say which "floppy birds" will be successful
- monitor statistics and adjust accordingly
- deploy updates often (fix bugs, improve UX)
- use freemium model unless you are selling an established product that everyone needs
- in-app purchases (pic below)
- advertisement model (pic below)
- donation model -- people too busy to donate
- free app - make money on your core business (consulting, etc.)
In app purchases: you can specify multiple products
In app purchases "trickle" revenue.
AdMob example of "trickle" revenue.
Do I need Apple iOS version for each of my Android apps?
No, I have developed many, many Android and iOS pairs of apps and I learned one thing:
