How to pick a bay application. Choosing between renting and developing your own solution. Recommendations for renting and instructions.
Pouring traffic through apps has long been the most effective method of monetization in gambling. Apps have become a key part of any marketing strategy. You need to consider a bunch of factors: from technical implementation and design to stability of operation and adaptation for different devices. Plus, don't forget about cost and privacy level.
Types of applications and a detailed breakdown
There are three key types of Bay Area applications:
- PWA - is a Progressive Web App, installed from any website. Often such sites are styled as Google Play, but in reality they are not connected to it. The main problem is that the advertising campaign “goes away” if the domain is banned.
- Webview - such applications are installed via Google Play and are linked to each Facebook advertising account. In case of blocking in Google Play, access to Facebook is also lost. They are also used for traffic to Apple devices.
- iOS - applications oriented to work with traffic from Apple devices.
At the moment, launches via PWA and iOS are particularly relevant. The competition between PWA and Webview has been going on for a few years now, and is heavily influenced by changes in Facebook and Google Play policies. About a year ago, there was a major Prilka crisis and it seemed that the gambling sector would suffer greatly. However, arbitrageurs adapted and found solutions, as they always do in such situations.
We will not go into the detailed differences between each type of application. The main thing is to realize that PWA and iOS work best right now. The situation may change, but that's the way it is at the moment. Now let's discuss the details of choosing an app based on your needs and available resources. By the way, it's worth noting that iOS apps use the same Webview technology as Android apps use Webview.
To clarify: Webview is a technology that allows you to load and display a full website inside an application interface. Essentially, when you open a casino in a browser or in an app made with Webview, you see the same thing. The app simply sends a request to the site's server, pulling up all of its content. What's more, the Webview app can even store the login and password that the player used when logging in through the browser, making the process more user-friendly.
Development or rental?
Creating your own Android or iOS app using Webview is certainly a costly and time-consuming process. Let's consider the main costs and difficulties:
- Development cost: from $500 to $3,000, plus creation time.
- Technical difficulties: a lot of work with SDK and setting up tracking.
- Moderation: passing inspections also requires time and financial investment.
- Risk of banning: if the app gets banned, the investment will be wasted.
The main advantage of your own app is that all traffic comes directly from the owner, and the app itself fully replicates the offer. However, if the offerer stops working, the only significant plus is privacy, which is also not bad, but does not always justify all the costs.
PWA (Progressive Web App) - much cheaper, faster and easier to develop. This solves the long-standing dispute between Webview and PWA, and so far it is PWA that is winning. Although Webview apps for Android are considered more trusted because they are downloaded from the official store, this is still technically difficult to implement. As for conversions, success depends on many factors: geo, offerer, quality of creatives, lendings, etc. In some regions PWAs are better in some regions, in others Webview for iOS.
By the way, renting an app is a good option in three main situations:
1. Affordability: this is available for both large teams and single arbitrageurs.
2. Popularity: app rental is in demand and actively used by many.
3. Cost: prices depend on the service, here are a few averages:
- Pay per installs (installs) - from $0.05 to $0.2 per install.
- Subscription to create your own PWA - from free options to $50 per month per PWA application (PWAs are created easily, e.g. through website builders).
- Private rental of Webview apps for Android or iOS - from $300 to $1,000 per month.
Important: advertising campaigns should always be run through the tracker. Different app formats allow you to collect information about different events and data, but this requires a quality tracking system both inside the apk and in the tracker itself. The success of the app depends on the choice of the vendor, and the quality of the tracking depends on the chosen company.
Most people prefer Keitaro. This tracker provides extensive features for tracking the efficiency of runs on different types of applications, fast analytics, and has integrations with many other services.
What should be in a leased or developed application?
A mobile app fulfills several key functions: it allows the player to access the game anywhere thanks to their mobile device, and it allows the webmaster to effectively drive traffic. Based on this and the points mentioned earlier, here is a list of important details to pay attention to when choosing or developing an app:
- Соответствие дизайна офферу. Хотя приложение может быть универсальным, крайне важно, чтобы оно хотя бы визуально совпадало с темой оффера. Например, если иконка на рабочем столе пользователя показывает зеленые джунгли, а внутри открывается казино в стиле хай-тек, это вызовет диссонанс и негативное впечатление у игрока.
- Push Notifications. This feature allows you to send reminders and bonuses directly to your device, which works great for traffic and player retention.
- Quality design in the app store. A good rating and positive reviews from both the app itself and its developer play an important role. The app should have a well-designed description, data and comments. In the case of PWAs, everything is simpler - all this is set up manually in the designer.
- Availability of consumables from the supplier. For example, it is important that everything necessary for launching the application - at least the domain for the application - can be purchased from the application vendor.
The functionality of the builder (if it is a PWA). Some builders only allow you to change the avatar and title, while others provide advanced features such as adding responses to user comments. - Other technical nuances. For example, issues such as the presence of a “dangerous app” tag, lack of tracking, or the inability to correctly capture leads are separate issues that require a more in-depth technical approach.
Application development is a complex process from a technical point of view. It is worth undertaking it only if you have significant volumes of traffic and the financial ability to hire a really high-quality developer.
Conclusion
There is no single correct answer to the question of choosing the type and format of a gambling application. However, it is possible to identify a sequence of actions that will help you make an informed decision:
1. Identify target operating systems. Decide which platforms to focus on: Android or iOS.
2. App sharing. If traffic volumes are low, consider sharing the app with coworkers and competitors.
3. Pay for installs. Pay for installs, but don't be happy with just the number of installs, as they don't always lead to profits. Optimize your ad campaigns to improve on FTD (First Time Deposit).
4. Private Lease Testing. If traffic volume increases, budget allows and campaigns already have positive results, you can try private rentals.
5. Proprietary development. If there is really a lot of traffic, it is worth thinking about creating your own app.
It's also worth noting that many rental and development services are integrated into affiliate programs and can be branded for different affiliates. For example, Android-based Webview apps were actively distributed through Facebook advertising offices with the help of Telegram bots.