why should a user purchase? What is the motivation to purchase this item? In-App Purchase(IAP) revenue is the primary source of revenue for many top-tier apps. But measuring the monetization based on IAP is a long process that requires a lot of A/B testing and iteration to find the right content and user experience. The IAP optimization process can be looked at as funnel optimization. Each stage depends on the previous step. This funnel data is used to decide on the purchase type, pricing, bundling more resources to the purchase, and when to offer the in-app purchase to the user.

99% of IAP promotion content is based on static images. It can be popup ads or banners in the shop section of the app. the rest of the promotion is done by menu icons ensuring the availability of the store on each screen.

But the IAP Promotion content can have much more influence. By running longer-format content, the purchase value can be delivered to more users and generate new data points. Those data points offer a separate analysis of the users' purchase behavior.

Let's change the game and talk about how to design your first Video promotion for your In-App Purchase from concept to script.

Why is Video much more effective?

We can't cover this topic entirely, but we want to point out the main benefits of the video format.

• Influence Buying Decisions
• Builds trust and credibility.
• Appeals to Mobile UsersCan Explain Everything
• Engages Even the Laziest UsersMost the users to prefer video content to read

So can you use those points to your advantage and achieve more attention to your app purchase? Let us start.

Approaching the promotion of in-app purchases, we would like to effectively promote the IAP's value as the main message. Therefore, make sure to offer the matter to the relevant users as simply as possible.

First, understand your In-App Purchase

1. Why should a user purchase? What is the motivation to purchase this item
2. Which is it for? Which type of users in your app should buy this item.
3. What are they getting? explain to the user what is he getting and which benefits will be attributed to him

Make sure the benefits are clear and understand the value for each type of user in your app.

Understand the different values of the purchased item with those questions :

1. What is the type of purchase? consumable / non-consumable / subscription. make sure the purchase is in the right category.

2. Is the purchase meant to be repeatable? What is the trigger for the initial investment and for the next one? Does it depend on the user app usage or on the app content release?

3. What can users do with the purchase? What experiences can they have with this purchase?

Write down the groups of users that will enjoy this value and understand the message build the message for each user group, ensuring that the purchase value is relevant for each group with the right message.

For example, If the purchase is a consumable item that can be used to upgrade character abilities or a particular item. Build content that promotes both possibilities and matches it to the users based on their previous usage of this consumable resource.

We will answer those questions and write down an example of purchase value. Below is a list of questions we will follow. This will help you determine the value of your purchase and how you should market it.

Example: we will describe the value of an In-App Purchase - Premium_coin Pack - Cost 9.99$

• Main Benefits:

  • Provide essential resources to purchase main items for the first 7 days
  • Additional game content unlock
  • Allow users to pass 50% more levels per day

• Who would buy it?

  • Users that focus on upgrading items
  • Users that complete 2 stories per day at least and get stuck waiting for resources

• What are they Getting?

  • 5000 Coins
  • 2000 Gems
  • Those resources would allow passing levels 50% faster up to level 55
  • A new chest is available

Now once we have written down the "why" and "what" for the purchase, we can start personalizing the message for each user segment, make sure to build more than one message so you can run A/B testing and find the best fit for each user segment.

Working on the Message

We build our messages and ensure that we highlight the value for the user once we understand the benefits of the purchase and for which users the purchase is relevant based on the previous example.

• Users focusing on Upgrading items

  • Primary Value: Upgrade items to new levels and unlock new abilities

• Levels Runners Users

  • Primary Value: Want to complete more levels? this pack helps you achieve 50% more levels per day

We can now add a personalized element to the message. When interacting with high retention users, appreciation for their time and effort can make all the difference. You can show your appreciation by connecting their usage data to your purchase message, ensuring that they see the value of your offer and your effort by noting their efforts.

Let's get personal

For personalization, we can extract app usage data relevant to the purchase. Here are some examples and how we can integrate personalized data here are some ideas you can implement :

• The retention days and the highest score of the user
  • "Thanks for Playing for {{RETENTION_DAYS}} Straight Reaching {{HIGH_SCORE}} Is NOT an easy task. Well Done! We think this offer is the right one to help you break your record."
• Current resource amount
  • "Hi There, you have {{COINS_AMOUNT}} This is a nice amount. With this purchase, you will reach {{COINS_AMOUNT_AFTER_PURCHASE}}, and it should help you 5X your coins with a good run."
• Character level and comparing it to other players
  • "Wow, your level {{CURRENT_CHARCTER_LEVEL}} achieved in {{RETENTION_DAYS}} is putting you in the top 10% of players. Many players found this bundle very useful and helped them to Achieve {{GOAL_LEVEL}} in 4 Days."
• The number of attempts to pass a certain level or unlocked achievements
  • "Great Job. We Believe in you. You will get it next time. After {{TRIES_TO_PASS_LEVEL}} you are getting better; we think that this purchase will help you to pass it and the next challenges."

Adding those data points to the promotion content as the dynamic text will enhance the connection with the user and make the purchase offer feel relevant. The data you presented here is pretty basic, and of course, it can be taken much further, we spent a lot of time understanding why this improves the engagement after many trials we identify two main reasons.

First, sharing the user data about his status shows that you think about how to help him and give a reason for the purchase the same as using a person's name, putting a part of the user experience in the promotion content can create a better emotional connection with your product and increase the engagement.

Another aspect of personalization is creating a picture of the purchase result. By demonstrating what would happen after the purchase, a mental picture of the acquisition is created and the benefits realized. You can, for instance, display the number of coins the user has after each purchase or the level at which he can upgrade his items.

Designing the Video content

After we wrote down why this purchase is helpful, which users will benefit, what they will get, and how it will be relevant to their experiences. We can move on to how to design the video ad. a few design choices to consider :

• Video ad length - 15-30 seconds
• sound effects or music?
• Adding subtitles?
• Does the Video consist mainly of footage or animations?
• What are the purchase features highlighted?
• Special effects?
• How attractive are the first couple of seconds

Answering those questions allows us to build the basic structure for our Video, ensuring that we deliver a specific message related to the In-App Purchase and the user.

Creating the script

In the script part, we will write down the story of the Video, if we plan a narrator following along with the video, this will be his text, or it can be assigned as a subtitle text that will be added to the visual. A script is not a must for a more visual video, but it is easier to build a video with a hand as it places things in order and allows the team to follow along with a text structure for the Video. We recommend starting with scripted videos at the beginning

To the Storyboard

The storyboard is a visual concept shown on a block diagram, and this is where it all comes together with the messaging, visuals, and script. The storyboard connects the hand with the visual, allowing you to time the text and animation together. Be as specific as possible in the storyboard, as these will be the instructions given to the creative team creating the visuals. Describe the scene in detail and add primarily visual, even crude boxes, to represent the characters or concepts you want to create. Write down the scene discerption and any visual effect you want to see.

Let's put it all together

Let's get back to our IAP example from before - We want to promote a starter pack to a user base focused on reaching the highest level in their team. So what do we sell? Starter pack 5000 coins, 1500 diamonds, 10 max life for 14 days

IAP - Why / Who / What

1. Why should a user purchase? Allow you to advance levels faster than players that didn't purchase

2. Who it is for? Players that want to sit on the top

3. What are they getting? Starter pack 5000 coins, 1500 diamonds, 10 max life for 14 days

Users Groups

1. Reaching level 50 in less than 5 days
2. Session time > 2 hours
3. Signed to a team
4. Team Chat usage
5. Checking the leaderboard more than 2 times

IAP Value: allowing users to acquire 10X more resources to advance faster.

Message: The starter pack allows you to get more XP from your playing time, making faster progress reaching the top tier levels with ease.

Personalize the message: Congrats on reaching {{MAX_LEVEL}} in a great time of {{TOTAL_SESSION_TIME}}. We think that this offer will help you to reach your team {{TEAM_NAME}} Top rank. The starter pack allows you to get more XP from your playing time, making faster progress reaching the top tier levels with ease. You can reach level {{LEVEL_GOAL}} with this pack.

Script: Thanks for playing our game, you are doing great, and we would like to offer you the starter pack. You reached {{MAX_LEVEL}} in a great time of {{TOTAL_SESSION_TIME}}. We think that this offer will help you to achieve your team {{TEAM_NAME}} Top rank.
The starter pack allows you to get more XP from your playing time, making faster progress reaching the top tier levels with ease. You can reach level {{LEVEL_GOAL}} with this pack. You will get {{COINS_AMOUNT}} Coins, {{DIAMONDS_AMOUNT}} Diamonds and extra lives for 14 days !! Imagine what you can do with it?

StoryBoard:

Scene 1: Showing the game logo with gameplay footage, showing a max-level player finishing a level taking 1 place on the leader board.

Text: "Thanks for playing our game, you are doing great, and we would like to offer you the starter pack."

Scene 2: Showing a game character looking up the leader board after finishing a level with the first place.

Text: "you reached {{MAX_LEVEL}} in a great time of {{TOTAL_SESSION_TIME}}, we think that this offer will help you to do reach your team {{TEAM_NAME}} Top rank."

Scene 3: Show the starter pack icon with description poping around it, including items piping around: 5000 coins, 1500 diamonds, and 10 life icons.

Text: "Starter pack allows you to get more XP from your playing time, making faster progress reaching the top tier levels with ease. You can reach level {{LEVEL_GOAL}} with this pack. "

Scene 4: Showing player resources fill up with the purchase added to his player screen.

Text: “You will get {{COINS_AMOUNT}} Coins, {{DIAMONDS_AMOUNT}} Diamonds and extra lives for 14 days !! Imagine what you can do with it ?"

This is a detailed example showcasing how to promote value with a personalized message to a player helping his goal. The IAP should be helpful to the player making his playing time more enjoyable, and we want to provide you new ideas and tools to explore and try out new content to promote your IAP in a fun, dynamic way that is different from everyone else.

Why Not PopAds / Text?

You can use any tool to promote your IAP sales, and of course, the production price for PopUP Ads with text is much lower than video ads. But the message delivery is weaker with those ads as many users are blinded to those popups jumping on the screen quickly looking for the X button wanting to get back to the game. In Recent years rewarded ads grew significantly in volume by creating a video. You can mediate all those view time to your message making sure users understand your purchase offers. Video ads provide:

• Better education to your users.
• Explaining what they can purchase in a more digestible format and why they might need it.
• A long format content that multiplies your interaction time with your users.

Conclusion

In-App purchases are a great tool to scale your revenue. Many times developers produce so much content for the acquisition stage. This content help to introduce your app to new users. Why stop interacting with your users with video content once they are in your app? Video for your IAP is a growth channel you need to master in 2022.