How can Google helps developers like me to monetize our app or ext?

[Gadgets]

For all these years we keep on hearing rumor that we can earn living with our app but again and again that is just a rumor only. Currently I don't have any monetize plan for my app but I really need to earn some money to cover the developing cost of my application. Can Google helps us out? I am not saying we want to make thousands per month but all we really need is just a few hundreds USD per month to cover the development cost or else it is really hard for a small developer like me to survive without the help from Google. If we got food to eat and sleep well every night without worrying about money then we will be able to update more features for our app an ext from time to time or else it is really impossible for a hungry man without money (to buy food) to continue developing app for Google, so Google please helps developers like me out, maybe a sharing of revenue for those ads appeared on our extension or app in the future? Thanks.

[Gadgets]

Let us know how you all earn your living if you all are willing to share your monetize secret with us all.

[Vladyslav Volovyk]

Why not to just set a price and start to sell?

That's actually really interesting topic, for my opinion Google recently do some real steps in this direction, yet not very bold. 

Looks like they scared to become a real store to not spurn the Android and Chrome users whom in masses are not willing to pay anything.

Apples store continue to be much more lucrative market with users who have completely different attitude to spent few $.

This will not change i think till the platform itself (Android and Chrome) is more important for Google than the ecosystem around it.

Yet I think that my first advise is anyway worth to consider - why not try to set price and start sales if you want some money and offer something valuable? 

[Ben Adams]

Google already provides this:

As a shop: You can have a price on your extension/app, or charge a subscription and have a free-trial: https://developers.google.com/chrome/web-store/docs/money

You can can do later purchases/add-ons with in-app payments and Google Wallet: https://developers.google.com/in-app-payments/

You can get a revenue share on adverts via Adsense including mobile and games ads http://www.google.com/adsense/start/products.html#tab=games

On Sun, Dec 9, 2012 at 2:37 AM, Gadgets <arie...@gmail.com> wrote:

For all these years we keep on hearing rumor that we can earn living with our app but again and again that is just a rumor only. Currently I don't have any monetize plan for my app but I really need to earn some money to cover the developing cost of my application. Can Google helps us out? I am not saying we want to make thousands per month but all we really need is just a few hundreds USD per month to cover the development cost or else it is really hard for a small developer like me to survive without the help from Google. If we got food to eat and sleep well every night without worrying about money then we will be able to update more features for our app an ext from time to time or else it is really impossible for a hungry man without money (to buy food) to continue developing app for Google, so Google please helps developers like me out, maybe a sharing of revenue for those ads appeared on our extension or app in the future? Thanks.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Chromium Apps" group.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/d/msg/chromium-apps/-/79CjfQgfDuEJ.
To post to this group, send email to chromi...@chromium.org.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to chromium-app...@chromium.org.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/group/chromium-apps/?hl=en.

[PhistucK]

Note - you cannot sell extensions, you can only sell applications.

☆PhistucK

[PhistucK]

Re-adding the group. You probably did not mean to send this message only to me.

☆PhistucK

On Sun, Dec 9, 2012 at 8:46 AM, arie3456 <arie...@gmail.com> wrote:

That's right, most of us really have lots of cool ideas and also the technical know how to get the job done but the only problem is when developers are hungry without food the only thing we can think of is how to survive first instead of creating cool app

[Vladyslav Volovyk]

I really believe that you can.

Set any price, use any payment processor that you like, you can use PayPal, 2checkout, avangate, any other (there really many of them), restrict some functionality or even does not do anything in this regard, simple declare that the version is a trial one without any restrictions and to be qualified to use it permanently, beyond some familiarization period, one need to pay the fee.

Really believe in this after reading all the Google documentation and actually very interested in some additional confirming from some of the officials out there.

[Vladyslav Volovyk]

The only payment mechanism that you cannot use is the default for Chrome Web Store. Yet as I understand from all the docs you can use any other third party for this.

[Vladyslav Volovyk]

There of course good change that some, yet i think not very big, group of users will hack you extension, will remove any restrictions and so on, but they will be unable to upload own hacked version to Chrome Web Store, if they do you will be able to shut down them really fast i think, by DMCA complain to Google, as this is a clear Copyright infringment.

So actually i think Google do something in this regard, as to install from some pirates source one need to perform some not very obvious manipulations. Most of the users i think will be happy enough to install the official version and support the developer.

[Vladyslav Volovyk]

Really plan to try this.

As my naive idea that extension writer can live and develop further own work on donations is fail miserable.

10000 very happy users yet 4 small donations so far.

At first i think that maybe it is because my extension is mostly for geeks, and such types of personality is maybe not very generous in average.

But after reading this: 

https://groups.google.com/d/msg/sessionbuddy-discuss/gz1N-7mzHaQ/69VpzAwCXk0J

(one of the highest rated extension in Chrome web store, if not the highest, 130k users)

I found that actually i am even perform better if downscale by multiplying to users ratio : ))))))))))

[Vladyslav Volovyk]

Yet actually not decide so far, freelancing can actually bring much better money to the table. So maybe i will simple add some  more core features which i ultimately need and then simple leave it as is.

That actually the way Session Buddy author acquire all own user base. I was used his extension many years and from year to year it is promise some basic thing which everyone demand. Yet actually development is stopped long ago and they only do some minimal maintenance.

This is actually was a reason why I develop my own extension- TabsOutliner , as i am simple tired of waiting for session restructuring and other long ago needed features.

[Vladyslav Volovyk]

Adding to this the fact that CWS team decide to punish extensions in favor of application, i really start to think that maybe there is no live ahead, yet will see. 

[Vladyslav Volovyk]

By the way, the reason why CWS team decide to shove the extensions into the far corner

is obvious one.

I was using Chrome since the beginning and actually constantly monitor CWS for any interesting things. Yet actually I was using only the Session Buddy, ONLY!!! Despite continuously monitoring any new interesting extensions. And now, after I done my, I use only my (as it is better in all regards).

So we can easily say that actually there not very much useful things in extensions. And why is that - it is easy, as without any clear message that work which will be spent on creation of really powerful and feature rich things can be easily monetized only some crazy personalities (like I am) can spent astonishing amount of time and energy to create something really useful. And everything which can be easily created in day or a week is already done.

So logically there is more life in Apps, as this is the way where money goes and as so more work and more everything - self supporting spiral - in case of apps its go up, in case of extensions - downwards - no money, no interesting things, will throw out all this crap...

[Gadgets]

I have the same feeling like you as well and therefore decided to stop developing my other extension.

[Vladyslav Volovyk]

Well, I am not so pessimistic meantime, but will see how it will go.

[Vladyslav Volovyk]

And if anyway you think there is no hope to move forward any other way without funding - why not try sales - register with 2checkout or avangate, they will manage all transactions and refunds for you. Show in extension the banner that from now things will be different. This is unbelievable interesting experiment on its own I think ; )

Then tell us how its will go.

We will keep fists for you! : )

On Sunday, December 9, 2012 1:41:48 PM UTC+2, Gadgets wrote:

[Vladyslav Volovyk]

That's of course the last things to do - to set a price to something that's was free. 

And maybe you will end with 1 star rate in the result of such experiments: )))

Yet actually if you plan to drop the development this might actually be more interesting than to drop and forget and can bring some new life to development and tons of experience.

Personally I will be not do such things, I rather will have a nice extension in portfolio with a good rate, this can be monetized maybe in some other way - like and advantage during the work search for example.

Yet I thinking about experimenting with a paid app, which will add some additional functionality to my free extension.

The idea is actually not to have SOME money, as even few hundreds bucks will not change anything and will no do a favor for anybody.
The goal is to build a sustainable system which will be able to create new value as for me as for my users, as there years of work is needed for a thing I am built, and I need it evolve as much as this need my users, as I am the main user of it : ))) 

So definitely I am there not for some quick and small money. But for long and big : ) And so i don't plan to execute the advise i am giving to you on myself : ) But if there is no any other ideas or a road in sight - why not?

Take look by the way on this:

Speed Dial 2

An extension with 355k users, a very good rate, and a clear and simple monetizing strategy - they charge  monthly for additional service $1.99

for a lifetime account.

One or 2 developers behind all of this as I understand.
Who knows how they was doing actually. But, clearly there is some life ; ) Do not give up till not trying at lest easy solutions.

[Elvie]

I know it's been a while since you first started investigating monetization solutions for your app, and in the past couple years the web store ecosystem has changed substantially. If you’re looking for new, Chrome-compliant to earn more from your extensions and apps, check out the FairShare monetization platform. With FairShare you can connect your extensions and apps with hundreds of premium advertisers and show relevant ads that integrate seamlessly into your users’ browsing experience.

You can check out the overview and how it works on our website but in a nutshell:

1. You drive users to co-install the single-purpose advertising FairShare extension

2. You’ll earn revenue based on the advertisements the user sees and engages with

You can motivate users to install FairShare based on goodwill, or you incent them by content-locking some of your premium content or features so that they can only be accessed by users that have Fairshare installed.

If you're still in the app business, check out FairShare and let me know what you think!  We’re always looking for feedback on how we can make our offerings better for users and developers / publishers.

Best, Elvie