This document helps carriers prepare for
launching direct carrier billing on Google Play.
While your technical and �nancial teams are
preparing infrastructure and reconciliation, in
parallel you should involve your marketing
team into the launch process in order to
maximize user activations and revenue
from the �rst day of launch. Share this
document with them to give a
helping hand!
INTRODUCTION
How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?
Launch your GooglePlay landing page
Conduct a social media campaign promoting the
payment method
Conduct a recurring Push SMS campaign to your
Android users
Con�gure error messages so users would retry
payments after failed attempts
WHAT SHOULD YOU THE MARKETING TEAM DO BEFORE LAUNCH?
In order for users to make payments on Google Play, they need to initially set up (activate) their SIM card through the app store interface.
This means during the 12 months after after the launch,
your focus should be on getting as many users to activate
carrier billing on Google Play as possible. Without any
marketing activities, the usual average amount of
activations after 12 months is 7-8% of your Android
subscriber base.
Based on past experience, carriers who also put marketing e�ort on increasing user activations are able to reach 20-25%.
ACTIVATIONSAFTER 12 MONTHS
WITHOUT ANY MARKETINGACTIVITIES
7-8%
WITH MARKETING ACTIVITIES
20-25%
How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?
IN ORDER TO REACH THE 25% GOAL, THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE PREPARED BEFORE LAUNCHING ON THE APP STORE:
Landing page on your homepage set up with information about Google Play including:
Overview of what direct carrier billing is and what are its bene�ts
Examples of popular apps where payment can be done (market-speci�c, can be identi�ed via App Annie)
Tutorial on how to activate carrier billing for Google Play (either a step-by-step screenshot walkthrough or a video)
Frequently asked questions: what to do in case of activation failures, who to contact in case of payment disputes, how to cancel subscriptions, how to view past purchases, how to set up Parental Controls for devices being used by minors
For reference, check examples from Singtel, Globe and Optus
Social media campaigns prepared to communicate availability of direct carrier billing on Google Play to subscribers:
Highlight the convenience of making payments through their mobile operator
Highlight popular apps for which they can now pay with direct carrier billing
Share your landing page and tutorial videos to help users understand how to activate direct carrier billing on Google Play
How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?
IN ORDER TO REACH THE 25% GOAL, THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE PREPARED BEFORE LAUNCHING ON THE APP STORE:
List of Android users in subscriber base identi�ed:
Recurring Push SMS campaign set up for unactivated Android users, directing them to the Google Play landing page with a call to action to activate their account
Correctly con�guring error messages:
Error messages displayed to subscribers in Google Play can be customized by Fortumo; if possible, also have a separate Push SMS noti�cation sent to the user when a payment failure occurs
Google Play defaults users to the payment method they used in the store the last time. Error messages should be as clear and helpful as possible as users who are unable to troubleshoot their issue might switch to another payment method instead and never try to pay with direct carrier billing again
For prepaid users, the main failure reason is insu�cient balance. Explain in the Google Play and Push SMS error message that their payment failed due to insu�cient balance on their SIM card and provide a link to your web top-up portal or call-to-action to top up at a retail location
For postpaid users, the main failure reason is reaching the spending limit. Explain in the Google Play and Push SMS error message what the limit is and when it is reset
For postpaid users, set up a Push SMS solution where users who have reached a limit are reminded when the limit is reset (e.g. at the beginning of the month)
How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?
HEAVY USERS
25%
COUNT OF USERS
DISTRIBUTION OF REVENUE
CONFIGURING SPEND LIMITS
It is critical to con�gure spend limits in a way that do not obstruct legitimate users from making payments as they want. Across all markets, approximately 60-70% of revenue is generated by 25% of the subscribers.
Setting spending limits too low means users are unable to
make as many payments as they want. In some cases, it also
blocks users from purchasing content, such as in cases of
expensive navigation, o�ce productivity and anti-virus
applications.
We recommend setting the monthly spend limit to at least
$100. This is the threshold where most of our carrier
partners have identi�ed revenue to be the biggest while
credit risk has not increased. However, this is strongly
dependent on market speci�cs and we strongly encourage
you to reach out to Fortumo to discuss the monthly spend
limit before making any �nal decisions.
How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?
HEAVY USERS
60-70%
Do not set spending limits on prepaid accounts: the account balance acts as their spending limit
The spending limit for postpaid accounts should be set to at least $100; consult with Fortumo before you make any �nal decisions on spending limits
Do not set daily spending limits for subscribers
Note that spend limits should only be applied to postpaid accounts as the account balance itself acts as a spending for prepaid SIM card users.
We do not recommend to apply any daily spend limits for
Google Play as this will prevent legitimate users from
making transactions and also makes subscribers unable to
pay for some content. For example, many productivity tools
(antivirus, GPS, o�ce suites) have high pricing and with
daily spend limits, users will not be able to purchase these
apps.
To prevent cases where minors make purchases without
their parent’s consent, Parental Controls information should
be present on your Google Play landing page, parents
should be recommended to have their e-mail in the child’s
Google Play account (to receive payment receipts) and your
support sta� should recommend its usage to parents.
How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?
WHAT TO EXPECT AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR AFTER LAUNCH?
Revenue and user activations growth: during the �rst 6 months, revenue and user growth should be at least 30% month-on-month
Spending limits: no more than 10% of people should reach your monthly spending limit
Failed payments: revenue from failed transactions should not exceed revenue from charged transactions
How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?
In order to increase revenue and user activation growth,
refer back to the marketing activities listed above. If you
have not conducted any or some of them by now, this is the
time to do it.
Should more than 10% of your users reach the monthly
spending limit, the limit has been set too high. Keep an eye
on user behavior and if this is the case, increase the
spending limits. Initially, you can do this only for a part of
your subscribers, for example by setting up a Push SMS
solution where they can increase their spend limit by
replying to the message (similar to when they run out of
mobile data) or through your self-service portal.
While user activation campaigns should be continued
for unactivated users, this is also a good point to start
marketing activities to generate additional revenue.
Other carriers who run promotions for Google Play
payments have seen a 40%-50% revenue increase
during the campaign period.
It is normal that roughly 6 months after launching Google Play, organic user activations and revenue growth rate will decline. At this point, your launch-oriented marketing activities should already have caused as many users as possible to activate their payment account.
HOW TO GROW REVENUE AFTER LAUNCH?
Promote popular applications to your users
Give out free data for highest-grossing applications
Give out free data to users who spend on Google Play
Run prize draw campaigns for users who spend on Google Play
Run discount campaigns for users paying with DCB
Work together with developers to conduct DCB-focused campaigns
How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?
CARRIERS WHO RUN PROMOTIONS
REVENUEINCREASE
40-50%
How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?
A free account with App Annie, combined with your internal
payments data about the highest-grossing apps can be used to
identify apps which generate the most revenue through carrier
billing. Use this to identify apps that can be promoted directly for
customers to download and use.
You can use free data promotions as a tool to drive users to high-grossing apps, which in the long term will also increase paying users inside these apps. A more direct approach is to give out free data to users who spend a speci�c amount of money through carrier billing on Google Play.
Another method to motivate users to make payments is to have a
prize draw campaign. For example, you can ra�e out 5 new Samsung
smartphones among all users who spend at least $10 on Google Play
during one month. You can also organize “happy hour” campaigns
where you refund a certain % of the payment made to the user. For
example, you can give a 10% discount to all content purchased on
Google Play during the holiday period. While these refunds will have
to be subsidized by you, the spend is compensated by an increased
payment volume from existing users, as well as motivation for new
users to enable their direct carrier billing accounts.
Contact developers who own the highest-grossing apps in your
market. Developers are able to give discounts to users who pay with
carrier billing and for example hand out vouchers to redeem extra
content when your payment method is used. To motivate developers
for the campaign, o�er them user acquisition opportunities (e.g.
promotion in your social media channels and free data for their apps).
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Fortumo is a mobile payments company that enables direct carrier billing with more than 350 mobile operators in 90+ countries. Fortumo's payment products work across a wide range of platforms including desktop devices, smartphones, feature phones, tablets and smart TV-s. These products give end-users a simple, 1-click payment method to charge online purchases to their phone bill. For carriers, connecting to Fortumo enables additional revenue from leading app stores, game developers and digital media companies while Fortumo takes care of the technical infrastructure, taxation, merchant on-boarding and support in post-launch activities. Founded in 2007, Fortumo has offices in Estonia, San Francisco, Beijing, Delhi, Singapore & Hanoi and is backed by Intel Capital and Greycroft Partners.
This document is for informational purposes only. Fortumo and the authors make no expressed or implied warranties in this document. Fortumo and the author(s) make no representation or warranty in relation to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the informa-tion contained in this document. Any opinions expressed in this document are subject to change without notice. This document may be based on a number of assumptions and different assumptions could result in materially different results. This document should not be regarded by recipients as a substitute for obtaining independent advice and/or the exercise of their own judgement, and is not to be relied upon by recipients. Fortumo and the authors, and any of their members, directors, employees or agents do not accept any liability for any loss or damage arising out of the use of all or any part of this document. Copyright © 2017 Fortumo | All rights reserved.