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We have recently written a number of blog posts about how mobile discovery is becoming harder and harder as competition in various app stores rises. The cost per install on mobile is continuing to increase at an alarming rate and it affects everyone, especially indie game developers.
However, despite ad networks being one of the largest user acquisition channels in mobile, there are a number of affordable and free services out there which can help out in generating more exposure for your games. The way these services usually work is by letting developers exchange users (downloads) with each other. You know the old saying, I’ll scratch your back and you’ll scratch mine.
In this blog post, I am going to share ten of our favorite resources to help your game’s discovery by cross promoting your game by using a big community of developers.
How Chartboost works:
Chartboost said it cuts out additional steps in the chain for developers, allowing them to deal directly with each other in a transparent way. Its philosophy is to help developers to “take control and drive their distribution and monetisation strategies – without paying a middleman”.
It offers promotional tools that allow developers with a portfolio of games to advertise titles to their own existing user base, while its Direct Deals Marketplace allows developers to connect with others to cross-promote apps.
Developers need to have 20,000 app starts per day to enter the marketplace, ensuring a level of quality which is quite a barrier for indie game developers.
How Tapdaq works:
Tapdaq is the most advanced cross-promotional tool, enabling developers to grow their apps by trading installs with other developers, or by cross-promoting their own network.
Tapdaq is built on the belief that individuals who work hard to build high quality applications should have a fair opportunity to succeed.
Their marketplace provides both transparency and flexibility, meaning developers can see the estimated number of installs they can generate for one another, as well as which adverts are shown within their applications.
*according to 2015 summary
How Nextpeer works:
Nextpeer is a social layer designed specifically for mobile gamers. When using Nextpeer, you’ll essentially be connecting your game into Nextpeer’s player network.
The Nextpeer community is made up of tons of players that play other Nextpeer games. The magic is found in the social layer which helps with discovery through native ads, snapshots of game highlights displayed in a livestream, news feeds and various other methods.
The platform also supports player vs. player challenges, leaderboards, chat, and push notifications with specially crafted social triggers to ping back players and motivate them to come back to the game.
How Everyplay works:
Everyplay provides a complete solution for acquiring and engaging users through video. Everyplay enables the users to record and share their best moments in your game, spreading the word about your game on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and our growing Everyplay community for game videos.
How Vungle works:
Vungle products provide necessary infrastructure for app monetization through video ads.
How Tap for Tap works:
Trading users with other developers on our tap exchange, cross-promoting apps on his own network or by bidding on our exclusive inventory.
How Tappx works:
An exchange community to promote the apps for free. Tappx is a community of developers and promotion is made between their apps in order to get free promotion.
How AppFlood works:
AppFlood is a global programmatic mobile ad platform. Uses intelligent algorithms to put the right ads in front of the right mobile users so that performance advertisers and brands maximize ROI and publishers boost revenue.
How Xplode works:
Acquiring quality users for free through the first truly native app discovery platform. Power user growth and engagement in each app you launch by leveraging the highest quality users: the ones that already value you.
*according to 2014 publications
How Floop works:
The toolkit for developers of mobile kids apps with instant access to kid-safe promotion and engagement tools.
