Apple's App Store Subscription Management Secrets
The subscription model was first introduced on the App Store in 2016 and has since remained one of the priority aspects of the service, the improvement of which the company spares no resources. This scheme, unlike IAP, is aimed at long-term retention of users and stable charges, which is probably beneficial for the developer and definitely beneficial for the market - now the share of subscriptions is about 18% of the total corporate profits . Subscriptions can rightly be called the fastest growing business model on the App Store.
Apple holds from 15% to 30% of the commission from subscription payments, and in return offers developers more and more tools to make subscription a convenient, secure, standardized process that does not exactly alienate the user. The problem is not far-fetched: as Apple experts directly say, the effectiveness of the subscription model often suffers due to excessive complexity or complexity. At the last WWDC conference, the company devoted a whole report to this topic, detailing how to convey to users the value of their proposal, provide them with a positive experience and increase conversion. Basic provisions with examples and illustrations you will find under the cut.
So, you decided to transfer your application to auto-renewable subscriptions, which are promoted by Apple. To get the desired result, make sure that the subscription:
This characteristic consists of several conditions. First, the proposal should be simply noticeable and accessible. It is not worth expecting that users will take the initiative and begin to look for an opportunity to pay. To convey information to them and to encourage action - the care of the developer.
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Apple offers two patterns to show the calling button:
Embed the subscription button in the application interface. In this case, it will remain in front of the user during the entire interaction, constantly recalling the possibility of obtaining additional content or functionality.
This approach is very well implemented in the New York Times application. The button is built with taste, in accordance with the style of the rest of the UI, but at the same time it is very noticeable - it is located directly above the article that the user is currently reading. This harmonious design is of great importance: it allows you to leave the proposal in plain sight, without leaving a feeling of obsession and without causing irritation.
Another way to present an opportunity to purchase is to show the corresponding window at a strategic moment when the user has already shown interest in some part of the content or features that are offered as part of the subscription. The calculation here is clear: the user has already outlined a certain travel route and may not want to deviate from it.
As an example, here is the Her. Let's say that you opened the app and scroll through profiles, but suddenly you miss someone you really like. Of course, you are trying to return to this profile, and it is at this moment that the “Her” application with a taste shows you a window with an offer, because the rewind tool for viewed profiles is an option available only to subscribers.
Regardless of which of the methods you choose, in all applications with subscriptions, an alternative way of registration should be provided: a place should be allocated for the subscription button in the Settings or profiles window (Accounts). This is the most obvious, intuitive place in which most people will look for a subscription.
The team also leads one popular antipattern - pop-up windows that appear at an arbitrary moment and are not tied to the general context of the user experience. Such windows are associated with advertising and notifications, which usually “look like” from the screen without reading - the same fate will befall your subscription.
The minimum of steps and the minimum of actions is the credo of the UX design as a whole, and here it is also quite applicable. Any additional effort — requesting redundant information, splitting the process up into multiple steps, loading and time-consuming interactions — will be perceived by the user as a barrier. In order to understand where the line between “acceptable” and “too much” lies, you can refer to the following chart:
Here are the results of the study of user behavior in the three top streaming applications. The data reflects the conversion rate of the subscription and the number of clicks required to complete the design: with three clicks 61% of users subscribed, with four 48% of users, and when the number of clicks increased to nine clicks the number of subscribers was only 7%. The correlation is obvious.
Accordingly, it only makes sense to request from the user the most necessary information for a subscription: the fewer clicks, the fewer obstacles, the fewer obstacles, the more subscribers. So first focus on signing the user - and personalization and getting additional details can wait before the person signs up.
Honesty is the best policy (especially since nobody canceled returns). It is necessary to clearly and concisely state the conditions of the proposal, so that users can get a complete picture of it and make an informed decision. According to the App Store editors, the subscription window or screen must contain the following information:
Most users subscribe to the phone, so brevity and capacity are especially important when designing the interface and working on the content. Ideally, all the basic information should be located on one screen so that the user can immediately cover them with a glance. This was very successfully done by the At Bat application developers:
To successfully sell a subscription, the developer needs to maintain a balance: on the one hand, the application must be attractive from the very moment of launch, on the other - the user must clearly realize that in his experience there is not enough of something that can be obtained for a fee. The easiest and proven way to achieve this is to allow him to try out the application and content before he signs up. This scheme is now used by businesses from various spheres: it suffices to recall fitting clothes or test driving cars. Experts in the field of marketing say that the interaction experience is extremely effective in persuading the user to decide to make a purchase.
There are three ways to attract people through user experience:
Trial version: the user is given the opportunity to work with the full range of functions or content, but only for a limited time period. This method works best for brands with strong positions in the market that people have heard about and with simple subscriptions, the content of which is immediately understandable.
“Probe” of content: here the restrictions do not concern the timing of use, but the amount of content. Users get access to some of its “on trial” and the option to get more for an additional fee. Unlike the first method, it works for the vast majority of applications.
In the New York Times app, you can open ten articles per month for free. Important point: the service allows people to select the content that they will receive for free. As a result, the fact that they read exactly those materials that they are interested in increases engagement and helps to increase the value of the subscription in their eyes.
Premium Features: Apple also calls the classic scheme through experience, when most of the functionality is available for free, but some tools remain blocked. At the same time, it is important that the user is regularly reminded of their existence — to do this, they can also be embedded in the interface of related pages. For example, the Sleepcycle application uses the blur effect to keep the Trends tools visible, but at the same time it is marked as inaccessible. Thus, potential subscribers can evaluate what content they will receive, if they subscribe, directly during the interaction with the basic functions.
With all its hypothetical attractiveness, a subscription, of course, is costly for the user, which cannot help but discourage him. However, over the past year, the App Store has been actively introducing ways to present their product in a favorable light and alleviate the pain of parting with money. First of all, these measures are aimed at helping those who installed the application recently, or have worked only with free functionality, to overcome the psychological barrier.
A one-time discount for new users: the App Store has the opportunity to recognize new users and subscribe them for a set period at a reduced price. The ability to evaluate blocked content on favorable terms provides an additional impetus to the purchase.
Two models of calculations: developers can choose exactly how the user will be charged funds. The Pay As You Go model assumes regular charges of less than the standard size for a certain time. For example: the first three months the user pays $ 1.99 each month instead of the standard $ 9.99. This will effectively work to attract an audience for which the price factor is crucial, and can be useful in highly competitive markets.
In the Pay Upfront model, on the contrary, a longer period is immediately paid for, covering several billing periods, but it costs less than if the user made money in the usual way. Suppose: for a payment of $ 9.99, he gets access to full functionality for six months, whereas a standard annual subscription would cost him $ 39.99. This method is recommended for applications that show value and increase engagement gradually - so the user will definitely have time to properly get the benefits.
Localization: the price specified for the initial localization is not automatically transferred to other currencies - for each country, you can set the cost independently, depending on market conditions, taxation and other considerations.
So, the main goal in the subscription model is to give people familiarity and affinity with the application and its content sufficiently to support it financially, and all of the above (transparency, conspicuity, content samplers) contributes to this. But the App Store team emphasizes: whatever approach you take, make sure that it works for your target audience - because no one knows it better than you. Think about what kind of user experience you are currently providing to them, what type of content is available to them in your applications and how adding subscriptions will affect the overall impression.
Apple holds from 15% to 30% of the commission from subscription payments, and in return offers developers more and more tools to make subscription a convenient, secure, standardized process that does not exactly alienate the user. The problem is not far-fetched: as Apple experts directly say, the effectiveness of the subscription model often suffers due to excessive complexity or complexity. At the last WWDC conference, the company devoted a whole report to this topic, detailing how to convey to users the value of their proposal, provide them with a positive experience and increase conversion. Basic provisions with examples and illustrations you will find under the cut.
So, you decided to transfer your application to auto-renewable subscriptions, which are promoted by Apple. To get the desired result, make sure that the subscription:
... was noticeable
This characteristic consists of several conditions. First, the proposal should be simply noticeable and accessible. It is not worth expecting that users will take the initiative and begin to look for an opportunity to pay. To convey information to them and to encourage action - the care of the developer.
')
Apple offers two patterns to show the calling button:
Embed the subscription button in the application interface. In this case, it will remain in front of the user during the entire interaction, constantly recalling the possibility of obtaining additional content or functionality.
This approach is very well implemented in the New York Times application. The button is built with taste, in accordance with the style of the rest of the UI, but at the same time it is very noticeable - it is located directly above the article that the user is currently reading. This harmonious design is of great importance: it allows you to leave the proposal in plain sight, without leaving a feeling of obsession and without causing irritation.
Another way to present an opportunity to purchase is to show the corresponding window at a strategic moment when the user has already shown interest in some part of the content or features that are offered as part of the subscription. The calculation here is clear: the user has already outlined a certain travel route and may not want to deviate from it.
As an example, here is the Her. Let's say that you opened the app and scroll through profiles, but suddenly you miss someone you really like. Of course, you are trying to return to this profile, and it is at this moment that the “Her” application with a taste shows you a window with an offer, because the rewind tool for viewed profiles is an option available only to subscribers.
Regardless of which of the methods you choose, in all applications with subscriptions, an alternative way of registration should be provided: a place should be allocated for the subscription button in the Settings or profiles window (Accounts). This is the most obvious, intuitive place in which most people will look for a subscription.
The team also leads one popular antipattern - pop-up windows that appear at an arbitrary moment and are not tied to the general context of the user experience. Such windows are associated with advertising and notifications, which usually “look like” from the screen without reading - the same fate will befall your subscription.
... did not require extra effort
The minimum of steps and the minimum of actions is the credo of the UX design as a whole, and here it is also quite applicable. Any additional effort — requesting redundant information, splitting the process up into multiple steps, loading and time-consuming interactions — will be perceived by the user as a barrier. In order to understand where the line between “acceptable” and “too much” lies, you can refer to the following chart:
Here are the results of the study of user behavior in the three top streaming applications. The data reflects the conversion rate of the subscription and the number of clicks required to complete the design: with three clicks 61% of users subscribed, with four 48% of users, and when the number of clicks increased to nine clicks the number of subscribers was only 7%. The correlation is obvious.
Accordingly, it only makes sense to request from the user the most necessary information for a subscription: the fewer clicks, the fewer obstacles, the fewer obstacles, the more subscribers. So first focus on signing the user - and personalization and getting additional details can wait before the person signs up.
... was transparent
Honesty is the best policy (especially since nobody canceled returns). It is necessary to clearly and concisely state the conditions of the proposal, so that users can get a complete picture of it and make an informed decision. According to the App Store editors, the subscription window or screen must contain the following information:
- A brief clear description of the value of the subscription;
- Strong call to action;
- Login button for already subscribing users;
- Restoration of a subscription for those who changed the device;
- Subscription button, which displays the cost and validity;
- Several options for subscriptions - and to play it safe (never guess what exactly this particular user needs), and to collect statistics and find out what suits the target audience more.
Most users subscribe to the phone, so brevity and capacity are especially important when designing the interface and working on the content. Ideally, all the basic information should be located on one screen so that the user can immediately cover them with a glance. This was very successfully done by the At Bat application developers:
... was attractive
To successfully sell a subscription, the developer needs to maintain a balance: on the one hand, the application must be attractive from the very moment of launch, on the other - the user must clearly realize that in his experience there is not enough of something that can be obtained for a fee. The easiest and proven way to achieve this is to allow him to try out the application and content before he signs up. This scheme is now used by businesses from various spheres: it suffices to recall fitting clothes or test driving cars. Experts in the field of marketing say that the interaction experience is extremely effective in persuading the user to decide to make a purchase.
There are three ways to attract people through user experience:
Trial version: the user is given the opportunity to work with the full range of functions or content, but only for a limited time period. This method works best for brands with strong positions in the market that people have heard about and with simple subscriptions, the content of which is immediately understandable.
“Probe” of content: here the restrictions do not concern the timing of use, but the amount of content. Users get access to some of its “on trial” and the option to get more for an additional fee. Unlike the first method, it works for the vast majority of applications.
In the New York Times app, you can open ten articles per month for free. Important point: the service allows people to select the content that they will receive for free. As a result, the fact that they read exactly those materials that they are interested in increases engagement and helps to increase the value of the subscription in their eyes.
Premium Features: Apple also calls the classic scheme through experience, when most of the functionality is available for free, but some tools remain blocked. At the same time, it is important that the user is regularly reminded of their existence — to do this, they can also be embedded in the interface of related pages. For example, the Sleepcycle application uses the blur effect to keep the Trends tools visible, but at the same time it is marked as inaccessible. Thus, potential subscribers can evaluate what content they will receive, if they subscribe, directly during the interaction with the basic functions.
... was flexible
With all its hypothetical attractiveness, a subscription, of course, is costly for the user, which cannot help but discourage him. However, over the past year, the App Store has been actively introducing ways to present their product in a favorable light and alleviate the pain of parting with money. First of all, these measures are aimed at helping those who installed the application recently, or have worked only with free functionality, to overcome the psychological barrier.
A one-time discount for new users: the App Store has the opportunity to recognize new users and subscribe them for a set period at a reduced price. The ability to evaluate blocked content on favorable terms provides an additional impetus to the purchase.
Two models of calculations: developers can choose exactly how the user will be charged funds. The Pay As You Go model assumes regular charges of less than the standard size for a certain time. For example: the first three months the user pays $ 1.99 each month instead of the standard $ 9.99. This will effectively work to attract an audience for which the price factor is crucial, and can be useful in highly competitive markets.
In the Pay Upfront model, on the contrary, a longer period is immediately paid for, covering several billing periods, but it costs less than if the user made money in the usual way. Suppose: for a payment of $ 9.99, he gets access to full functionality for six months, whereas a standard annual subscription would cost him $ 39.99. This method is recommended for applications that show value and increase engagement gradually - so the user will definitely have time to properly get the benefits.
Localization: the price specified for the initial localization is not automatically transferred to other currencies - for each country, you can set the cost independently, depending on market conditions, taxation and other considerations.
So, the main goal in the subscription model is to give people familiarity and affinity with the application and its content sufficiently to support it financially, and all of the above (transparency, conspicuity, content samplers) contributes to this. But the App Store team emphasizes: whatever approach you take, make sure that it works for your target audience - because no one knows it better than you. Think about what kind of user experience you are currently providing to them, what type of content is available to them in your applications and how adding subscriptions will affect the overall impression.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/423991/
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