Ad's & Free apps

[Loki117]

I thought of a question today which I would like to put out there to see what people do / think.

When I see a free application which I like and use if an Advertisement comes up which even vaguely interests me I will normally click on it. This I guess is my way of saying thanks to the dev for not only making the app but for keep it free.

Who here uses the Ad's in apps? Do you do it because you know it will help the dev out or just because you where interested in the product the Ad was pitching?

 

[lexluthor]

Root+Adfree Android

 

[Loki117]

Root+Adfree Android

So do you only purchase applications or only use applications which are Ad free?

 

[Loki117]

In order to add some context to the conversation.

I have 5 applications out there of those five two have decent advertising. Of around 20,000 ad impressions I have seen a click through rate of around 5.5% or just over 900 clicks in around 2 months.

My thoughts are that placing ad's inside apps can be done well. For example I only show ad's after the user is 2 screens deep into the application by that I mean any screen which the user just lands on does not contain ad's. Once the user has made a concious effort to get deeper into the app I show 1 banner ad per screen.

What do other people think? What are peoples experience?

For anyone interested in seeing what I mean one of my apps with the depth example is StockUP its in the Android market.

 

[Kelmar]

Root+Adfree Android

+1

 

[Loki117]

+1

So how would you like to see developers support themselves while making the applications? Selling the app?

 

[Kelmar]

So how would you like to see developers support themselves while making the applications? Selling the app?

I'd rather buy an app that's ad free than use a free app that has ads.


Adfree works great for the free apps when a paid app isn't available. The main reason I use it is for the browser though.

 

[w_bovine]

I'd rather buy an app that's ad free than use a free app that has ads.


Adfree works great for the free apps when a paid app isn't available. The main reason I use it is for the browser though.

I agree with that sentiment. I have Adfree for those apps that don't have paid options. Been running Adblock Plus for Firefox on my desktop for years too.

 

[Loki117]

Hmmm ok so people dislike Ad's but would you pay for a "simple" application lets say a currency converter?

 

[RichSz]

As far as I'm concerned, I see ads on TV. I see ads when I drive. I get ads in snail mail and ads in email. I see ads everywhere! Since my computers and phone give me some control, I eliminate ads there. The only reason I rooted was to get rid of ads.

Sorry if this annoys developers but I will not change this stance. I do buy ad-free versions of apps I find useful and I catch crap for doing so from friends who use the ad version forever, but that's how I roll.

I have never and will never click on an ad in my browser or cell phone.

 

[Loki117]

I'm not being argumentative about the subject i'm just trying to work out the best way for me to monetize my application if you choose to adBlock thats your call.

One thing to think about though if it wasn't for the advertisers then you wouldn't see the shows you are watching on TV as they are probably funded through advertising that or your cable bill would be hugely more expensive.

 

[w_bovine]

Hmmm ok so people dislike Ad's but would you pay for a "simple" application lets say a currency converter?

I think that's an example of something I would spend so little time using that I wouldn't mind dealing with the ads if I had to.

 

[Loki117]

I think that's an example of something I would spend so little time using that I wouldn't mind dealing with the ads if I had to.

Thats a useful insight the less use the application gets the more likely you are too deal with the ad's .... unfortunately the dev's need people to work with the Ad's rather than people suffering with them. I think my own option is leaning towards sales over Ad revenue now.

 

[Shadowtech]

I never click on Ads on my phone, mainly because I never see them running Ad-Free or the blockads script. Before I ran either of those, it would just annoy me to be using an app and accidentally click an ad and be drawn away.

Do I feel bad about not supporting the dev? Not really. The income generated by the app market for phones is already ridiculous as it is, so my not clicking on an ad really isn't going to hurt them much. Besides, if they stop working on the app because they don't make any money, some other greedy bastard will step right up and do it.

Flame me all you want if you disagree, but there have been many stories done on how successful someone has become by selling their $3 app in the market. A lot of these are just simple ports from a PC program that's already out there. So don't tell me "think how much hard work went into writing that.. blah blah" "it's only a few bucks..blah". There's no way in hell I feel bad for not supporting someone who is already likely making thousands sitting on their ass and spending maybe a week developing an app for my phone.

 

[Loki117]

I never click on Ads on my phone, mainly because I never see them running Ad-Free or the blockads script. Before I ran either of those, it would just annoy me to be using an app and accidentally click an ad and be drawn away.

Do I feel bad about not supporting the dev? Not really. The income generated by the app market for phones is already ridiculous as it is, so my not clicking on an ad really isn't going to hurt them much. Besides, if they stop working on the app because they don't make any money, some other greedy bastard will step right up and do it.

Flame me all you want if you disagree, but there have been many stories done on how successful someone has become by selling their $3 app in the market. A lot of these are just simple ports from a PC program that's already out there. So don't tell me "think how much hard work went into writing that.. blah blah" "it's only a few bucks..blah". There's no way in hell I feel bad for not supporting someone who is already likely making thousands sitting on their ass and spending maybe a week developing an app for my phone.

Ouch I was with you until the full "There's no way in hell I feel bad for not supporting someone who is already likely making thousands sitting on their ass and spending maybe a week developing an app for my phone." comment.

Everyone is entitled to decide if they want to use an application or not but your assumption is way off mark. Junk apps sure most people will take a week and they deserve to be trashed if little too no effort has gone into making them but to tar everything app with the same brush is just ignorant.

Even if an application is a port of a webpage or desktop available application it takes considerable effort to be done PROPERLY. I'm not going to get into bandwidth constraints memory usage battery usage screen real estate etc etc etc but rest assured it is not a simple port.

Too me it comes down to the same mentality of who pays street performers if I see skill in what they are doing and they enrich my life in some way sure I will drop them a $ if a begger shouts at me for cash he is getting nothing. Free applications are similar if a dev has placed effort to make my day easier then I would like to thank them in some way (perhaps clicking an Ad).

 

[Loch]

If I want to support the Dev, I buy the ad free. Or I donate.

If I see an ad I am interested in, I click it. But I can honestly say I have never clicked an ad just to "thank the developer".

That being said, I could care less if an app has ads. I just tune them out. I don't buy ad-free versions JUST to get rid of ads, I buy them if the app is something I want to support. If that removes the ads, great. If it is just a donation...thats fine too.

If the app is so-so, I just use it and avoid looking at or clicking on the apps.

 

[OstrichSaK]

I don't see an option for: 'No but I'm not annoyed that they're there because I'm a cheap ass who doesn't like to pay for apps and understand that w/o ads we wouldn't have anywhere near the number and quality of apps that we have.'

 

[RyanB]

I'm OK both ways (with ads and without). I've paid for apps that I really liked and use or depend on a lot (one game, Docs to go, a simple checkbook, Set CPU, and my Bible program to name a few), and rely on the ad-based apps for things I don't depend upon so much. So, I guess I prefer the ad-free versions for the stuff I depend upon, and accept ads for those I can live without.

 

[Maris]

I usually look for free apps first. If I like the app, and it's a reasonable price, I am more than happy to pay for it to get rid of the ads.

I have found over time the apps I use frequently are those I have paid or donated, and those I don't use that often but are still useful enough to hang on to I use with the ads. Once in a while if an ad interests me, I will click on it, but honestly, most of the time I don't. The one exception is the music app cubed (or 3). He had a check to omit the ads if you don't want to see them. I was so pleased to see this I promptly donated so I wouldn't feel guilty. Then I ended up liking the app so much I kept it.

 

[Loki117]

So perhaps I should start looking to distribute an Ad free version of my applications.

 

[kokiangel]

I doubt most people think about why the ads are there when they use the app. They are just there. If I like the app and use it a lot I buy the ad free version because it gets rid of the ads and frees the additional real estate for the actual app to use. It also usually gives me more options in the app itself.
And there are some really great apps in the android market that the dev's have obviously put a lot of work into. Some of them are worth way more than they are priced. We get a great deal on them at $1 to $3. I spend more on lunch!

 

[A.Nonymous]

Personally, I like it when the dev provides two different version of an app - ad free and with ads. I'm rooted, but I don't run ad free because I know the ads do support the developer. As someone who's looking into getting into Android development myself, I would appreciate someone supporting me.

This is why I like when there are two version of the app on the market. I then have a choice. I can tolerate the ads in an app if it's a quality app. If I really, really like the app, but don't like the ads I then have the choice to purchase the app. Both ways support the developer IMO and that's what I'm trying to do at the end of the day. People who think developers are making thousands of dollars by "sitting on their ass" have never written any sort of program in their lives.

 

[Casz]

I use the ad version while I'm testing the software then if it runs well and I like using it I buy the ad-free version. I suppose some programmers are sitting there getting rich but they are doing something that I can't so I don't begrudge them the $.

 

[OstrichSaK]

I must be weird because I couldn't even tell you one advertiser within the apps. I've seen that they are there but I've never even seen who's advertising so I guess you could say it doesn't bother me since I don't even notice.

 

[DenverRalphy]

I never click on Ads on my phone, mainly because I never see them running Ad-Free or the blockads script. Before I ran either of those, it would just annoy me to be using an app and accidentally click an ad and be drawn away.

Do I feel bad about not supporting the dev? Not really. The income generated by the app market for phones is already ridiculous as it is, so my not clicking on an ad really isn't going to hurt them much. Besides, if they stop working on the app because they don't make any money, some other greedy bastard will step right up and do it.

Flame me all you want if you disagree, but there have been many stories done on how successful someone has become by selling their $3 app in the market. A lot of these are just simple ports from a PC program that's already out there. So don't tell me "think how much hard work went into writing that.. blah blah" "it's only a few bucks..blah". There's no way in hell I feel bad for not supporting someone who is already likely making thousands sitting on their ass and spending maybe a week developing an app for my phone.

Can you post one example? I'd like to see it.