With more and more developers worldwide launching freemium titles, we embarked on a study to see who is doing this effectively, and what they are doing that the rest of us aren’t.

Over the past year, we have been sharing the in-app purchasing (IAP) lessons we observed in our study of the top 50 game developers. Our top five lessons are now available as an eBook: In-App Purchasing Lessons from the Top 50 Developers.

The eBook takes a look at data gathered in a 30-day study. It breaks down retention rates, daily time spent playing games, and average daily revenue. It then looks at the top 50 games in the study to uncover the similarities that lead to their success. Its purpose is to provide a knowledge template for developers that are looking to monetize their games using IAP.

According to our study, 37 percent of players who purchase, will do so on the first day, and those day-1 purchases can account for up to 18 percent of a game’s total revenue. We also found that the top 50 game developers generated 54 percent more revenue on day 1, a trend that only continued throughout the 30-day period. The study also found that the top 50 game developers engaged users for longer periods each day, and sold more IAP items at higher prices.

The top 50 game developers were able to achieve early and sustained success by:

• reducing barriers to subsequent sessions
• making buying super easy
• targeting their app catalog based on tenure
• providing clear price points
• engaging their users socially

The eBook ties the above points together into actionable insights centered on helping other developers achieve success with in-app purchasing. To learn more about making the most out of that critical moment when a player first interacts with your game, download the eBook today.