Unlocking New Revenue Streams: A Step-by-Step Guide to Expanding into Alternative App Stores

If you've developed a successful Android game on Google Play, you may be considering expanding to other app stores to tap into new audiences and increase revenue. Stores like Huawei's App Gallery, the Amazon App Store, and the Samsung Galaxy App Store offer access to users who are more likely to make in-game purchases, presenting a lucrative opportunity. However, navigating these alternative app stores can be complex, with various pain points related to fragmentation, commercial requirements, and technological differences. To ensure a smooth transition, it's essential to address key considerations such as in-app payments, asset management, update handling, and user experience. Additionally, you'll need to adapt to new flavors of Android that lack Google Mobile Services support, which may require adjustments to single sign-on, push notifications, and in-app advertising. Working with a third-party expert can help, but understanding the best approach is crucial. To succeed, learn the requirements of each store, plan for technical and operational differences, and build robust payment handling systems. Other critical factors include update handling, in-app advertising, asset management, and single sign-on. Designing your game's plumbing and back-end to accommodate easy updates and revisions will also save time and effort in the long run. Beyond technical considerations, planning live-ops and store management is vital. This includes understanding operational requirements, accommodating store differences, and investing in automation. Building relationships with store staff and leveraging their promotional capabilities can also drive growth. To maximize success, ensure feature parity, be patient, and cultivate strong relationships with account management teams. By following these guidelines and putting in the time and effort to understand the quirks of each store, you can expect a significant revenue boost of 10% or more in the first year.