An indie subscription app · B2C · App Masters past guest
Replace paywall graphics with a real photo, then a video
Photo lifted conversion 3.5 to 4.7; video did best
Workedpaywallexperimentation
What they did
Past guest John tested his paywall visuals: graphics, then a real photo, then a video.
What happened
Real photo raised conversion from 3.5 to 4.7; video performed best of all
“He had graphics, he tested a real photo, it went up 3.5 to 4.7. He then tested video and that did the best”
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More from this episode
- Name the new app after two keywords with ~30 search score you know convert#1 at launch, $1,600 in 22 days; now $10K+/month
- Paraphrase AI: Find the keywords first, then build an app that only paraphrases textAbout $3K/month, almost all organic
- Paraphrase AI: Run Facebook ads to grow a $2-3K/month appDidn't work; spent a lot of money and wasted it
- Paraphrase AI: Localize the app for the Philippines and set local pricesPretty good numbers, host says; none shared
- Paraphrase AI: Translate the app for Germany and run Apple Ads there
- Swap the 7-day trial on yearly for a 3-day trial on weeklyBetter results than the yearly trial; no numbers
- Change when the app asks for a review, tied to a user actionAverage rating 4.5 to 4.7, and more ratings per month
- Start with Apple Ads on search results only, just keywordsHighest-ROI platform across App Masters' partners, host says
- Give the app away free for life briefly to get first usersSome apps got 100K downloads; 10K+ signals a winner
- Ask for ratings while giving the app away free for lifeWorked from 2023, now triggers removed ratings and account suspensions
- Run a free-for-life promo and ask users for ratings60K downloads, ~600 ratings; ~100 ratings later removed by Apple
- Translate the app into Arabic with Crowdin and GeminiHalf of 60K promo downloads came from Arabic-speaking countries
- Redesign the onboarding and paywall around a personal learning planRevenue doubled, $200 to $400/month, on the same downloads
- Use a yellow crown, not a star, for the button that opens the paywallThe yellow crown performed better; no numbers
- Label the paywall button 'Continue' on iOS and 'Start Free Trial' on AndroidHost says each wins on its platform, across all paywall screens
- Drop the free trial on the monthly plan so people pick yearlyPretty good success across App Masters apps; watch annual trial-to-paid
- Headway: Lock every book except one free daily readHost hears locking more content converts better; no numbers
- Headway: Offer a cheaper deal when someone taps a locked book or closes the paywallThe $29.99 triggered offer is the second-best-selling purchase
- Prequel: Offer a discount right after someone exports an edited photo
- Routinery: Let people watch an ad to unlock a premium feature for a day
- PhotoRevive: Sell an AI image generator as an app that restores old photosDoing very well in the stores, host says
- PhotoRevive: Skip the free trial and show credits as videos you can make, priced per dayDoing well, host says; no-trial also works for other devs
- Calm: After a meditation, let people share a quote card with your logoPeople do share them on Instagram, host saw
- Zero: Send a weekly recap of the longest fast with a button to tweet itPeople did tweet it; the feature was later dropped
- Life Reset: Put a 'please don't delete' message in the app icon's long-press menu
- Show the paywall right after the first screenApp makes an estimated $350-375K/month
- Build an app that does one thing and ranks for that exact searchEstimated $55K and $80K/month for two such apps
- Add animations to the onboarding screensOne founder told the host it lifted conversion 10%