Sudoku.com · B2C · sudoku puzzle game
Hold off on ads until players finish something, then show one
Host, a daily player, says the ads don't feel disruptive; no numbers
Workedad-monetization
What they did
No ads at the start; ads begin only after the user has played a while. Then an ad is shown right after an accomplishment (finishing a row or column), preceded by a small celebration animation. Contrast: the audited Vice Street shows 3-4 ads before the first level is done. Steve's rule of thumb: not on first open, maybe from second or third open.
What happened
Steve, a regular player, finds the ads acceptable because they follow a win.
- Stage
- live app
“they don't start showing me ads until I start playing a little bit more. And then, eventually what they do is when I've gotten like a an accomplishment and I've finished a row or a column, they'll then show me a little animation, and then hit me with an ad”
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New tactics from the week's founder interviews, each linked to where it was said.
More from Sudoku.com
All 2 Sudoku.com tacticsMore from this episode
- App Masters: Build a small app around one side feature of a big app, like green noiseHost says his portfolio since ~2020 was built this way; only 10-20% of apps hit
- Show a lower price or bonus for paying on the web instead of in the appSame-price web checkout hurts conversion; a visible discount matches or beats in-app
- Let users pay on the web at a discount and reinvest the cash soonerDeveloper reports really good results and revenue in days instead of 45
- Give players a reward for adding their email and card on your web store
- Ask if the app is for personal or work use; show work users higher prices
- Show a cheap starter pack when players open the game a second timeHost says it works well on second opens; no numbers
- Peak: Show ads to people who started a free trial so they payNamed as what's working now by the app's growth lead; no numbers