Dan Burcaw is Co-Founder & CEO of Nami ML. He built a top mobile app development agency responsible for some of the most elite apps on the App Store and then found himself inside the mobile marketing industry after selling his last company to Oracle.
As the world continues to rapidly digitize, businesses are relying on technology more than ever to operate efficiently and effectively. One crucial aspect of technology is software development, which has traditionally required extensive knowledge of coding and development processes. However, with the rise of no-code solutions, companies are able to create and maintain software without needing extensive technical knowledge.
A VP of Engineering plays a crucial role in the software development process, overseeing the technical team and ensuring that the software they produce is high-quality and meets business objectives. Here are some reasons why a VP of Engineering may want to adopt a no-code solution:
Faster Development Time
One of the most significant advantages of no-code solutions is that they significantly reduce development time. This is because no-code platforms offer pre-built templates, widgets, and drag-and-drop interfaces that can be quickly customized to meet specific business needs. This means that engineers can focus on the more complex and specialized aspects of development, such as integrations and custom features, rather than spending time on basic coding.
Increased Collaboration
No-code solutions enable team members with diverse skill sets, including those without technical backgrounds, to collaborate more easily. This is because no-code platforms have a user-friendly interface that anyone can use, regardless of technical expertise. This increased collaboration can result in faster development and better communication across teams, leading to a more efficient software development process.
Cost Savings
No-code solutions can be significantly more cost-effective than traditional software development approaches. This is because they require fewer resources, including time and money, to produce the same result. By reducing development time and the need for specialized technical expertise, companies can save money on salaries and infrastructure costs, making it an attractive option for businesses looking to scale quickly.
Increased Flexibility
No-code solutions are highly flexible, allowing companies to quickly adapt and respond to changing business needs. With no-code platforms, it is much easier to modify and update software, allowing businesses to stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly changing market. This flexibility can be particularly beneficial for companies that operate in industries that experience rapid technological advancements and changes in customer preferences.
No-code solutions are a powerful tool for companies looking to rapidly develop high-quality software while saving time and money. For a VP of Engineering, adopting a no-code solution can improve collaboration, reduce development time, increase flexibility, and ultimately help businesses stay competitive in an ever-changing digital landscape.
If you're a VP of Engineering responsible for a subscription-based mobile application, consider Nami's no-code paywall solution. Nami's platform enables you to monetize your content and provide personalized experiences for your users, all without requiring extensive coding knowledge. With Nami, engineering teams can quickly implement and customize paywalls, optimize the purchase experience, and track revenue metrics through a user-friendly dashboard. Plus, our platform is highly flexible, allowing you to adapt and iterate quickly as your business needs evolve. Sign up for a free trial today and experience why Nami's no-code paywall solution is loved by engineering teams.
When does Google Play payout to developers? Play Store developer payout occurs approximately the same time each month. Generally, it happens around the 15th of each month for the previous month’s sales.
Here’s what to expect for Google merchant payments (which include Google Play developers):
Payouts occur on the 15th of each month
If the 15th falls on a weekend, payouts start on the following Monday
If the 15th falls on a holiday, payouts start on the following business day
Payouts are for net proceeds less Google’s Play Store commission.
Most payouts are conducted via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). Funds can take 2-3 business days to arrive in your account.
In some regions, payouts are via wire transfer. Funds takes take 5-7 business days to arrive in this situation.
Here is an online Google Play store developer payout calendar resource you can bookmark that is updated for the current fiscal year. It’s also available in an downloadable PDF format.
Nami co-founder & CEO joined Jennifer Sansone, host of the The App Growth Show to talk about turbocharging in-app subscription revenue.
Here is the episode synopsis:
Hey, App Growth Community! Welcome back to the App Growth Show, where we host mobile experts to provide valuable and actionable insights on how you can grow your app. No matter where you are in your app growth journey, we are able to help you achieve your mobile growth goals. Today, we are so excited to be joined by Dan Burcaw, CEO of Nami. Nami is a unique product that lets app marketers like you to design and implement the perfect subscription model for your app and create happy subscribers. They are the easiest way to implement one solution and sell subscriptions everywhere you need to. Whether a mobile app, on your website, or even from a connected device, Nami has you covered with one unified view of your subscribers regardless of where the billing takes place.
Nami introduces the latest release of their Subscriber Experience Cloud platform focusing on core capabilities that meet the Accessibility and Localization needs of Enterprise Mobile App Publishers.
Nami® (PRWEB), a leading provider of comprehensive mobile subscription capabilities for enterprise mobile app publishers has released the latest version of their carrier-grade subscriber experience cloud platform featuring accessibility and localization features.
“The shift to subscriptions as a fundamental mobile app monetization strategy is a global phenomenon and to do it right and make subscribers happy, apps need the ability to speak to their users where they are and make sure everyone is able to benefit,” explains Dan Burcaw, CEO and Co-Founder of the company.
Localization is the ability to present key components like the Paywall Purchase Experience in the user’s choice of languages. The Nami platform’s Paywall Builder feature now supports all the languages available on the user’s mobile device making it easier and better for publishers to adopt the languages their subscribers use natively.
Accessibility is the way software adapts its user interface to the needs of users with different requirements, such as those who may need assistance with visual cues or input. Paywalls built with the Nami platform can now be used more easily by people of all abilities.
Both Nami’s Localization and Accessibility features are built on top of the enterprise scale and carrier-grade security capabilities that give businesses of all sizes the stability, reliability and confidence to ship their products globally.
Nami ML is an early-stage business that has built a comprehensive Mobile Subscriber Experience platform focused on creating Happy Subscribers that lets mobile app publishers focus on the unique features of their apps while managing the end-to-end subscription lifecycle from first use to customer support and renewal. To try the platform sign up for free at https://namiml.com
It’s earnings season on Wall Street and for companies in the App Economy. It's a tale of two monetization strategies plus pressure creating additional uncertainty. Here are three areas to watch as companies report Q3 2021 results:
1. The Impact of Apple’s Privacy Changes on the App Economy
Q3 2021 isthefirst full quarter impacted by Apple’s iOS privacy changes. App Tracking Transparency (ATT) rolled out with iOS 14.5 on April 26, 2021. ATT shifts the iOS ID for Advertisers (IDFA) from Opt Out to Opt In.
IDFA is used to measure a user’s interaction with advertisements. IDFA is also widely used to tie mobile users to customer profiles. This allows advertisers to follow users with ads across web and mobile.
The companies most predicted to feel pressure from the ATT rollout include Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) and Snap (NYSE: SNAP). Both are part of the App Economy due to their heavy dependence on mobile advertising revenue.
Facebook Q3 Revenue Miss
While Facebook saw little impact in Q2 resulting from ATT, the company felt the pain in Q3. Facebook missed revenue targets expected by analysts which Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg attributed to ATT:
“As expected, we did experience revenue headwinds this quarter, including from Apple's changes”
Facebook is preparing Wall Street for a bumpy Q4 in part due to ATT:
"Our outlook reflects the significant uncertainty we face in the fourth quarter in light of continued headwinds from Apple's iOS 14 changes, and macroeconomic and COVID-related factors."
Snap Misses Revenue Too
Snap also missed Q3 revenue expectations. CEO Evan Spiegal cited iOS ad tracking as the driving force:
“Our advertising business was disrupted by changes to iOS ad tracking that were broadly rolled out by Apple in June and July.”
Following the earnings report, Snap’s price per share dropped approximately 25% and hasn’t recovered after two full days of trading.
Source: Yahoo! Finance
Oppenheimer analyst Jason Helfstein expects much of the digital advertising industry to face IDFA-related headwinds. Both Facebook and Snap are promising technology investments to mitigate the impact.
It remains to be seen how well companies will adapt and how aggressively advertising-centric companies look to subscriptions as a means to accelerate a return to growth.
2. Early Clues from Google’s Subscription Commission Cuts
Speaking of subscriptions, Google just announced a reduction in Play Store subscription commissions. The earnings impact for App Economy companies will take time. The change won’t take effect until January 1, 2022.
However, the market is already responding positively to the news. Shares of DuoLingo (NASDAQ: DUOL), the popular language learning app, are up ~15%:
App Economy company $DUOL is up following Play Store commission cut news. Source: Yahoo! Finance
DuoLingo isn’t alone. Shares of Bumble (NASDAQ: BMBL), the dating app, are up more than ~5%:
App Economy company $BMBL is up following Play Store commission cut news. Source: Yahoo! Finance
For subscription-based apps, the reduced commission is a feel good moment that’s likely to release some of the pressure that has been building. It’s likely temporary but will cause app publishers to pile on pressure for Apple to follow suit.
Regardless of the commission, App Economy companies will still have too much churn. These companies will need strong retention programs and they need to elevate their subscriber experience.
3. Are More Changes On the Horizon Due to Regulatory Pressures?
Apple’s advertising privacy changes put more control in the hands of the end user. In the process, they have disrupted digital advertising. At least for a while. Most users if asked would surely agree that this is a positive change. So while Apple is receiving scrutiny, it’s by the parties most dependent on advertising business models.
On the other side of the monetization coin, app publishers selling directly to consumers have long been fighting for more favorable business terms and fewer restrictions. To them, this isn't about the end user at all. Rather, about building a sustainable business.
To Apple, some of the asks such as side-loading apps, alternative app stores, or even different payment mechanisms would harm iPhone’s security and privacy models.
In the US, developers went to court and received concessions via a settlement with Apple. In Japan, the Fair Trade Commission closed an investigation into the App Store after Apple offered a different concession. Of course, the already famous Epic v. Apple lawsuit resulted in a court order followed by an appeal by Apple.
Jurisdictions around the world are examining Apple and Google for potential anti-competitive behavior. While it is not clear how this will turn out, there is no doubt uncertainty lies ahead in the App Economy.
Google today announced a major change to the Play Store commission structure affecting subscription apps. Starting on January 1, 2022, all subscriptions sold by app publishers on the Play Store will incur a 15% commission.
This is a change from the current 30% / 15% commission. Presently, the commission is 30% during the first 12 months of a subscription. Then, the commission goes to 15% for each auto-renewing period thereafter.
The current commission incentivizes long-term subscription retention which has been a challenge for many app publishers.
According to Google, the Play Store commission change was motivated by discussions with app publishers like Duolingo and Bumble. Churn rates in year 1 can be high in categories like dating and fitness.
“We’ve worked with our partners in dating, fitness, education and other sectors to understand the nuances of their businesses. Our current service fee drops from 30% to 15% after 12 months of a recurring subscription. But we’ve heard that customer churn makes it challenging for subscription businesses to benefit from that reduced rate.” - Sameer Samat, VP Product for Android and Google Play
The reduced Play Store commission is welcome news for app publishers, but only a part of the story. In 2020, consumers spent nearly 2x more on the App Store than Google Play. It remains to be seen if Apple will follow Google’s lead.
While a short term win for app publishers, it doesn’t matter what the subscription commission if they don’t reduce churn. Ultimately, the best way to combat churn is to build a customer base of happy subscribers.
