This document helps carriers prepare for

launching direct carrier billing on Google Play.

While your technical and �nancial teams are

preparing infrastructure and reconciliation, in

parallel you should involve your marketing

team into the launch process in order to

maximize user activations and revenue

from the �rst day of launch. Share this

document with them to give a

helping hand!

INTRODUCTION

How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?

Launch your GooglePlay landing page

Conduct a social media campaign promoting the

payment method

Conduct a recurring Push SMS campaign to your

Android users

Con�gure error messages so users would retry

payments after failed attempts

WHAT SHOULD YOU THE MARKETING TEAM DO BEFORE LAUNCH?

In order for users to make payments on Google Play, they need to initially set up (activate) their SIM card through the app store interface.

This means during the 12 months after after the launch,

your focus should be on getting as many users to activate

carrier billing on Google Play as possible. Without any

marketing activities, the usual average amount of

activations after 12 months is 7-8% of your Android

subscriber base.

Based on past experience, carriers who also put marketing e�ort on increasing user activations are able to reach 20-25%.

ACTIVATIONSAFTER 12 MONTHS

WITHOUT ANY MARKETINGACTIVITIES

7-8%

WITH MARKETING ACTIVITIES

20-25%

How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?

IN ORDER TO REACH THE 25% GOAL, THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE PREPARED BEFORE LAUNCHING ON THE APP STORE:

Landing page on your homepage set up with information about Google Play including:

Overview of what direct carrier billing is and what are its bene�ts

Examples of popular apps where payment can be done (market-speci�c, can be identi�ed via App Annie)

Tutorial on how to activate carrier billing for Google Play (either a step-by-step screenshot walkthrough or a video)

Frequently asked questions: what to do in case of activation failures, who to contact in case of payment disputes, how to cancel subscriptions, how to view past purchases, how to set up Parental Controls for devices being used by minors

For reference, check examples from Singtel, Globe and Optus

Social media campaigns prepared to communicate availability of direct carrier billing on Google Play to subscribers:

Highlight the convenience of making payments through their mobile operator

Highlight popular apps for which they can now pay with direct carrier billing

Share your landing page and tutorial videos to help users understand how to activate direct carrier billing on Google Play

How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?

IN ORDER TO REACH THE 25% GOAL, THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE PREPARED BEFORE LAUNCHING ON THE APP STORE:

List of Android users in subscriber base identi�ed:

Recurring Push SMS campaign set up for unactivated Android users, directing them to the Google Play landing page with a call to action to activate their account

Correctly con�guring error messages:

Error messages displayed to subscribers in Google Play can be customized by Fortumo; if possible, also have a separate Push SMS noti�cation sent to the user when a payment failure occurs

Google Play defaults users to the payment method they used in the store the last time. Error messages should be as clear and helpful as possible as users who are unable to troubleshoot their issue might switch to another payment method instead and never try to pay with direct carrier billing again

For prepaid users, the main failure reason is insu�cient balance. Explain in the Google Play and Push SMS error message that their payment failed due to insu�cient balance on their SIM card and provide a link to your web top-up portal or call-to-action to top up at a retail location

For postpaid users, the main failure reason is reaching the spending limit. Explain in the Google Play and Push SMS error message what the limit is and when it is reset

For postpaid users, set up a Push SMS solution where users who have reached a limit are reminded when the limit is reset (e.g. at the beginning of the month)

How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?

HEAVY USERS

25%

COUNT OF USERS

DISTRIBUTION OF REVENUE

CONFIGURING SPEND LIMITS

It is critical to con�gure spend limits in a way that do not obstruct legitimate users from making payments as they want. Across all markets, approximately 60-70% of revenue is generated by 25% of the subscribers.

Setting spending limits too low means users are unable to

make as many payments as they want. In some cases, it also

blocks users from purchasing content, such as in cases of

expensive navigation, o�ce productivity and anti-virus

applications.

We recommend setting the monthly spend limit to at least

$100. This is the threshold where most of our carrier

partners have identi�ed revenue to be the biggest while

credit risk has not increased. However, this is strongly

dependent on market speci�cs and we strongly encourage

you to reach out to Fortumo to discuss the monthly spend

limit before making any �nal decisions.

How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?

HEAVY USERS

60-70%

Do not set spending limits on prepaid accounts: the account balance acts as their spending limit

The spending limit for postpaid accounts should be set to at least $100; consult with Fortumo before you make any �nal decisions on spending limits

Do not set daily spending limits for subscribers

Note that spend limits should only be applied to postpaid accounts as the account balance itself acts as a spending for prepaid SIM card users.

We do not recommend to apply any daily spend limits for

Google Play as this will prevent legitimate users from

making transactions and also makes subscribers unable to

pay for some content. For example, many productivity tools

(antivirus, GPS, o�ce suites) have high pricing and with

daily spend limits, users will not be able to purchase these

apps.

To prevent cases where minors make purchases without

their parent’s consent, Parental Controls information should

be present on your Google Play landing page, parents

should be recommended to have their e-mail in the child’s

Google Play account (to receive payment receipts) and your

support sta� should recommend its usage to parents.

How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?

WHAT TO EXPECT AND KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR AFTER LAUNCH?

Revenue and user activations growth: during the �rst 6 months, revenue and user growth should be at least 30% month-on-month

Spending limits: no more than 10% of people should reach your monthly spending limit

Failed payments: revenue from failed transactions should not exceed revenue from charged transactions

How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?

In order to increase revenue and user activation growth,

refer back to the marketing activities listed above. If you

have not conducted any or some of them by now, this is the

time to do it.

Should more than 10% of your users reach the monthly

spending limit, the limit has been set too high. Keep an eye

on user behavior and if this is the case, increase the

spending limits. Initially, you can do this only for a part of

your subscribers, for example by setting up a Push SMS

solution where they can increase their spend limit by

replying to the message (similar to when they run out of

mobile data) or through your self-service portal.

While user activation campaigns should be continued

for unactivated users, this is also a good point to start

marketing activities to generate additional revenue.

Other carriers who run promotions for Google Play

payments have seen a 40%-50% revenue increase

during the campaign period.

It is normal that roughly 6 months after launching Google Play, organic user activations and revenue growth rate will decline. At this point, your launch-oriented marketing activities should already have caused as many users as possible to activate their payment account.

HOW TO GROW REVENUE AFTER LAUNCH?

Promote popular applications to your users

Give out free data for highest-grossing applications

Give out free data to users who spend on Google Play

Run prize draw campaigns for users who spend on Google Play

Run discount campaigns for users paying with DCB

Work together with developers to conduct DCB-focused campaigns

How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?

CARRIERS WHO RUN PROMOTIONS

REVENUEINCREASE

40-50%

How to ensure a successful Google Play launch?

A free account with App Annie, combined with your internal

payments data about the highest-grossing apps can be used to

identify apps which generate the most revenue through carrier

billing. Use this to identify apps that can be promoted directly for

customers to download and use.

You can use free data promotions as a tool to drive users to high-grossing apps, which in the long term will also increase paying users inside these apps. A more direct approach is to give out free data to users who spend a speci�c amount of money through carrier billing on Google Play.

Another method to motivate users to make payments is to have a

prize draw campaign. For example, you can ra�e out 5 new Samsung

smartphones among all users who spend at least $10 on Google Play

during one month. You can also organize “happy hour” campaigns

where you refund a certain % of the payment made to the user. For

example, you can give a 10% discount to all content purchased on

Google Play during the holiday period. While these refunds will have

to be subsidized by you, the spend is compensated by an increased

payment volume from existing users, as well as motivation for new

users to enable their direct carrier billing accounts.

Contact developers who own the highest-grossing apps in your

market. Developers are able to give discounts to users who pay with

carrier billing and for example hand out vouchers to redeem extra

content when your payment method is used. To motivate developers

for the campaign, o�er them user acquisition opportunities (e.g.

promotion in your social media channels and free data for their apps).

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Fortumo is a mobile payments company that enables direct carrier billing with more than 350 mobile operators in 90+ countries. Fortumo's payment products work across a wide range of platforms including desktop devices, smartphones, feature phones, tablets and smart TV-s. These products give end-users a simple, 1-click payment method to charge online purchases to their phone bill. For carriers, connecting to Fortumo enables additional revenue from leading app stores, game developers and digital media companies while Fortumo takes care of the technical infrastructure, taxation, merchant on-boarding and support in post-launch activities. Founded in 2007, Fortumo has offices in Estonia, San Francisco, Beijing, Delhi, Singapore & Hanoi and is backed by Intel Capital and Greycroft Partners.

This document is for informational purposes only. Fortumo and the authors make no expressed or implied warranties in this document. Fortumo and the author(s) make no representation or warranty in relation to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the informa-tion contained in this document. Any opinions expressed in this document are subject to change without notice. This document may be based on a number of assumptions and different assumptions could result in materially different results. This document should not be regarded by recipients as a substitute for obtaining independent advice and/or the exercise of their own judgement, and is not to be relied upon by recipients. Fortumo and the authors, and any of their members, directors, employees or agents do not accept any liability for any loss or damage arising out of the use of all or any part of this document. Copyright © 2017 Fortumo | All rights reserved.