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Now, more than ever, D2C steering is being validated as a valuable and viable use case for D2C monetization. New options being proposed and rolled out slowly from Apple and Google include external-purchase programs which include stiff fees for “steering” are actually a great opportunity for your game if you approach your steering strategy in the right way..
Interested in learning more about the state of D2C? Chip Thurston, Head of Gaming at FastSpring spoke with Two and a Half Gamers recently about how D2C is driving record profits. Plus, learn how you can easily implement your own compliant steering links in-game with FastSpring’s Steer Safe™ approach.
In this article, we’ll discuss how you can use the latest external-purchase programs from Apple and Google to your benefit and minimize fees while educating your players about your web store in a compliant way.
The Core Strategy: 5 Steps to Create Web Store Loyalists
The real power of steering isn’t just a single off-platform sale. Steering allows you to shift a player’s purchasing habits to your web store, where you keep significantly more margin. At FastSpring, we’ve found that more than 90% of web store transactions are from players who have purchased in the last 30 days. What does that mean for you? Once you’ve educated your players on the web store and its value, they’re significantly more likely to purchase there again.
Step 1: Add compliant web store CTAs inside your game
Start by placing compliant buy buttons and links inside your game that point players to your web store. The first time you steer users is the best opportunity to prove the web store’s worth, so lead with web-exclusive bundles, bonus currency on every purchase, in-game exclusives, or other VIP perks players can’t get in-game.
Treat the platform fee on that first purchase not as a permanent tax on your revenue, but as a one-time profit acquisition cost. A one time steering fee of 20% is a small price to pay to have 3x the profits from that player in the future. That fee becomes a small premium to migrate your most engaged players out of the walled garden and into your own ecosystem, where every purchase after that is fully yours.
Step 2: Collect player contact information and drop retargeting pixels on web store transactions
The first web checkout offers you the opportunity to collect first-party data that assists in turning a one-time steer into a lasting loyal web store player. During checkout, grab the player’s email and contact information and drop a retargeting pixel on the transaction for social ads on the thank you page of your web store. With most web store transactions happening from players who have purchased in the past, the first transaction can be your stepping stone for the future.
Step 3: Wait for the fee attribution window to close
Platform steering fees come with an attribution window. Google has proposed a 24-hour window in the US and Apple has proposed 7 days. During this period, use segmentation to separate players who are within the attribution window to remove in-game web store messaging and links so you’re not driving additional activity inside the attribution window (which would reset that window if a purchase was made).
Step 4: Launch email marketing and retargeting ads to drive repeat web store purchases
Once the attribution window has closed, activate the channels you own. Use the email addresses and retargeting pixels you captured at first checkout to re-engage players and promote ongoing web store value. These offers can drive repeat purchases without steering fees because they operate entirely outside of the app store flow. Options to include are things like new bundles, loyalty rewards, seasonal offers, etc.
Your most engaged players also often become advocates for the web store. By promoting offers like this, they may bring promotion to social channels like reddit or discord and bring even more players along with them.
Step 5: Avoid future steering fees by removing in-game CTAs for repeat web store buyers
For players who have already converted into web store buyers, you can also completely retire the in-game CTAs and keep your relationship on fully owned channels. These players already know where to buy and why it’s worth it, so you’ll be able to continue to capture increased margin on their purchases. And if they don’t convert, you can reintroduce in-app CTAs in addition to other targeted campaigns for your players.
How FastSpring’s Steer Safe™ Approach Makes D2C Easy
With the Steer Safe™ approach by FastSpring, it’s easy to implement a seamless steering strategy into your game. We’ll help you steer players from in-game experiences to a secure, localized web checkout and back to your game–all in a matter of seconds.
- Add buy buttons or links in-game that securely pass encrypted player data, product data, and more to the web checkout.
- Increase checkout conversion by automatically detecting the player’s device and defaulting to Google Pay on Android or Apple Pay on iOS.
- Once the purchase is complete, FastSpring webhooks notify your backend to grant entitlements in real time.
- Return players directly to your app via deep links, ensuring they never lose their place in the flow.
Start Optimizing Your Steering Strategies with FastSpring
Over 90% of web store transactions come from repeat purchasers. Train players once, then scale these web store behaviors across your entire base.
Visit FastSpring.gg to learn how our tools make it easy to steer players to the web and back again, or schedule some time with our team to discuss how we can help you improve your specific monetization strategies.
