RevenueCat

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Channel • 2 Shows

Technology

Technology

Updated Fortnightly
Technology

Technology

Updated Twice Monthly

6 MAY

91: Focus Friend - Bria Sullivan

On the podcast: Bria Sullivan shares her journey as an indie developer to creating Focus Friend, a focus timer app that quickly gained traction with the help of Hank Green. She discusses the foundation of Focus Friend, the challenges of balancing her business and personal life, and the wonderful experience working with Hank Green. Top Takeaways: 📱 Success isn't just about coding The most successful indie developers rely more on product instinct and marketing intuition than raw engineering talent. 🧪 Validate with your target audience early Real-time feedback loops, like live-streaming development choices to followers, can pinpoint exactly what users want before you build the wrong thing. 📈 There's a formula for the Top 100 Getting to $50k-$120k a year in indie app revenue relies more on systematic execution of known frameworks than pure luck. 🎭 Working with creators requires boundary settingInfluencers have immense reach but often suggest features that don't make good standalone products; you have to guide the product vision. 🕵️ Privacy is a feature, not just compliance When your app is tied to a beloved public figure, users scrutinize data collection heavily; sometimes you have to sacrifice ad tracking to protect the brand's trust. About Bria Sullivan: 🚀 Indie Developer and Creator of Focus Friend, a gamified focus timer app designed to help users stay focused with a cute “bean” character. Also the creator of Boba Story, a game where players run a boba shop. 👋 LinkedIn 🌐 Learn more about Focus Friend 🌐 Learn more about Boba Story Follow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Bria Sullivan and Focus Friend[1:00] Bria’s background: From self-taught coder to indie developer[5:30] The story behind Focus Friend: Creating a productivity app for Hank Green’s audience[10:00] Balancing indie app development with personal life challenges[12:30] Marketing through TikTok: Building an audience before launch[15:00] The struggles and success of Boba Story[17:30] The evolution of Focus Friend: Iterating and listening to feedback[20:00] Collaborating with influencers: How Bria worked with Hank Green[22:30] The role of design and simplicity in a successful app[26:00] Monetization decisions: Choosing a subscription model without being intrusive[29:30] Overcoming the obstacles of indie development[32:00] Reflections on growing as an indie developer and working with influencers[34:00] Bria’s approach to creating apps that resonate with users[37:00] What’s next for Bria Sullivan and her apps[40:00] Advice for future indie developers and creators

6 May

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1hr 19min
29 APR

Why Opal Stopped Chasing Revenue – Kenneth Schlenker, Opal

On the podcast: why retention is the only real moat, how dropping paid conversion from 20% to 9% increased revenue, and why he sees the rise in competition as a net positive for Opal.Top Takeaways: 🔄 Retention is the only real moat While revenue and acquisition grab headlines, the ability to keep users coming back is the ultimate proof of value and the only sustainable foundation for a consumer app. 📉 Dropping paid conversion can multiply revenue Giving away more of the core product for free might cut conversion rates in half, but the resulting explosion in organic growth and daily active users can pay back tenfold in the long run. 🤝 The "would a free user recommend it?" test determines freemium success If the free tier feels like a restricted trial rather than a complete experience, it won't generate the word-of-mouth growth needed to make a freemium model work. 🎨 Teams create product soul, you can't vibe code a brand AI can instantly generate functional tools, but building a multi-billion dollar category winner requires a distinct brand, emotional resonance, and a team that cares about the details. 🤖 AI should be built to make the user win Instead of using new technology to trick users or add flashy but useless features, AI implementation must be entirely focused on delivering more of the app's core value to the user. About Kenneth Schlenker:🚀 Founder & CEO, Opal, a free and fun app to improve your focus and make the most of every day, with 10M+ people improving their focus. Opal's core mission is to align computers with human well-being. 👋 LinkedIn 💭 @kschlenker on X 💻 Opal website 📌 Opal careers Follow us on X: David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:(00:00) Introduction to Kenneth Schlenker and Opal(01:21) From $5 Million to $10 Million ARR: Scaling the Business(02:11) The Mindset Shift from Efficiency to Company Building(04:06) The Importance of Teams and Brand in Building a Product’s Soul(05:07) AI in Consumer Apps: Enhancing Value for Users(07:24) Freemium Model: The Pros and Cons of Giving Opal Away for Free(10:47) Organic Growth and Network Effects with the Freemium Model(12:45) The Value of Retention: The Only Real Moat(13:37) Why Competition in the Screen Time App Space is a Positive(15:07) Opal’s Expansion into Schools: Aligning with the Mission(19:56) The Importance of Building the Most Loved Brand in the Screen Time Space(23:56) Retention Metrics and Organic Growth Strategies(27:43) Balancing the Focus on Product with Business Sustainability(30:14) The Role of AI in Enhancing User Experience(32:10) Leveraging Customer Feedback to Drive Product Improvements(35:01) Importance of Having a Strong, Authentic Connection with the Product’s Community(38:12) Future Plans for Opal: Innovation and New Features(42:04) Closing Thoughts on Opal's Journey and Future Prospects

29 Apr

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55 min
6 MAR

The 2026 State of Subscription Apps Report

On the podcast: what the explosion in new apps means for the market, how the top 10% of apps grew 306% while the median barely beat inflation, and why hard paywalls convert 5X better than freemium. This conversation is focused on RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. Head to https://www.revenuecat.com/state-of-subscription-apps to download the report. Top Takeaways:📊 The app economy is a sorting machine The top 10% of apps grew 306% while the median grew just 5.3%, and that gap is only widening as AI raises the ceiling for the best-positioned apps. 💰 Hard paywalls crush freemium on conversion, but context matters Hard paywalls convert five times better than freemium (10.7% vs 2.1% download-to-paid by day 35) with nearly identical year-one retention, but freemium remains the right call when free users drive word of mouth, network effects, or long-term brand scale. ⚡ Day zero is your best shot at converting a user The first session is when users decide both whether to pay and whether to stay. The majority of trial cancellations happen on day zero, meaning users who don't see value immediately rarely come back to find it. 🤖 AI apps sell, but they don't stick AI-powered apps generate 41% more revenue per customer but people churn 30% faster. Apps that solve that retention problem early will own their category; those that don't are just riding a wave of consumer curiosity. 📈 The App Store is experiencing a supply shock The number of new subscription apps launching each month has grown 7X since 2022, creating a hyper-competitive environment where distribution, not just features, is the primary barrier to success. About RevenueCat: 🚀Jacob Eiting, CEO at RevenueCat. 👋LinkedIn 🚀David Barnard, Growth Advocate at RevenueCat. 👋LinkedIn Follow us on X: David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[0:27] Unpacking the key findings from the 2026 State of Subscription Apps Report[2:52] How “vibe coding” and new AI development tools have dramatically lowered the barrier to building apps[5:42] The emerging “supply shock” in the app economy as cheaper development leads to a flood of new apps competing for the same users[20:13] Breaking down the SOSA report methodology and why low-traffic apps were excluded from the dataset[21:57] Why the report separates AI apps from non-AI apps—and how AI apps tend to generate higher revenue per paying user[23:15] The explosion of new subscription apps, with launches increasing roughly 7× since 2022[25:33] Why iOS now accounts for about 77% of new subscription app launches, and what that says about platform economics[30:19] The “power law” reality of the app economy: the top 10% of apps grew 306%, while the median app barely grew[39:20] A key finding from the report: hard paywalls convert about five times better than freemium models[45:42] Trial behavior insights: over half of free-trial cancellations happen on day zero[47:40] The “billion-dollar leak” on Google Play: a large share of cancellations come from involuntary billing failures[51:21] The AI app paradox: AI apps generate higher revenue per payer but also churn faster than traditional apps[54:51] Why longer free trials appear to convert better—and why the data may reflect correlation rather than causation[1:00:54] How AI agents could change how developers analyze subscription business data

6 Mar

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1hr 6min
15 APR

12 AI Growth Lessons for Subscription Apps – Phil Carter, Elemental Growth

On the podcast: how AI can turn your onboarding from a chore into magic, hyper-personalized experiences that drive both retention and revenue, and why your value-to-noise ratio matters more than how many features you ship. Top Takeaways: ⏱️ AI can make the first 60 seconds of onboarding feel like magicWhen a new user experiences a personalized, interactive setup rather than a generic questionnaire, they are significantly more likely to convert to a trial on day zero. 🪞 Hyper-personalization is the new competitive moat Adapting the product experience to an individual's unique needs creates a sense of being heard, which distances an app from generic competitors and drives long-term retention. 💪 Extrinsic triggers are essential for building new habits In an ecosystem flooded with distractions, subtle and useful reminders—like calendar integrations or desktop widgets—help users remember to engage with a product until it becomes an intrinsic habit. 💭 The value-to-noise ratio matters more than the feature count Adding more AI features increases absolute value, but if it overwhelms the user's capacity to absorb the product, the overall experience degrades; pruning features is as important as shipping them. 💰 Cheaper LLMs often provide a good enough user experience compared to frontier models For many consumer use cases, the speed and cost-efficiency of a smaller model outweigh the marginal performance gains of the most expensive options. 📊 Multi-step paywalls can unlock massive growth for the right product Transitioning from a hard paywall to a freemium model with strategic upgrade prompts can dramatically increase the top of the funnel and overall LTV, though it requires a highly retentive core product. About Phil Carter: 🚀Founder & CEO, Elemental Growth, growth advisor and angel investor who helps Seed - Series C consumer subscription companies define their growth strategy, build their growth model, hire their growth team, scale their growth processes, optimize their growth channels, and achieve their full potential. 👋LinkedIn 🎙️Submersive Podcast 📚Consumer Subscription Growth Course (Maven) 💭@philgcarter on X Follow us on X: David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[0:00] The AI Opportunity: Why this is a once-in-a-generation moment for app builders.[2:31] The Subscription Value Loop: Value creation, delivery, and capture explained.[6:34] Magical First Impressions: How AI is transforming onboarding and day 0 conversion.[13:03] Hyper-Personalization: Why “n-of-1” experiences are the new competitive edge.[19:58] Building Habits: Using triggers to drive retention and repeat usage.[25:02] Shipping Fast: Why speed of innovation is now critical to survival.[30:28] Product-Led Growth: How AI apps are driving viral loops and organic acquisition.[35:05] Community & Content: Leveraging UGC and creators to scale adoption.[39:09] AI + Paid Growth: Scaling creatives and lowering CAC with AI tools.[46:10] Monetization in the AI Era: Pricing, tiers, and usage-based models.[54:53] Trials, Freemium, and Costs: Rethinking free access in AI products.[1:01:29] Wins, Fails, and Lessons: What’s working (and not) in subscription growth today.

15 Apr

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1hr 7min
25 MAR

88: SwiftLee – Antoine van der Lee

On the podcast: Antoine shares how he built RocketSim from an internal tool into a thriving business, the challenges of scaling as an indie developer, and the key marketing insights that drove growth—without relying on traditional ads or influencer campaigns. Top Takeaways: ⏱️ Solve time, and they will pay you There are countless solved problems in the world, but if your tool gives developers back their most limited resource—time—the sales pitch writes itself. 🧱 Build what your users ask for, and the trials will follow Releasing the number-one voted feature on a public roadmap is the most reliable way to turn dormant users into active trials. 🐢 Some problems take years to solve Not every technical hurdle can be Googled; sometimes you have to sit on an open issue for two years until your skills grow enough to crack it. 🤝 Embrace your competitors Cross-promoting with competing apps and newsletters actually grows your audience faster than trying to dominate a niche alone. ⛓️ Constraints are a feature, not a bug Going full-time indie can actually hurt productivity if you lose the strict prioritization habits that made you effective when time was scarce. About Antoine van der Lee: 🚀 Indie Developer and Creator of SwiftLee, a platform for iOS developers, and RocketSim, a tool that streamlines testing and simulating apps in Xcode. 👋 LinkedIn 🌐 Learn more about RocketSim 🎧Learn more about the Going Indie Podcast 📖 Read Antoine’s developer blog at SwiftLee Follow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights: [0:00] Introduction to Antoine van der Lee and the story behind RocketSim[2:15] How Antoine started in iOS development and his early career journey[5:05] The creation of Swiftly: Antoine's approach to writing and sharing knowledge[7:40] The launch of RocketSim: From an internal tool to a public product[10:12] The challenges of developing a useful Xcode simulator tool[12:31] Antoine's approach to growing RocketSim without focusing on traditional marketing[15:22] The evolution of RocketSim: Expanding features and listening to users[18:05] How Antoine used his blog and newsletter to support RocketSim's growth[21:40] The balance between RocketSim as a product and maintaining a sustainable indie business[24:25] The impact of the App Store: Sales model and challenges[27:11] RocketSim’s transition into enterprise sales and selling to teams[30:03] Hiring for RocketSim: Bringing in the right people to scale without losing focus[33:20] The evolution of the RocketSim website and customer experience improvements[36:05] Antoine's experience with creating a full-time indie business alongside a family[39:00] Dealing with the growth of RocketSim and managing multiple projects at once[42:10] Insights into Antoine’s shift from a full-time job to an indie developer[45:35] The role of personal branding and community connections in RocketSim's success[48:10] The value of networking and connecting with others in the iOS community[51:05] Moving from product development to managing a business[54:01] Reflection on growth, work-life balance, and achieving indie success[56:22] Key takeaways for indie founders and AI product builders today

25 Mar

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1hr 13min
8 APR

89: one sec - Frederik Riedel

On the podcast: how Frederik Riedel built one sec as a weekend prototype, accidentally triggered it 20 seconds later, and turned it into a research-backed screen time app with a proven 57% reduction. From a viral tweet with 700 followers to partnerships with Stanford, Cambridge, and three national governments — plus why he filed a US patent as an indie dev. Top Takeaways: 🧪 Your weekend prototype might be the one The app that changes everything doesn't always come from a grand plan — sometimes it's just a weekend hack to fix something that's bugging you. 🐦 One great tweet can carry you further than you think A single authentic screen recording can generate months of organic growth, especially when it shows a product that instantly clicks with people. 📱 Advertise where your users already are (even if it's ironic) If your target audience lives on social media, that's exactly where your ads should be — even if your product is designed to help them use it less. 🔬 Research isn't just for credibility — it's a product advantage Partnering with researchers can unlock new features, new audiences, and a trust signal that no amount of five-star reviews can replicate. 🧑‍💻 Ship fast, ship often, and let the market tell you what sticks Building 50-100 apps teaches you more about product-market fit than any amount of planning — the winners reveal themselves. 🫣 Hiring doesn't have to mean managing You can grow a team of 18 without a management layer if you hire independent thinkers who use the product and share the mission. 🧠 A breathing exercise beats willpower every time Interrupting an autopilot habit with a brief pause is more effective than screen time limits, cold turkey deletion, or guilt — science backs it up at 57%. 🛡️ Patents are for indie devs too If your idea is genuinely novel and you're worried about big tech copying it, a patent gives them a reason to talk to you first instead of just shipping their own version. About Frederik Riedel: 🚀 Indie Developer and Creator of one sec, the focus app that tackles the problem of unconscious social media use at its root. It is designed to change your habits on a long-term basis. 👋 LinkedIn 🌐 Learn more about one sec Follow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Frederik Riedel and the one sec Story[2:30] The Origins of one sec: From a Personal Struggle to a Solution[5:10] How one sec Helps People Reclaim Control Over Screen Time[7:45] Frederik's Background in Software Development and Early App Journey[10:15] From Indie Developer to Full-Time Founder: Transitioning to one sec[13:00] The Importance of Intentional Design and User Experience in one sec[15:30] The Growth of one sec: From Concept to Widespread Adoption[18:00] Marketing one sec: Using Personal Connections and Organic Growth[21:15] The Role of Research in one sec’s Credibility and Success[24:00] Monetization Strategy: One-Time Payments to Subscription Models[27:45] Balancing Personal and Professional Life as an Indie Founder[30:30] Building a Team: The First Hire and Growing the one sec Team[33:00] Community Building: How one sec Connects with Users[35:45] Managing Product Development and Customer Support as an Indie Founder[38:30] Navigating the Transition from Indie Developer to Business Owner[41:20] The Future of one sec: Scaling and Expanding Features[44:00] The Importance of Personal Branding and Authenticity in Business[46:45] Lessons Learned from the Indie Developer Journey[49:30] Closing Thoughts: The Balance Between Passion, Productivity, and Sustainability[52:00] Takeaways for Aspiring Indie Developers

8 Apr

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1hr 5min
9 MAR

How ElevenLabs Turns Feature Launches Into a Growth Engine – Luke Harries

On the podcast: how ElevenLabs turns every new feature launch into a growth engine, how they're deploying over a hundred million dollars in paid ads, and why directing AI agents is quickly becoming a core skill for marketers and solo founders. This conversation is shorter than usual and will be featured in RevenueCat’s State of Subscription Apps report. Each episode in this series will explore one crucial topic and share actionable insights from top subscription app operators. Top Takeaways: 🚀Turn every feature launch into a full-funnel growth engineDon't just ship and announce. Coordinate each release across organic posts, landing pages, and refreshed ad creative simultaneously so earned attention compounds into paid efficiency. 💰 Train a custom GPT on your own winning ad copyFeed your top and bottom performing Meta and Google copy into a custom GPT, then use it to rapidly translate brand messaging into proven high-performing ad formats. It turns institutional knowledge into a scalable creative tool. 🤖Directing AI agents is the new core marketing skillThe future of marketing isn't just using AI tools but directing agents to handle messaging, storyboarding, ad creation, and localization, all grounded in your creative taste and brand direction. About Luke Harries: 🚀Growth / Engineering at ElevenLabs, is an AI research and product company transforming how we interact with technology. Their vision is to make communication and creation with technology seamless. 👋 LinkedIn Follow us on X: David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Luke Harries, Growth Lead at ElevenLabs[1:05] ElevenLabs' approach to growth through "growth engines"[2:20] The power of AI to unlock viral moments during product launches[3:34] How ElevenLabs maximizes attention through paid ads alongside earned media[4:41] The role of AI in optimizing ad copy and creative for paid campaigns[5:42] Balancing AI-generated content with UGC and in-house production[7:32] Why ElevenLabs stays away from AI influencers for product endorsements[8:51] Leveraging user-generated content (UGC) for effective campaigns[10:30] How ElevenLabs plans to spend over $100M in paid ads and approach campaign scaling[11:38] The importance of localization and segmentation in paid advertising[12:56] How ElevenLabs measures success and uses data to adjust their budget allocation[13:18] Blending brand-building with performance marketing[14:53] The future of marketing with AI-driven creative direction[16:39] How AI could enable solo founders to create billion-dollar startups[17:45] ElevenLabs' upcoming product, Flows, and recruitment efforts

9 Mar

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17 min
18 FEB

How Skylight Balances Growth and Profit for Sustainable Success – Michael Segal & Mark Ungerer, Skylight

On the podcast, I talk with Michael and Mark about the boom in hardware-enabled subscriptions, why nothing worked until they stopped optimizing and started building a better product, and how they doubled their price to $79 even though the data said they could charge more. Top Takeaways: 📱 Hardware-enabled subscriptions need daily usage to work Devices that sit unused make subscription value harder to justify, but products that become the heartbeat of daily routines (like a family calendar) naturally create subscription demand. 🎯 Stop optimizing when you should be buildingLimited resources force careful prioritization, and sometimes the biggest wins come from building genuinely valuable features rather than running endless conversion experiments. 💰 Price based on customer emotion, not just dataTesting showed $99 would maximize revenue, but qualitative research revealed $79 felt fair while $99 approached "disgust territory," so they chose the lower price for long-term goodwill. 🏗️ Build a great product before scaling marketingSkylight tried to scale Calendar in 2021-22 but the product wasn't ready, leading to wasted marketing spend and false negatives until they focused on getting to 40+ NPS first. 🛍️ Retail partnerships are the ultimate influencerBeing in Costco and Best Buy provides a stamp of quality that can't be underestimated, and multi-channel distribution drives higher overall growth despite lower subscription attach rates in some channels. About Michael Segal & Mark Ungerer: 🚀 CEO, Skylight 📱 Michael Segal is the CEO of Skylight, a family tech company best known for its digital frames and calendars. Michael, a former venture capitalist, brings a unique perspective to Skylight’s growth strategy, focusing on balancing growth with profitability. He shares anecdotes about Skylight’s journey from hardware to subscription models, the importance of understanding customers' emotions about pricing, and how the team navigates the challenges of scaling both hardware and software. 👋 LinkedIn 🚀 CPO, Skylight 📱 Mark Ungerer is the Chief Product Officer at Skylight, where he leads product strategy, development, and design. With a keen focus on creating seamless user experiences, Mark discusses Skylight’s approach to subscriptions, how they test and refine features based on user feedback, and the key role retail partnerships play in building trust and credibility. 👋 LinkedIn Follow us on X: David Barnard - @drbarnardJacob Eiting - @jeitingRevenueCat - @RevenueCatSubClub - @SubClubHQEpisode Highlights:[0:00] The balance between growth and profit: Making decisions based on business goals[3:22] Timing the introduction of subscriptions: Skylight's early adoption and consumer reception[5:35] The hardware-enabled subscription boom: Market maturity and Skylight’s position[8:00] Unique challenges of marketing hardware-enabled subscriptions: Overcoming consumer skepticism[10:52] How Skylight integrates hardware with daily family life to drive subscription value[12:47] Pricing strategy: The magic behind Skylight’s price increase and minimal subscriber loss[17:43] Challenges in scaling growth: How Skylight navigates its multi-channel strategy[24:15] Shifting from free trials to subscription: The evolution of Skylight’s approach to testing[27:35] The importance of talking to customers: Using qualitative feedback to guide decisions[30:00] Retail partnerships as a growth strategy[33:45] Subscription dynamics: How pricing and subscription models shape Skylight’s business[36:25] Scaling with limited resources: Skylight’s approach to growth without a dedicated growth PM[38:40] Navigating hardware, software, and subscription moats[42:00] Biggest win: The success of the $79 subscription price increase[44:05] Biggest fail: Learning from free trial experiments and the need for more growth testing[46:01] Growth would be easier with more resources and strategic price adjustments for wider market reach[48:30] The importance of reducing friction in onboarding for increased conversions[52:30] The challenges of balancing customer acquisition with retention efforts[55:02] Skylight's vision for long-term customer value and growth[57:45] The impact of reducing friction in purchasing: How simple changes can dramatically increase conversion rates[59:10] Closing thoughts on growth strategy: Aiming for long-term success, not short-term wins

18 Feb

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1 hr
22 APR

90: Teleprompter Pro – Joe Allen

On the podcast: Joe Allen has been building Teleprompter Pro for 15 years — and he'll be the first to tell you he's not sure how much of that growth he actually caused. He talks about why he waited 5 years after the app could sustain him before finally going full-time, how a simple email list became his safety net through the transition to subscriptions, and the two weeks he spent battling App Store Review to get his new app Captions approved — including the phone call that finally cracked it. Top Takeaways: 🛠️ Build for the itch you already have The best indie apps start as tools their creators needed, not market opportunities they spotted. 🌱 Let the App Store river carry you Sometimes organic growth comes from being in the right place at the right time, and the healthiest approach is to accept you don't control every drop of water. 📈 Don't rush the full-time leap It's okay to let a side project sustain itself for years before making it your sole source of income. 🤝 Support is a feature, not a chore Treating customer support as a core part of the product builds loyalty and reveals the actual features users are looking for. 📧 An email list is your only real safety net Having a direct line to your customers is the single most important asset when platform algorithms change or business models shift. About Joe Allen:🚀 Indie Developer and Creator of Teleprompter Pro, an app designed to make content creation easier by providing a portable teleprompter solution, and Captions, a tool designed to add dynamic captions to videos, enhancing accessibility and engagement. 👋 LinkedIn 🌐 Learn more about Teleprompter Pro 🌐 Learn more about Captions Follow us on X: Charlie Chapman - @_chuckycRevenueCat - @RevenueCatLaunched - @LaunchedFM Episode Highlights:[0:00] Introduction to Joe Allen and Teleprompter Pro[2:00] Joe’s Background: From Media Studies to Indie Development[5:10] The Birth of Teleprompter Pro: Turning Freelance Work into an App[7:30] Transitioning from Side Project to Full-Time Indie Developer[10:00] Overcoming the Challenges of Indie Development: Learning on the Go[12:45] Growing Teleprompter Pro: Building a Product for Creators[15:00] Pricing and Business Strategy: Moving to a Subscription Model[17:30] Navigating User Feedback and Iterating on Teleprompter Pro[20:00] Lessons from Building Teleprompter Pro and Going Full-Time[23:00] Customer Support: Balancing Personal Engagement with Growth[26:00] Developing Captions: A New Tool for Content Creators[29:00] Monetizing Teleprompter Pro and Building Long-Term Sustainability[32:00] Moving Beyond the App: Joe’s Approach to Scaling and Growing[35:00] The Role of Email Marketing and Customer Relationships in Indie Development[38:30] The Emotional Side of Indie Development: Success, Challenges, and Growth[41:00] Expanding the Team: How Hiring Help Changed Joe’s Workflow[44:00] Reflecting on the Journey: What Joe Learned as an Indie Developer[47:30] Closing Thoughts: The Future of Teleprompter Pro and Captions

22 Apr

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1hr 20min
19/02/2025

The Right (and Wrong) Way to Grow with Google App Campaigns — Ashley Black, Candid Consulting

On the podcast I talk with Ashley about what makes Google App Campaigns so effective for growth, proven optimization strategies, and why lower CPMs can sometimes be a warning sign rather than a win. Top Takeaways: 📈 Google App Campaigns: Big reach, but fewer levers to pullGoogle’s ad platform delivers massive scale - search, YouTube, the Play Store - but hands much of the control to machine learning. That tradeoff can work in your favor, but only if you guide the system with structured testing, smart bidding, and strong creative input. 🎯 Lower CPMs aren’t always a reason to celebrateLower ad costs might look good on paper, but they often mean your ads are running in lower-quality placements. Understanding where Google is serving your ads - whether in search, display, or YouTube - helps you avoid cheap but ineffective traffic. 🚀 Scaling requires patience, not just budgetGoogle’s algorithm doesn’t respond well to drastic changes. Scaling too fast can throw off performance, leading to unstable results. The best approach? Increase budgets by 20% every few days to give the system time to adjust. 🔍 Creative testing looks different on Google - play the game accordingly Unlike Meta, Google doesn’t allow direct A/B testing for creatives. That doesn’t mean you can’t optimize. The best way to guide the algorithm? Set up multiple ad groups with distinct creative themes, then monitor what Google prioritizes. 💡 Google Ads on iOS: A challenge, but still worth it Google’s iOS campaigns rely heavily on search and YouTube, but ATT and SKAdNetwork make tracking conversions trickier. Google fills in gaps with modeled conversions, but advertisers need to understand the discrepancies between Google’s reports and their MMPs. About Ashley Black 👨‍💻 Founder of Candid Consulting, an agency specializing in helping apps run effective marketing campaigns for Android and iOS. 🎶 Ashley spent years at Google leading app ad strategy, helping developers scale through machine learning, user acquisition, and optimization. 💡 “If you have an app and you’re starting to think about how you actually pay to get users to download that app, you’re probably going to start looking at Google.” 👋 LinkedIn

19/02/2025

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1hr 3min

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