Selling digital products internationally – table of contents:

1. Market research
2. Online store
3. Trading platforms and auction sites
4. Marketing digital products abroad

Market research

This step is inevitable if you really want to succeed internationally. First of all, you need to test global demand for your product. You can verify it in several ways:

• Look for information on the Internet – use the search engines popular in a given country to do this. Remember that different search engines are popular in each country, so take into account not only the one you use every day. Using paid tools, such as Ahrefs, you can also check what phrases are frequently typed by users in a given country.
• Use social media and internet forums – on such platforms, you can directly ask your target audience whether the product you offer is really what they need. If you don’t want to engage in discussions, just follow the existing threads and draw conclusions, based on what users say. You can also ask them to fill out a short survey, prepared, for example, in Google Forms.
• Ask friends/family – consider whether you know anyone who lives in a country where you want to start selling your product. If so, you can gain a direct answer whether your offer will find customers in that particular market.
• Check out your competition – if a similar product is already offered in the market you are targeting, it may mean that there is a demand for it. However, think about what sets you apart and how you will be able to attract potential customers to choose your offer.

Going straight into an international market can be a great burden for your business, as well as for you (a lot of work and stress can be bad for your mental health and well-being). So it’s worth taking small steps and choosing one market where you see the greatest sales potential. Next, get familiar with all the legal requirements and rules in a given country. Remember that you will need to adapt your store policy to them.

Online store

The next step that will let you sell your digital products abroad is to properly prepare your website. Is your online store ready for such a step? Let’s check what you should take care of.

1. Language – the language barrier is one of the obstacles you need to consider when preparing your site to sell products abroad. Once you know what language your future customers speak, it’s time to translate your ecommerce website. The worst solution you can take is to use Google translator for this task, or any other translator available online. Your website is your business card, which has a huge impact on sales and customer satisfaction. So it is worthwhile to translate it well. Use the services of professional companies or freelancers who are fluent in the given language.
2. Currency – foreign customers like to have prices listed in their local currency. As a site owner, you can set fixed rates or use an automatic currency calculator.
3. Payments – People may have their favorite payment methods. Sometimes, these may be solutions that are unfamiliar to you, e.g. in Poland a popular payment method is Blik – it is a one-time 6-digit code (valid for 2 minutes), available in the banking application, which lets you conduct cashless payments both in brick-and-mortar and online stores. Such a method is not used in other countries.
4. Design – your site must also be friendly to potential customers. Pay attention to the images and slogans – are they offensive? Or are there any other graphics that would better fit the climate of the given country? Are your slogans well translated into the local language and do they convey the right meaning?
5. Customer service – no matter what country your customers live in, they will probably want to contact you at some point. If you don’t have enough resources to hire people for customer service, you can prepare an FAQ section and/or consider implementing a chatbot. Also, remember to translate all documents and regulations into the local language.

Trading platforms and auction sites

Not every seller has its own website. However, this is not a necessary condition. It is possible to sell through popular shopping platforms and auction sites, such as Amazon or eBay. WThe advantage of using them is the easy way to sell abroad and access to many potential customers. Among the main disadvantages, however, are the commissions and fees charged by the sites and a great deal of competition.

Marketing digital products abroad

Without building your brand awareness, you won’t sell products on a large scale. However, there are several ways you can promote your business internationally:

• SEO and paid campaigns – before you start optimizing your site for SEO and allocate an advertising budget, check what search engines people in your country use. In some countries, Google may be a popular search engine, while in others Bing, Yahoo, or another. Analyze what keywords are used in your country and globally.
• Social media and advertising – the second way to promote your store is to run social media in the local language. Ideally, a person who is not only familiar with online marketing, but also fluent in the language, will be responsible for running the profiles. This way you won’t have to worry about the language barrier. Remember that you don’t have to have accounts on all possible platforms. Choose the ones used by potential customers from the target country that fit into your target audience.
• Selling on e-commerce platforms – when selling through Amazon or eBay, you don’t have to worry about marketing. These giants allocate considerable funds for promotion. However, you still need to stand out from the competition – sometimes this will be at the expense of reducing the price of your product.

Summary

Selling digital products internationally is certainly a great opportunity, but also quite a challenge. There are several issues to consider before you decide to take this step. Keeping in mind the points listed above, it will not only be easier for you to reach potential customers, but also to build a relationship with them and gain their loyalty.

Now you know all about selling digital products internationally. Check out our previous articles in our series on digital products.

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How to sell digital products on Shopify? – table of contents:

1. Registration in Shopify
2. The creation and disablement of shipment of the digital product
3. Digital Downloads Application
4. Configuration of e-mail templates
5. Download limits
6. Test order

Registration in Shopify

Shopify allows the users free testing of the platform for 14 days. Thanks to this the seller can familiarize himself with the system and the available functions. The work in this system does not require having huge technical knowledge, hence even the beginning entrepreneurs can easily handle it. Detailed information about how to open a shop on Shopify can be found in another article.

The creation and disablement of shipment of the digital product

The sellers, that offer digital products in their shop should disable the function of shipment on the platform. The whole process involves four steps:

1. One should go to “Products” on the administrative panel
2. Then we click “Create a product”Ěý
3. Then one should uncheck the option “This is a physical product” in the section “Shipping”
4. Then we click “Save”.

As a result of those steps, the consumers will not be forced to fill up the delivery address or delivery method during purchasing their product.

Digital Downloads Application

Currently, Shopify doesn’t have a function that would enable the transfer of digital products to clients. To make the transfer possible one should download the dedicated application from the Shopify App Store.

One of the available solutions is Digital Downloads. This is a free application, that allows you to sell files of up to 5GB. It has a rating of 3/5 stars on the Shopify App and has more than 300 reviews.

Adding digital products with this application requires in the first instance creating a product, and then adding a digital attachment (in the Digital Downloads app) to the page of digital product details.

The other alternative is Downloadable Digital Assets, which offers a 7-day free trial version. Frequently emphasized features of this solution are the automatic delivery of digital products to consumers and the intelligent downloading system that prevents customers from sharing files with others. The application has a rating of 5/5 stars, but in contrast to the previous positions, it has only more than 40 reviews.

Configuration of e-mail templates

The seller using the Digital Downloads application can configure e-mail templates, thanks to this they can include all the necessary information so the clients will not have any doubts, about what to expect from the order. There are two e-mail templates available, that are linked to digital products:

• the first, which informs that the product is ready to download,
• the second, that informs the digital product was actualized.

To configure the e-mail templates, you should:

• Go to the “Settings” tab and choose “Apps and sales channels”,
• Click the “Digital downloads”,
• Click the “Open app”,
• Click “Settings”,
• Choose the e-mail template that has to be editable, by choosing its name,
• Introduce all the changes,
• Click the “Save”.

Download limits

The sellers that have their shop in the Shopify service, that use the Digital Downloads application, can determine download limits. It can be set by following the path:

“Settings” -> “Applications and channels of sale” -> “Digital Downloads” -> “Open the app” -> choose the specific digital product -> “Settings” (the button with a gear icon) -> “Total limit” -> specify the number, that informs how many times the client can download the file -> “Submit”.

If you wish to allow an unlimited number of downloads, you should enter 0 as the number during the setting up of the limit.Ěý

Test order

Any person, who sells a digital product should test if his offer works flawlessly. To check this one can make a test order, after which a message, similar to this the client would get, will be sent to the private e-mail.

The sellers that use Shopify Payment can start a testing mode. To choose this option you should:

• Go to “Settings”,
• Click “Manage” in the “Shopify Payments”,
• Choose the option “Enable testing mode” in the section “Testing mode”,
• Then click “Save”.

The sellers, who don’t use Shopify Payments can place a test order by using the Shopify fictional gateway. More about this you can be read under theĚýlink .

Summary

How to sell digital products on Shopify? As you might notice, it is not a complicated process. Both the beginning sellers and the advanced e-commerce players can use the platform to offer digital products to your clients. However, if the SaaS service is not for you, check our previous article, from which you will learn, how to sell digital products on Etsy.

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How to sell digital products on Etsy? – table of contents:

1. How to issue an offer on Etsy?
2. How to add files to offers on Etsy?
3. To remember while setting up the offer on Etsy

How to issue an offer on Etsy?

Before issuing an offer one should register himself as the seller. You can read about it in aĚýseparate article here.

To issue an offer on Etsy one should go to the “Shop Manager” then choose “Listings” (new sellers click “Your shop” tab), and at the end click “Add a listing”. In the next steps one should follow the stages:

• adding pictures and movies,
• choosing the thumbnail,
• adding the details of the offer (title, category, attributes, renewal option),
• adding the description of the offer (at this stage we have to determine if it is a physical or digital product),
• complete the information about the price and the stock, adding files (in the case of digital products),
• complete the information about the delivery,
• marketing,
• publishing of the offer.

The last stage of the publication can take the form of writing the offer down as the draft or publishing it to sell it. The seller can view the whole offer, by clicking the “Preview” tab.

How to add files to offers on Etsy?

There is a distinction between digital products accordingly to the two categories:

• instant downloads – the seller can load the file during the setup of the offer, and the client should get it right away after the purchase,
• made-to-order downloads – in this category of offers the client receives the message with the confirmation of the sale, but the product is delivered when the seller makes it accordingly to the guidelines given by the client.

The process of digital products adding on Etsy is the same as adding physical products, with only one difference, in the type of product one should select the “Digital item” option.

The immediate download offer requires the uploading of files at the stage of offer creation. It is worth remembering that there are certain limitations. The seller can send a maximum of 5 digital files, each up to 20 MB.

Many creators have problems with those restrictions, but there are two ways to get around them.

• ZIP compression – it is a popular way to reduce the overall size of one or more files without loss of their quality. The transfer of those files is easier this way.
• Placing the file in Google Drive or Dropbox and sharing the link – here you still have to upload the file to your offer, hence the best to use is the interactive PDF file, which contains the clickable link.

Such a document can be prepared in the Canva application. All you have to do is to create a new project, then add text or a button, select the field, and in the right, top corner press the button “link”. In the end, one should download the file in PDF format. For better results, you can design a file that suits your taste by setting the colors, pictures, or other elements.

Etsy supports a lot of downloadable formats such as BMP, doc, gif, jpg, Mobi, MOV, mp3, Mpeg, pdf, png, PSP, RTF, stl, txt, zip, ePUB, and iBook.

It is worth remembering that before uploading the file should have the name – it will be visible to the buyers – and it will not be editable after the upload. There is another restriction here, the name of the file cannot exceed 70 signs.

Made-to-order downloads should be marked as the order finalized. It can be done in the “Shop Manager” tab in the “ Orders & Shipping” section. In the “New” tab there are visible all unrealized orders. Choosing the field next to the specific content can be marked as finished, thanks to the option “Complete order”. Next, you have to upload the file (max 5 files up to 80 MB each). After clicking “Complete order” the client will receive a message to their e-mail address with the file to download.

To remember while setting up the offer on Etsy

The issuing of an offer of digital products on Etsy doesn’t require any special qualification. It is worth drawing conclusions based on the own experience. What is recommended is to create a small number of products and display them for sale. With the knowledge of what sells one can decide what type of products to offer in the service. Such an approach can protect the creator of products from making items, that will not bring any profit.

Having the product ready it is worth remembering about several issues:

• Images – even digital products cannot be sold without visual representation. It is much easier to make a photo of a physical product, but in the case of digital products, clients still expect that they will be presented with pictures that show what is there to buy. For example, if you sell digital posters, you can print them out, put them in a frame, and then photograph them. This way you can present a product and the way it can be used.
• Price – many creators have a problem with the valuation of their products. Remember, even if the product is available in digital form it doesn’t mean that you should reduce its commercial value. The finished product is a result of many factors: the time spent on the creation, the knowledge, the software, or the elements used (such as paid graphics).
• Customer service – the mere process of product purchase can be automated, which means that you don’t have to send each product individually one by one. It is worth keeping in mind, that even in the XXI century, many people can have some technical difficulties. Some people cannot unpack the zip file, and those clients will search for help from the seller. If you see that your clients ask similar, repeatable questions, consider the preparation of the FAQ section or instructional videos.

Summary

How to sell digital products on Etsy? The process is not complicated, hence more and more people decide to try to sell on Etsy. It is a great way to get an additional source of income. If you want to find out, what is the cost of sales on Etsy, read our article.

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App monetization – table of contents:

1. What is app monetization?
2. 6 models of app monetization

What is app monetization?

The simplest way to explain this, app monetization is the method used by app creators (and other stakeholders) to make money on an application. Accordingly to the data available on Statista.com it is expected that mobile applications will generate a revenue of 935 billion US dollars by the year 2023. As we see this is a market with potential.

But, to be able to enjoy any real income, one has to develop a strategy of how to earn money on a product. In the first instance, the users have to download the application – we have to decide if they should pay for it. You should analyze the pros and cons of both solutions.

More applications on the market could be downloaded for free. For this reason, users are accustomed to freeing offers. Moreover, the necessity to bear the cost just at the beginning of their adventure with the product can discourage them from downloading. On the other hand, people who decide to pay for the application are sure they need it and get more involved, hence we may expect that we will get active users.

Free download doesn’t mean that you will lose. There are other ways to monetize your app, read the text below to find out more.

6 models of app monetization

1. Subscription

This model of monetization was already discussed in detail in a ˛ő±đ±č˛ą°ů˛ąłŮ±đĚýłŮ±đłćłŮ. In short, this model means that the creator offers the user access to the application under a fixed, cyclical rate (subscription). The strategy matches the products, that offer access to content that is regularly replenished, such as music or e-books.

It is a good solution for the business to generate regular revenues. It allows the establishment of clients’ segmentation, what brings gives better adjustment of the offer to the selected users.

What is problematic is the necessity to persuade clients to purchase the subscription. What is helpful is the free trial, during which the users will have the possibility to find out about functions and the overall value of the application. It is worth using the time of free trial to build trust and loyalty, which should encourage the clients to stay with the solution instead of searching for alternatives among the competition.

2. Freemium

The other way to monetize the app is theĚý´Ú°ů±đ±đłľľ±łÜłľĚýłľ´Ç»ĺ±đ±ô. It relies on the fact that the basic version of the product is shared free, while access to the advanced functions or benefits requires an additional charge. The app creators have to develop well a division between the free and the paid version of their product. If the basic version of the product is fully functional and rich in free solutions, the client may not want to move and switch to a paid version.

From the perspective of the business, the freemium method, is a very good marketing solution, because free applications are eagerly downloaded by clients. On the other hand, clients do not get attached to this solution, hence they can be inclined to abandon the application, instead of buying the paid version. It is usually reflected in the wages of the company, which can record fluctuations in revenue.

3. Advertising

In the case of free applications, income is generated thanks to the advertisement. The owner of the app can settle with the advertiser for the number of clicks in the advertisement or the display. There are different formats in a creative advertisement, such as full-screen pop-ups, video advertisements, banners, etc. Additionally, such applications frequently collect data about the users. The data is later used to match the content to the client’s behavior or interests. Popular examples involve Facebook and Instagram.

In this model, the income is reached thanks to the offering of products that can be bought in the application. Those are both physical and virtual goods. Many mobile games are based on this monetization model, thanks to this users can buy additional lives or improvements. It has an impact on their involvement, loyalty, and reduction of the risk of application abandonment.

The benefit of this solution is the lack of pushiness from the app creator. The user has to decide if he wants to make shopping in the application.

In the case of the purchase of physical products, the creators can earn on goods related to their brand. This applies to the most popular players, who created the demand among the users for gadgets, accessories, t-shirts, and another such types of products that contain the logo or relate to the application. It is not a good solution for all app creators.

4. Transaction fees

If there are transactions inside the applications, one can use the model that charges the commission for them. The creation of a such platform, on which third parties can sell or buy different types of goods requires the owner to provide the security of transactions, data protection of the users, and preparation of the regulations. The income depends on the number of such transactions hence the app creators should build up a huge and active community, which will be eager to use the application.

5. Sponsoring

The less popular solution is finding a sponsor, that will want to fund the application, in exchange for the brand or products presented. To make such a solution sensible, the target group has to match the target group of the cooperator. The app owner has to offer this partnership to the company, which can benefit from the deal.

The biggest chances to earn profits from sponsoring have the applications that have gained popularity and have a large user base or that act in a specific niche.

Summary

The above methods of monetization prove that there are earning possibilities besides paid downloads. The applications that are available for free can generate income, that will satisfy the creator and the rest ofĚýthe beneficiaries. The app owners can combine above models accordingly to the needs and strategies of the company.

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]]> /6-models-of-app-monetization/feed 0 /how-to-sell-mobile-apps /how-to-sell-mobile-apps#respond Mon, 24 Oct 2022 12:37:15 +0000 /?p=47851 How to sell mobile apps? One of the many ways to make money with mobile applications is to sell them. You can think, why anybody would do that, especially if the app will be later offered in the subscription model. But, as many creators, so many reasons. Some of the creators have the aim to create an app but are not interested in its further development, others might need more time for other undertakings. Whatever the reason, it is worth analyzing, how to sell mobile apps.

How to sell mobile apps? – table of contents:

1. Application transfer
2. Where can I sell my mobile app?
3. Does it make sense to sell your app to the giants?
4. How to evaluate a mobile app?

Application transfer

As we can read on the website during the sales process of a mobile application there is a transfer of the app to the account of other developers. To facilitate this process one should meet certain requirements – all listed . Those requirements refer to the fact that the application has to possess at least one version, that was published in App Store, or it should have one listed on the web status.

What if the application does not meet the aforementioned criteria? The solution is the transfer of the whole programmer account to the client. But if you have several applications connected to this one account you have to move them somewhere else or sell them all to the buyer.

For individuals that are interested in the subject of application transfer in Google Play, all the information on the subject can be found on the website.

Where can I sell my mobile app?

The creators of a mobile app can sell it directly to the client or use a dedicated marketplace platform. The first option is more problematic. First of all, one should find a buyer, which will be interested in talking about your application. If you don’t have contacts, you can try to find such persons via an internet browser and initiate the conversation.

The beginning creators without experience in client negotiations can have difficulties defending their position and achievement of their sales goal. The potential buyer probably already had been talking with other programmers about application purchases, hence it is worth preparing yourself for such a conversation. One of the ways to prepare yourself is the consultation with a specialist or/and a lawyer. Both of those individuals have experience and knowledge about how to negotiate contracts.

Another way of selling mobile applications is using a dedicated platform. Among the most popular ones are App Business Brokers and Flippa.

• Flippa is founded in 2009 platform for buying and selling websites, companies, and internet applications, The creator can use the help of the broker, but also use the complimentary valuation tool, to learn about the value of an application.

• App Business Brokers – on the website of the platform we can read, that one of the things that service representatives do best is gathering qualified purchasers and sellers in one place. The sales process of the application is very easy – all one has to do is fill up available on the website, and ABB deals with all the rest, including the valuation of the project.Ěý


Does it make sense to sell your app to the giants?

Probably some programmers dream about selling their applications to such tech giants as Apple or Google. We can try to put ourselves in their place and assume that they examine the offers that will give them a competitive edge on the market. In this place, one should pay attention to the fact that the product has high quality and responds to the need of the recipients.

Considering Apple, it is worth quoting certain terms that are available on its website. In the “” tab we can read that the company (including the employees and contractors) does not review or does not consider the not requested orders. The representatives ask the users to restrain themselves from sending such types of offers.

In the section “Terms of Idea Submission”, which is below we can read the next interesting information, that the materials, which are being sent to Apple become automatically the property of the company, and the user cannot file for compensation.

The policy of Google work on a similar principle – all posts to the company ideas are treated as their property. That being said, the creator can make an offer via Ěýavailable on the website.

How to evaluate a mobile app?

As the starting point, you can evaluate your application as a multiplication of 12-60 times of your net income. It is important to deduct all spendings, that are directly related to its generation (such as marketing, customer service, App Store charges, and maintenance of application) from the gross income.

In this place, one should pay attention to the fact that new applications (that exist for less than a year) can be less attractive because it is harder to determine to investors their long-term potential.

The next factor, that is taken into consideration during the valuation is the sales model involved. If the application is based on the subscription model, which means it brings steady, monthly gains, it will probably be evaluated higher than the application that is based on one-time purchases or advertising revenue.

If you still don’t know how to evaluate your app, provided by Flippa, which was mentioned above, or ask for the help of App Business Brokers representatives. Compare the prices of other offers available on the platforms listed above. Remember to start negotiations from a higher stake, lower it down during the conversation, and reach a successful agreement.

Summary

How to sell mobile apps? As usually, it depends on many factors, including the database contacts and negotiation skills of the creator. However, even the beginning individuals can seek in-depth advice from an experienced specialist – all thanks to dedicated platforms.

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]]> /how-to-sell-mobile-apps/feed 0 /5-programs-to-build-apps-without-coding /5-programs-to-build-apps-without-coding#respond Fri, 21 Oct 2022 12:54:27 +0000 /?p=47485 Programs to build apps without coding – do you know any of them? As was shown in one of the recent articles, one doesn’t have to demonstrate coding skills to be able to create a mobile application. No matter if you will use the program only internally in your company, or if you want to sell the app and earn some money, the hiring of a specialist, thanks to the availability of tools, is no longer a necessity. Let’s discuss the 5 solutions that will help you to build the application without coding.

Programs to build apps without coding – table of contents:

1. Build apps without code – what do you need to know
2. 5 programs to build apps without coding

Programs to build apps without coding – what do you need to know

The platforms, that allow building applications without coding skills usually operate thanks to the “click and choose” or “drag and drop” principles of operation. This way the creator doesn’t have to know the programming languages, such as Python, JavaScript, or C++. Despite this the creation of applications, especially without any experience, can bring many problems, hence many solutions include easy-to-modify templates and guides.

As with any other solution, non-coding app-building platforms have their limitations. The projects created with the use of such apps have some drawbacks. Those projects are less flexible and functional than those made by an experienced programmer. If you would like to include any non-standard features in your application, you will have to seek the assistance of a specialist.

Who then uses application-building software? You can be surprised, but not only amateurs have recognized the potential of such a solution. Also, professional programmers use such solutions, because the creation of apps without coding is much faster and cheaper. Besides this, app-creating software can be used by small company owners, such as local restaurant owners, that need their app to provide their clients with a mobile menu or give them the option to order online. Also, some schools or companies may need internal software for their employees.

Benefits of making apps without coding:

• smaller cost than in the case of traditional programming,
• independence of working that doesn’t require hiring programmers or external company,
• easy modifications that allow the introduction of the needed changes and updates,
• fast creation of products without the technical knowledge.

5 programs to build apps without coding

In this section, we have collected 5 tools that allow you to create the app without coding. Remember that this industry is constantly evolving and offers newer and more advanced solutions.

Adalo

Adalo is a non-coding technological platform that allows its users to create their applications without programming experience. The user can create the interface of the product with the “drag and drop” function. There are many components to select from that including lists, forms, bars, navigation icons, charts, buttons, and many more. We can configure dynamic actions, such as logging, or automatic push notifications. The creator can make databases and manage users’ data.

Accordingly, to the on the internet website, there are five subscription plans available on the website:

• Free – 0$/month
• Starter – 45$/month
• Professional 65$/month
• Team 200$/month
• Business 250$/month


The creator can get a 20% of discount by choosing an annual subscription.

Futterflow

Two former employees of Google have decided to create a platform that allows users to create mobile applications without the knowledge of coding. They have made available the Flutterflow service with the easy-to-use “drag and drop” type of interface.

The creators receive access to many basic and advanced functions such as more than 90 display templates and 80 ready-made components (lists, user’s profiles, etc.), widget animations, push notifications, chat templates, team collaboration (links sharing, rights management, etc.), code that works with iOS, Android, Web, and Desktop export, and advanced integrations with GitHub, Firebase, Google Maps and more.

Accordingly, to the , there are four subscription plans:

• Free – 0$/month
• Standard – 30$/month
• Pro – 70$/month
• Teams – 70$/month

Those prices differ accordingly to the method of payment (monthly or yearly subscription). There are promotions available frequently.



Draftbit

Draftbit platform allows the creation of not only mobile applications as well as their source code. The whole project is based on open-source languages. The creator can use available components and templates, but it is possible to introduce non-standard code as well. Such non-standard code can help to modify and personalize the product.

In the opposition to the previous tools, Draftbit doesn’t have a free version. is divided into prices connected to the platform usage (Individual – 79$ a month, Team – 249$ a month, and Enterprise 995$/a month) and with the help of an expert (Bronze – 500$/month, Silver – 3,5K $/month, Gold 7K $/month and 12K $/month).



AppGyver

“You will never go back to coding. Seriously” – this sentence is displayed on the main page of the AppGyver service, which allows the creation of high-quality applications of different formats, both for mobile devices, browsers, stationary computers, and other gadgets.

Their program offers a “drag and drop” interface, while the platform provides a vast range of components and motifs and allows integration of API interfaces just in several minutes.

Following the regulations available on the website, some of the services in the package “Fremium Services” are provided free of charge, while for any additional resources or services there is a charge (“Premium Services”). It is worth reading the license, that was described in points 5 and 6 of the aforementioned .



Wappler

Wappler is the next platform that allows an easy and fast way of creating and publication of mobile applications. The App Connect app is the front-end framework, fully-integrated with Wappler. It consists of the visual layout panel, the library of components, and data binding – all this is available through a transparent and easy-to-use interface.

of the subscription differs accordingly to the settlement method (monthly or yearly), the selection between Wappler Basic and Wappler Pro, and one of four available plans:

• Educational – 19 euro/month (Basic) – 29 euro/month (Pro)
• Individuals – 29 euro/month (Basic) – 49 euro/month (Pro)
• Business – 49 euro/month (Basic) – 79 euro/month (Pro)
• Enterprise – 69 euro/month (Basic) – 109 euro/month (Pro)


Summary

The building application without coding becomes more and more popular not only among amateurs but among programmers as well, who can save time. The development of the branch means that programs are being developed and improved. Hence, before selection the tool it is worth familiarizing yourself with the available solutions.

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]]> /5-programs-to-build-apps-without-coding/feed 0 /how-to-create-your-own-mobile-app /how-to-create-your-own-mobile-app#respond Tue, 18 Oct 2022 12:43:27 +0000 /?p=47351 How to create your own mobile application? Do you know how to do it? Mobile applications have become a huge part of our everyday life. Despite that there are so many of them on the market, still, one can find a niche and create products, that clients will be happy to use. How to create your own mobile app? Such a process is usually associated with high costs, the dedication of working hours, and the necessity of having advanced coding knowledge. Today we will prove that even beginners can consider the possibility of creating their own application.

How to create your own mobile app? – table of contents:

1. The idea for a mobile app
2. Marker analysis
3. Description of application functions
4. Mock-ups creation
5. Graphic design
6. Creation of the application

The idea for a mobile app

Each product offered on the market had to go through the stage of idea generation. Even such applications as Facebook or Uber had to emerge initially in somebody’s head to transform into something big and profitable. How to create a unique product when there are so many products available on the market? There are several ways to do so:

• Find a problem that is nagging you and find the solution. Start with the creation of a product that you will be willing to use. If you have a problem there is a possibility that other people experience similar difficulties and search for a solution.
• Improve existing applications. Probably you already have experience in using different types of applications. Do you think sometimes what kind of functions should those applications have to become more useful and more interesting?
• Mix several applications into one. Your experiences with applications can help you to see certain functionalities available in different products, that can be connected into one, new offer. This way the users can obtain the multifunctional tool, all in one application.

Summarizing, it is not important, what is your way to find an idea, it has to respond to basic questions:

• whether the problem, you discuss, exists in reality and requires a solution?
• whether the problem occurs as often as you think and concerns enough people to be addressed and resolved?
• whether the application you create can resolve the problem?

The response to those questions should be objective and critical. For example, the Uber application has been created because its cofounders, Travis Kalanick and Garret Camp, couldn’t find transport during their stay in Paris. The problem turned out to as be serious and common spread that it required a resolution. The application made enables its users to schedule trips with a few clicks.



Marker analysis

The analysis of the market is the ideal moment to verify your idea. First and foremost you should check the possible competition and its products. The easiest way to do it is to browse Play Store and App Store. If somebody has created already an application similar to yours familiarize yourself with it and think, about how your product can be distinguished from the other. If there is no similar product anywhere in the shop there is still a chance, that you have managed to find a niche, or the product is not desired.

In the next step, it is worth asking for feedback from your target audience. Think, about who is your client and where you can find them. Take into account social media, internet forums, as well as portals and websites, they probably browse. You can prepare an online questionnaire.

Observe services such as Product Hund, from which you will find out, what kind of new products gain their enthusiasts. Other valuable insights you can gain from crowdfunding platforms, on which you can observe what kind of products are being eagerly supported by the clients.

Description of application functions

This step is a summary of all your findings. Describe, what kind of functionalities would you like to share in your application. Surely, after testing and based on reviews your products will evolve, hence at this stage, you can allow yourself more freedom. It will allow you to organize your idea and prepare yourself for the next step, which is mock-up creation. Having a description of the function of your application is another valuable starting point. You or your cooperators can go back to the initial vision if only you will get confused at some stage.

Mock-ups creation

At this stage, you don’t have to concentrate on details such as fonts, colors, or pictures. The mock-up has to become a reflection of your ideas. To create a good mock-up you can simply use a pen and paper, or decide to support yourself with professional tools such as Figma, Sketch, or InVision Studio.

The preparation of the mock-up should visualize everything that will be seen by the user during the interaction with your application. It is best to start with the main home screen and to design the navigation well. You have to divide all needed content into logical sections, and then predict, in which way the user will move around within the application. At this stage the knowledge regarding user experience will be particularly useful – we have devoted the whole series of posts on our blog to this subject.

Graphic design

Only at this stage, you should think about the visual layer of applications. Select the right colors, fonts, images, and graphics. You can make it individually or hire a skilled, experienced designer.

Why is it worth preparing the design project ahead? Primarily, the design will be the closest to the final product. Many people, including investors and business partners, may not have as extensive imagination as you. Having ready-made visualization of the application will be easier to convince them to support their project – financially or by working together.

Creation of the application

The culmination is the creation of the application. The aim can be reached in several different ways.

• Individual work – if you can code (or you have the ambition to learn this skill) nothing can stop you from designing the project independently. You have to remember, that probably it will be the most time-consuming option, but apart from the mere product, you will gain precious experience.
• Cooperation with an expert – you can start cooperation with an experienced programmer. It can either be your business partner or a freelancer, to whom you commission the task. You can find such individuals on special platforms such a Fiverr or Upwork.
• Cooperation with the company – the company, that deals with the creation of the applications is a great solution, if you expect the support and possibility to consult more experienced persons, besides the realization of the task. This type of cooperation can be more costly than commissioning the job to the freelancer.
• Application templates – in the Internet you will find many templates, which are being sold with the code including all basic, necessary functions. If you want to expand the application, you will have to do it on your own or in cooperation with a freelancer.
• Application wizard – application wizards allow the creators to make the applications without any particular knowledge about coding. It is possible thanks to the easy-to-use interface and functions such as “drag and drop” or “click and select”. The market for such tools is still developing, hence we will devote a separate article to this subject.

How to create your own mobile app? – Summary

How to create your mobile application? As you see, you have to make several steps. It is not as difficult as it might seem, especially since there are tools on the market that streamline the process. It is not important, if you create your application for the or , in both cases, you have to publish your application that adheres to the guides laid down arbitrarily.

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]]> /how-to-create-your-own-mobile-app/feed 0 /how-to-sell-your-software /how-to-sell-your-software#respond Wed, 12 Oct 2022 12:55:45 +0000 /?p=47030 How to sell your software? Do you know how to do it? The design of the ideal software is just a part of the work, that brings you closer to the more tangible benefits. The difficult part is the sales of the product. We have collected several tips on how to sell your software, independently if the product is destined for a huge corporate client or will be sold as a SaaS service.

How to sell your software? – table of contents:

1. Solve this one specific problem
2. Find your client
3. Establish contact with the client
4. Respect clients’ time
5. Share a free trial version
6. Gain reviews
7. Remember about the customer service
8. Sell your software – summary

Solve this one specific problem

Your potential clients should see, that you understand their pain. Convince them that your product will solve their problems and will make their lives easier. Present the unique value of your software and emphasize what distinguishes you from your competitors. Do not make your clients guess, why your product is so unique, but inform them about it at the start.

To present better the features of your offer, you can be tempted to draft the table with comparisons. This way you will stress out all the benefits related to your product – the benefits that should be considered by the clients during the decision-making process.

Find your client

When you know everything about your product, you have to decide, who is the person, you wish to reach with this information. Surely, you have already heard about the target audience term. Defining the clients’ profiles should help you to uniform your vision and reach the specified audience. Determine the age, localization, challenges, job positions, and life goals of your target clients. You can prepare a persona – if you are not sure how to do it –Ěýtry our free template.



Establish contact with the client

When you know, who is your potential client, try to establish contact. Ask yourself, what kind of media your potential client uses and become active there to highlight your presence. Don’t act blindly! Create a marketing plan, that will allow you to use all available resources. Think, about what kind of websites are visited by your potential clients. Those can be:

• Internet websites – if your clients read the specific blogs or services, as the publishers, if they could share your expert article that contains the link to your software.
• Online forums – instead of trying to sell your product directly, interact with clients and check, what kind of problems they have, offer them your help.
• Social media – if your clients spend their free time browsing Instagram, LinkedIn, and other social media portals, use those media to build awareness of your brand by running profiles or acquiring paid advertisements.
• SEO and paid advertisement – your clients search for the answer to the questions that are important and valid to them in internet browsers. Do everything to make sure that your website appears at the very first position in search results or allocate funds to a paid campaign. Ask yourself, which browser is the most popular among your clients: Google, Bing, Yahoo, or any other?
• Create your blog – regular publication of valuable content should help you to increase the traffic to your website. Additionally, you may offer some of the content or rebates in exchange for signing for your newsletter. This should help you to build the mailing database of potential clients. Then you can keep in touch with your clients via e-mail.Ěý

Respect clients’ time

When you find your potential client, you cannot waste the time, he decided to devote to you and your product. In the case of business clients, you have to make an appointment well in advance. Prepare yourself with the presentation of your product, and listen carefully, to your client’s questions. Then present the features of your solutions, and what is important, keep the meeting short. Remember also about being on time.

Internet users, who are your potential clients don’t like treading water too. They will visit your website to find out about the offer. Make sure your description is specific and accurate. Remember to write about all necessary functions, benefits, parameters, and requirements. Add images and screens, and if it is possible, the movie that presents the operation of your software, or the short guide.

Share a free trial version

You can’t convince some of the users by presenting them with a well-written product description or a demonstration movie. Some of them have to test the software to decide if it is worth the price. Instead of offering the 30-day free trial period, you can decide to apply the freemium model to your sales strategy. In this case, the users have unlimited time access to the basic version of the product, but to use advanced functions they have to pay an extra fee.Ěý

Gain reviews

Many clients decide to buy the product after reading the reviews. If you just started the sales, you can ask your first clients or independent tester to share an opinion about your product. Share the reviews on your website and on social media to make sure that potential clients could find out, why it is worth buying your software.Ěý

Remember about the customer service

Your potential clients, as well as the users, who already have your products, may need your professional help. Efficiently functioning customer service can dissolve their doubts, and also build positive emotions and trust in your brand. Contemporary users are accustomed to the fast solving of problems, this is why they can expect that you will offer them 24/7 customer support – either via helpline or via chat. You can decide and install a chatbot on your website alongside the FAQ section with the most commonly asked questions. Do not forget to provide your e-mail address to your clients – they can offer invaluable insight into the functioning of your software which can help you to improve your product.Ěý

Sell your software – summary

How to sell your software? As you already see, the sales of software do not differ from the sales of other digital products. It is worth keeping in mind to whom you aim your offer. The preparation of the right strategy and speaking the language of a client not only will get you closer to the purchase transaction but will help you to establish trust and loyalty as well.Ěý

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]]> /how-to-sell-your-software/feed 0 /what-is-software-distribution-methods /what-is-software-distribution-methods#respond Mon, 10 Oct 2022 12:38:42 +0000 /?p=46703 What is software? What are the types and methods of distribution? Staying on the subject of digital products we cannot be indifferent to the software. Surely, you know this word, but do you know what it means? Read the text below and find out the definition of software as well the most popular types and methods of distribution.

What is software? – table of contents:

1. What is software?
2. Types of Software
3. Software distribution methods

What is software?

Before answering the question of how to sell software, we should try to explain its definition. Some use synonymously the term “computer program” but the meaning of software is broader. The easiest way to write is to state that software is instruction and procedure written in the computer code, which enables it to perform specific and concrete functions.

To software we can include: operational systems, commercial programs (for example Microsoft Word), applications, drivers, controllers, or even malicious software such as computer viruses.



Types of Software

• Application software

Application software is probably the most popular type of software because it is designed for end users. The goal of the software is to help people to make certain tasks, which makes them so commonly used every day by so many people. The examples of the application software are:

• web browsers (Chrome, Opera, Firefox);
• communication software (Skype, Zoom, Slack);
• text processing software (Microsoft Word, Notebook, Google Docs);
• e-mail software (Outlook, Gmail, Apple Mail);
• games and applications.
• System software

System software is designed to become a platform and enable the operation of the other software. Among the examples are:

• operating systems – in the case of computers, laptops, and tablets we distinguish operational systems: Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS. There are operating systems on smartphones include Apple IOS, Google Android, and Windows Phone. The computer (and other devices) without an operating system is just a piece of equipment, that does not operate anything and does not perform any function;
• firmware – is a type of software that controls the operation of electronic devices. Usually delivered by the software producer, thanks to this the software is technically customized to the device;
• programming software – the software or sometimes called programming tool (development tool) is the type of tool that helps to create the other type of software. These are for example assemblers, debuggers, compilers, and integrated development environments;
• driver software – the drivers are responsible for communication between the components of the device and the operating system, thanks to this software the system knows how to use the selected device. The devices such as graphics cards, mice, keyboards, and network cards have their drivers.

Software distribution methods

There are several ways of distributing and sharing software. The popular types of licenses are discussed below. Those licenses regulate legally the terms and conditions of use and the principles of remuneration.

• Freeware

This type of license allows free usage and distribution of the software. The creator allows free usage of the source code, without disclosing or sharing it. The users cannot benefit financially from this type of software. In some of the versions of licenses there, it is marked that free software is intended for domestic purposes. Companies can sometimes require paid licenses. The examples of freeware are:

• Microsoft Teams;
• Zoom;
• Adobe Reader;
• Adobe PDF.
• Shareware

Similarly to freeware, shareware allows free usage of the software. A free trial is possible only for a limited period, after which the owner requires a specific fee or purchase of a license. The users like such solutions, because they can test programs for free and get to know them better, before deciding on buying them.

There are several types of Shareware licenses:

• Freemium – the user can use the specific part of free functions for an unlimited period. Advanced functions are available only after the purchase of the free version of the program.
• Adware – the user has two options: either he will allow the advertisement or he will buy the full license (without advertisement).
• Donationware – the user is asked to pay the author the symbolic sum, which value depends on the type of licensee.
• Demoware – the user has access to the free, incomplete version of the software of the full package, but for a limited period.
• Nagware – in this version the user gets constant updates and reminders to pay for the selected software. The application of watermarks is a popular practice as well.

Among the examples of Shareware are WinZip, Nero, Skype, and Spotify.

• Open Source

In this version of the license, the user has access to the software and the source code that can be later modified, improved, and checked accordingly to his preferences. Open Source may exist in paid and free versions. The popularity of this solution is connected to the ability to gain more control over the software, and for beginning programmers, it is an ideal way to learn using the existing code.

• Proprietary software

Closed-source software is sometimes called proprietary software. It is covered by restrictions, that concern its usage, modification, and distribution. The name is related to the fact that software does not disclose the source code, is protected by copyrights, and the product remains the property of the creator (owner). The main disadvantage is the high cost of such software although on the other hand there are advantages such as reliability, uniqueness, and compatibility. The most popular examples of proprietary software are operating systems such as Windows and Mac, as well as the office package Microsoft Office.

What is software? – Summary

As we have managed to find out in the text, there are many types of software, as well as many methods of software distribution. You can use the text as the introduction to the next subject that deals with the sales and marketing of your software. Follow our blog cycle in order not to miss any other article about the software.

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]]> /what-is-software-distribution-methods/feed 0 /how-to-sell-stock-videos-online /how-to-sell-stock-videos-online#respond Fri, 07 Oct 2022 11:35:17 +0000 /?p=46580 How to sell stock videos online? Do you know how to make good video material? In the previous text, we mentioned the possibilities that open up for the creators of stock music and stock image. What about stock videos? Is it possible to sell them online and earn? What do you need to remember while creating this type of content? Read the article to find out more.

How to sell stock videos online? – table of contents:

1. What is stock footage?
2. Where stock footage is used?
3. How to make a good stock video?
4. Where to sell stock video online?
5. Why film materials are expensive?

What is stock footage?

Footages are sometimes known under the name of stock videos or B-rolls. Those are the types of video clips or footage, that can become a part of greater projects and video productions. The filmmakers create such types of materials to sell the license for their usage. The main feature of those movies is the fact that they are not recorded with the specific project in mind, hence their content is universal to match the style of most types of movie production.

For individuals that wish to use film materials the footages are a great solution that saves time, resources, and money. For example, the creators of the production about the family that lives in Norway may wish to enrich their project with images of the country. Instead of paying the crew and spending money on recording the clips – which is very costly and time-consuming – they can use ready-made footages that are collected in dedicated online services.

Where stock footage is used?

Stock videos are used in many ways, but the most popular include:

• secondary shots – in this case, the video becomes a B-roll, that is additional footage, that is an addendum to the bigger project. It can be either footage of passers-by, landscapes from the air,
• advertisement – many companies decide to use stock videos in their advertising campaigns. Those creations do not require the recording of original shots – the ready-made clips are sufficient. The narrative is recorded later. Such movie materials can become a basis for commercials or supplements (b-roll).


How to make a good stock video?

Making stock videos is a good idea for additional income. Before we start dreaming about serious money we have to learn how to make good quality stock videos. How to make them? What do you need to know?

• Technical knowledge – before starting recording make sure that you know everything about the technical basis of this process. You can invest and purchase a course or use free guides available on the Internet. Check the YouTube service or thematic blogs for many useful tutorials.
• High quality – stock videos selling platforms have their requirements with the quality of the clips. Make sure you provide the best possible quality otherwise you can destroy your chance to be accepted as an author by the particular service. Try to focus on the quality from the beginning.
• Lighting – if you do not want to allocate your funds to professional lighting use daylight. Play with light increases positively the quality of your footage, but it provides your material with the right mood.
• Plan ahead – spontaneous recording may not bring the expected results. Think through each recording ahead to be sure what exactly you wish to capture, which way, and how to reach the best effect. The clear vision created before the recording will help you to capture all the details and emotions.
• Search for your niche – stock videos are more and more popular, which means that the competition on the market is greater than it was ever before. Many footages were already recorded, hence it is worth searching for the niche, where the creator will have a chance to break through. One can apply the ideas from work or think about one’s interests – all this can be used to make interesting footage.
• Check the market – orient yourself in the market and find out, what types of stock videos sell and which don’t. The information bout supply and demand can help you to make good decisions as to which direction to go.
• Include people in your story – footage that portrays people can make your work more popular. Such material requires additional work – you need to remember the consent for use of the image and the cost of hiring the actors.
• Use different perspective – record from different angles, use interesting camera moves, and try close-ups – such procedures will diversify your clips, which should help you to break through over the classic, still recordings. Additionally, such solutions help to maximize the number of shots from one space.

Where to sell stock video online?

Many platforms enable sales of video stock online. The most popular are listed below.

Artgrid

The moviemakers from all over the world send their high-quality footage to the Artgrid platform. It is possible to search for single clips or for stories, that are materials grouped (from 3 to 100 clips) by the material, subject, localization, or story. The length of the videos available is usually from 4 to 20 seconds.

The creators that wish to sell their video materials on the Artgrid service have to fill up the application form that is available on the website. The application includes the form to provide contact details and links (4 -6) to portfolios.



Pond5

We have been writing about Pond5 while discussing the best online platform to sell stock music. The Pond5 service offers high-quality stock videos online. The creators can send their videos only as so-called Non-Exclusive Video Artists (this means that they license their recording in Pond5 and other similar services). They get 40% of the share in royalties. In the case of the exclusive, so-called Exclusive Video Artists option, they can count on 60% of the share in royalties.



Dissolve

On the Dissolve website, there is information that the platform hand-picks its collections of movies focusing on technical quality, style, and cultural meaning. The platform does not offer a subscription model. Every singular clip means a separate cost. The prices of movie materials start from 29 US dollars.

The Dissolve Liftoff program is for all the creators that would like to start selling their video clips with the use of the platform. To apply one should send links to his works and wait about 4 weeks for a response from the company.



Why film materials are expensive?

It is not hard to notice that movie materials are significantly more expensive than for example stock images. It is not without reason. The creator who offers ready-made video clips has to incur costs associated with the basic tools (camera, memory cards, tripods, lights, etc.), a realization of recording (travel costs, salaries of actors, the operator, and the director), edition (editing software). Additionally one has to add the time that the creator has to spend to record and edit the video clips.

At first glance the price of movie materials is high, but when we compare it with the cost that we would have to spend to create our videos, it is not unreasonable.

Summary

The market for stock videos develops constantly. If you like to spend your time on movie making you can use your interests to get another source of passive income. Now, when you know, how to sell stock videos online, then it is going to be an easy and pleasant task.

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]]> /how-to-sell-stock-videos-online/feed 0 /6-stock-music-libraries-to-make-money /6-stock-music-libraries-to-make-money#respond Thu, 06 Oct 2022 13:14:18 +0000 /?p=46480 Stock music libraries to make money? Is it possible to earn a good income quickly and efficiently by offering newly created music? In the previous article, we have explained what is stock music. Today we are going to take a look at the available libraries of stock music that allow composers to sell their tracks. We can distinguish several types of libraries and accordingly to this division we are going to present examples of platforms that are popular in the selected categories.

The best stock music libraries – table of contents:

1. Stock music libraries
2. APM Music
3. JinglePunks
4. Royalty-free libraries
5. AudioJungle
6. PremiumBeat
7. Pond5
8. Artist
9. Summary

Stock music libraries

Stock music available at this type of library is offered based on the license agreement. The most popular platforms that offer stock music are presented below.

1. APM Music

It is an American stock music library that provides high-quality tracks. The clients that decide to download the music to use it for their production (or in another way) have to act upon the existing license agreement or agreement with APM. The agreement has to be paid accordingly to the current price list.

The composer who wishes to sell his music with APM Music has to submit an application that includes a maximum of three best tracks. Additionally, the composer has to provide his web address, social media profile links, and the information, where the music of the artist can be purchased.Ěý

2. JinglePunks

Similarly to the previous platform, Jingle Punks stresses that using of the music records available in the library is regulated by the existing license agreement. The exclusivity agreement is for a year and with automatic renewal (unless stated otherwise) is offered to the composers. The platform splits the profits fifty-fifty with the authors.

How to become a composer on JinglePunks? The author has to fill up and send the form and provide links to his tracks. It is best when they are available on the private website of the composer, but links to platforms such as Bandcamp and Soundcloud are also accepted. Links to Dropbox, Google Drive, and Box are not verified.



Royalty-free libraries

1. AudioJungle

AudioJungle is owned by Envato, the service was already mentioned in the text about the 6 best online marketplaces to sell templates. Thanks to individual licenses clients can access and use one, particular song. The price of the track depends on the number of downloads or views.

Currently, the AudioJungle service is closed for new composers, but the company encourages registering accounts – the representatives will contact, you when a new recruiting starts.

2. PremiumBeat

PremiumBeat, which belongs to Shutterstock company, provides high-quality tracks and sound effects. The library offers access to the rich library, where the user can find recordings produced in different styles and genres, all royalty-free. The licenses are honored worldwide and their validity is indefinite.

On the website of the platform, there is an application form for new composers. The company emphasizes that the music has to be 100% original, available exclusively, and free from the rights of third parties. The analysis of the form can take up to four weeks. If the application is accepted the employee of PremiumBeat contacts the candidate and fixes the terms of cooperation. Unfortunately, when the application is rejected there is no way to get any information about the reasons for the refusal.

3. Pond5

Pond5 is another, an interesting online marketplace that offers stock music without license fees. There are two options to choose from: and . The second option allows a more detailed selection, where one can decide between subscription of music, music and sound effects, film materials, or custom.

Artists that are willing to sell their music (and sound effects) via Pond5 Publishing will receive 35% of royalty shares. The service Pon5 Publishing is available and its terms and conditions can be found under the . To get additional income one can use referral links. The client will receive a 20% of discount, while the composer will get 20% of the value of the first client’s purchase.

4. Artist

Artlist is a service for individuals that search for high-quality tracks. The users can select between two types of licenses: Artist’s Unlimited License and Artist’s Personal License – their terms of use are available online under the .

Ěý Ěý Ěý Ěý

How to become an artist on Artist? The composer should be the owner of 100% of the rights of the offered music. Then he can apply for registration. The process of applying can be done via the website, where the form has to be filled up. Besides the basic contact details, one should send links to his portfolio and describe himself as an artist: the style, the music genre, or the stage name.

6 stock music libraries to make money – summary

There are many stock music platforms on the market. Before selecting one of them it is worth familiarizing yourself with the terms and regulations of all of them. The composer should compare the conditions that have to be fulfilled to join the service. Once all the expectations are met one can become a stock artist and sell the tracks on the stock music platform.

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]]> /6-stock-music-libraries-to-make-money/feed 0 /what-is-stock-music /what-is-stock-music#respond Wed, 05 Oct 2022 10:47:29 +0000 /?p=46345 What is stock music and why it is so important to know more about it? As it was mentioned many times already, the Internet gives a lot of opportunities to earn additional money. Musically talented individuals can create and offer products that are searched for online. What kind of possibilities you can get by offering stock music? Read the article to find out more.

Stock music – table of contents:

1. What is stock music?
2. Two types of stock music
3. Stock music and production music
4. Exclusive and non-exclusive music libraries

What is stock music?

Stock music includes all types of music tracks such as jingles, songs, and others that were recorded and can be bought in the music library. The creator of the song doesn’t have in mind any particular project his music is intended for. The track can be used in many different ways, it can be applied as the enrichment of movies, advertisements, podcasts, internet courses, applications, games, and other audiovisual projects.

Stock music differs from other types of music tracks in the way that it can be used broadly, it is more versatile. As was mentioned already, the creator doesn’t know, how the track will be used, hence the composition is made to be universal. What kind of features are expected from the track of stock music?

• Easy to cut, edit, and loopĚý– such track can be adjusted to the requirements of the project and the client’s needs.
• It is not distractingĚý– stock music is usually used as a background for the project, hence it should not be the center of the attention. Stock music should not distract but spice up the movie or other visual material.


Two types of stock music

Stock music can be divided into two categories: licensed and royalty-free. What are the differences between those two types of stock music?

1. Royalty-free music

Let’s discuss royalty-free music first. Despite appearances, royalty-free music is not free. To gain access to this music one has to pay a one-time fee that will enable the individual client to use the track indefinitely and without limits. What should be noticed here, the creator of the music does not waive his copyrights. It means that if the track is used on TV, the author still is entitled to royalties for this field of usage. The royalties are not paid by the client himself, but by the Performing Rights Organizations. The client has to fill up and send the documents to the right PRO when the track is used by the TV.

2. Licensed music

Licensed music, in opposition to royalty-free music, is more restricted in usage and more costly. The music is created with the specific project in mind and some royalties have to be paid. To set the right scope of restrictions and fix the price some elements have to be taken into account:

• the type of project – game, YouTube movie, TV show, and so on.
• distribution channel – Where the music will be distributed? How many people have a chance to see the material? Is it an event or an Internet publication?
• way of promoting – How the material will be promoted – on TV, on the Internet, or the radio?
• client himself – who is purchasing the license? Is it a private customer or a company (what size of the organization?)

Stock music and production music

Both terms mean the same. They refer to the compositions that were created especially for the audiovisual project such as video games, movies, TV series, etc. By the same logic, we can say that stock music libraries and production music libraries do not differ.

Both libraries offer tracks that are available immediately. This means that the music is not personalized and nobody has to wait until it is composed. In opposition to stock music and production music, personalized music is the most expensive solution. One has to take into account not only the prices but the waiting time for completion of the track.

Exclusive and non-exclusive music libraries

There are two types of stock music libraries: exclusive and non-exclusive. Let’s take a look at both types.

1. Exclusive music library

The author of the track, while sending it to the library, authorizes the library to be the only seller of it. It means that the author cannot send his track to any other library, because it would be related to the termination of the contract and other negative consequences. This type of agreement is not always beneficial to the author, especially when the track is not particularly popular on the given service and doesn’t sell well. In this situation, there is no possibility of reaching clients through other different platforms. Additionally, exclusive music libraries have very high expectations – they demand tracks of high quality.

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However, there are certain benefits of this solution. Above all the author can hope for a higher percentage of royalties or a higher down payment. Due to the high quality of tracks offered by exclusive music libraries, the companies that deal with film and television production use those libraries more willingly. Exclusive music libraries devote much of their time and effort to promoting collected compositions.

2. Non-exclusive music library

In comparison to exclusive music libraries, non-exclusive music libraries do not have the exclusive right to sell the tracks in the collection. This means that the author can send his projects to any number of non-exclusive libraries. Among other benefits of those libraries is the possibility of defining different prices at different services, reaching a greater amount of potential clients, higher flexibility, and enhanced control over the tracks. Non-exclusive music libraries accept lower-quality compositions as well.

Non-exclusive music libraries have their disadvantages as well and those are mainly lower earnings and reduced sales probability – companies that specialize in film and television production are less likely to use such libraries.

What is stock music? – Summary

To sum up, the article explains what is stock music and its types, as well as the difference between non-exclusive music libraries and exclusive music libraries. In the next article, we are going to present popular platforms, where the stock music can be sold by the composer.

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