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How to Get Your App Funded Using Crowdfunding

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marcion
How to Get Your App Funded Using Crowdfunding

If you’ve launched an app before, you probably know how hard it can be to put many hours into development and promotion without making any money out of it.

…or not enough to justify the amount of work you put in.

When comes your next great app idea, you might hesitate in putting all the sweat and tears again. If you believe in your app’s potential but still want to lower the risks, getting it funded can be a great way to reduce the risks.

One of the platforms mentioned in this post will also give you the ability to get feedback and gauge early interest in your app.

WHY USE CROWD FUNDING FOR APP FUNDING?

When I talk about getting funding for your app, it doesn’t mean that you have to be looking for all the money you think you need to develop and promote it. You might want to your app development, or a specific feature.

Your app might also be already available on a mobile app store, and you might just be looking for money to localize it or promote it (or money that gives you the time to do so). The basic idea is: you could use the money to make your app or its promotion better, without taking too many risks.

Well, this allows you to do just that. Pitch your project the best way possible on one of these platforms and if you get zero funding, that means you probably have to rethink it.

If people are enthusiastic and back your app, you’re probably on to something! You’ll also be able to get their opinion as you go forward, which hopefully will allow you to go in the right direction.

…and when you launch, they’ll be ambassadors of your application and will talk about it!

A GREAT NETWORK CAN LEAD TO A GREAT CAMPAIGN

They talk about it on pretty much all the crowdfunding platforms: if you have a great network of people or a community of users you can reach out to, your campaign has more chances to be successful.

That is why building your is so important. It can help you launch current or future projects.

Of course, it will help to have a few solid apps in your resume. But it doesn’t mean that you can’t make it without one, but it will sure help to kick-start your campaign.

Like in life, hustling helps a lot too.

If you don’t have the network, create it!

CROWD FUNDING PLATFORMS FOR YOUR APP

Note: Although I haven’t had a chance (yet!) to post an app campaign on the following sites, I took a pretty serious look at them to save you some time in deciding which one should work best for you. And because I believe it’s always good to get real insights, I either including a link to someone sharing their experience or interviewed one. If you’d like to share your experience, leave a comment

You can go directly to a specific review by clicking one of the links below:


  • On Kickstarter, crowd funders don’t get any ownership of your work nor direct money from you. Why would they back you up then?

    Rewards and stories.

    The rewards you choose to offer in order to get funding have to be “smart, fun an tangible” and can be products, benefits or even experiences. Along with your pitch, rewards are the key point to get funded on Kickstarter.

    Projects on Kickstarter are not app-specific. That means that you might get more eyeballs, but also that your app idea might be lost in tons of other projects.

    Tips: (from Raul Rea, The Walker App): The video is really important, post updates often, read the Kickstarter guidelines. You have to be in the US to start a campaign.

    A lot of the mobile app-related projects seem to be using the flexible funding type. Unfortunately (and maybe because that type of funding is less engaging and creates less buzz) it looks like only a few mobile applications raise a good share of their funding goal.

    Just like on Kickstarter, you keep 100% ownership of your project. You create several “perks” to motivate people to contribute.

    They’ve done a pretty good job in guiding you during the project creation, with several tips and guidelines along the way.  They also made sharing a campaign pretty easy for visitors. Creating a good pitch, a great video to support it and creative perks will help you succeed.

    Mobile apps are not the majority of projects on Indiegogo, and getting funded doesn’t look easy. But maybe it’s because the overall presentation and the perks are not engaging enough. Check out the story below to see an awesome example of a successful campaign.

    Tips: Come up with really creative perks. I also think that all-or-nothing funding is probably better.

CrowdFunder is a UK company that gives you a lot of flexibility when it comes to funding your app project. It offers the most popular funding methods, all on the same platform:

  • Rewards
  • Community Shares
  • Equity

Like the previous platforms, you can raise some serious dollars…or pounds. Many projects are in the £30,000 range and up. But there are also some sub-£2,000 projects too.

So regardless of how big or small you want to go, this platform might be just what you need.

Tips: Their does a great job of featuring success stories. Read them and learn what it takes to run a successful campaign. You can live outside the UK and still run a campaign. 

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