Rewarding users for their actions in a game has been one of the most time-honored ways of retaining them. Sometimes that takes the form of power-ups or free in-game items as they progress, sometimes it’s real rewards. Jet Set Go Rewards has taken rewarding users to the next level with its Rewardify platform and is on a mission to change the landscape of rewarded gaming in mobile.
We caught up with Rewardify’s Chief Product Officer Michael Marr to see what makes this unique company tick.
Building Something Different
Rewardify launched the current version of Jet Set Go: Earn Cash Rewards in January 2018 to showcase just how rewarding traditional casual games can be. The game follows a very simple pattern that draws users in.
“Our vision is to take mobile gaming to new places by creating a win-win relationship with our players,” said Marr, “To that end, our games’ players can earn cash as they play!”
Set in the beautiful Hawaiian Islands, users earn coins in Jet Set Go that they can then redeem for cash, gift cards, and discounts on food, vacations, hotels, and more! Users make progress around the locale, getting harder and harder challenges as they do so.
It’s not all about earning coins through gameplay though. While there’s gold for powerups available through IAP, users can also take surveys and watch short videos to earn more coins and rewards.
Efficiency and Color
The team at Rewardify is small, just six remote employees. That team has created a vivid, inviting game map that players progress up. “We like to see the best version of the world,” Marr said, “It’s upbeat, colorful and playful,” he continued.
Match-3 games are one of the oldest and most popular casual games franchises around, not just on mobile, so it comes as no surprise that the team had a ton of inspiration to work from, as well as a great template for what match-3 players are looking for.
“We drew inspiration from our favorite casual games, Bejeweled, Mystery Match, and several others,” Marr explained.
Growth and Monetization
There’s a lot of competition out there for a match-3 game, even one that actively rewards users for playing. One of Jet Set Go’s primary growth methods has been the use of an in-game referral system. “We have done very little traditional user acquisition to date,” said Marr, “Instead, we’ve focused on the use of our in-game referral system which has done very well for us delivering some of our best users to date.”
Like other casual games, Marr said Facebook has been another successful channel and helps Rewardify drive volume early on and improve their App Store Optimization.
When it came to keeping users engaged, Marr said the system is simple — rewards are rewarding and Jet Set Go’s users keep coming back! “Money never gets boring!” he said. “With our users able to earn cash rewards and participate in events for big purses, it keeps things very lively!” he continued, “We run a new event every week too!”
That’s something Marr believes every developer should start with — monetization. “Start with how you’ll acquire users effectively and ensure your monetization systems are in place from the start,” he said.
When it comes to making the engagement systems as straightforward as possible, Marr had simple advice “Use Rewardify!” As you might expect, Jet Set Go Rewards uses the Rewardify platform to craft these experiences and keep things fresh and rewarding for users.
“Always be curious,” Marr said, “Asking tons of questions and don’t be afraid of exploring new avenues for delighting players,” he continued, driving home the need for innovation and for developers to keep interacting with users. Jet Set Go actually had 3 earlier releases to test the game with no rewards, then travel rewards, then the company added Groupon — the rest is history. According to Rewardify, the current cash rewards have been the most successful version.
“Always be curious,” Marr said, “Asking tons of questions and don’t be afraid of exploring new avenues for delighting players,” he continued, driving home the need for innovation and for developers to keep interacting with users. Jet Set Go actually had 3 earlier releases to test the game with no rewards, then travel rewards, then the company added Groupon — the rest is history. According to Rewardify, the current cash rewards have been the most successful version.That approach to engagement and building rewards and offers directly into the game experience makes the balance of monetization simple for the small team at Rewardify — “With creativity and a win-win outlook, there’s no need to sacrifice one for the other,” Marr explained.
Up Next
Rewardify and the Rewardify platform aren’t done yet. “Until now, our game has been exclusively on Apple devices,” Marr said, excitedly, “We are very excited to be able to offer the Android version to our players this Fall!”
That’s not all though, Marr said users should expect to see a lot more games being “rewardified” by next summer! We can’t wait!
Keep in Touch with Rewardify
When rewards are your bread and butter, you take support seriously. The primary point of contact for Rewardify is their support page. The Rewardify website also features options for developers to reach out about utilizing the Rewardify platform.
About Publisher Spotlight
The AdColony Publisher Spotlight series showcases the finest publishers in mobile gaming. To nominate a publisher to be featured, tweet to @AdColony. To feature your studio, fill out the Publisher Spotlight Questionnaire. For the latest AdColony mobile news and updates, follow @AdColony on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or connect on Linkedin.
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