App developers are eager to enter the booming Chinese mobile market, but not all are prepared with a fitting strategy, according to Omri Halamish’s Casual Connect Europe address. Omri relates some of what ironSource learned while setting up its Beijing office. “We soon realized that China is very, very different. It starts with basic concepts of life,” he says, “but it goes deeper than this.” For more insights, see the video below.
Omri Halamish is a digital media expert, managing the business development for all mobile solutions at ironSource. Eight years ago he was approached by a friend to join his new company, AfterDownload. AfterDownload helped developers of free software generate revenue by showing paid recommendations for other software vendors. Two years later, AfterDownload was acquired by ironSource, which now provides end-to-end solutions for developers seeking improved distribution and monetization.
Omri began his career as an investment banker, an industry where data is king and most transactions are made by computer. Over the past eight years he has seen the digital industry evolve and adopt similar data-driven skills. Today both industries rely heavily on people with strong analytical skills.
The Biggest Challenge: Standing Out From the Crowd
From the beginning of his working life, Omri looked for a career that would allow him to make a significant impact on many others. With ironSource he discovered their technology provides real value for many developers and allows them to make a decent living with their free apps. And as they help these developers prosper, they are also supporting the trend of providing free apps to consumers.
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Standing out from the crowd is one of the biggest challenges ironSource faces. Omri claims, “There are many providers who claim to have a robust technology, but in reality, few can really deliver on this promise. We consider ourselves to be an advertising platform that truly delivers, but to do so we must constantly take our offering to the next level with nonstop innovation and flexibility to keep up with changing market conditions.”
Despite this pressure, what he enjoys most about his work is the rapid pace of change and evolution of the market that forces them to innovate in response to daily challenges.
Omri says that he is extremely proud of the role he plays in turning ironSource into a truly global company. They are now setting up international offices and making sure the right people are joining while meeting the challenge of maintaining strong communication with HQ. He has now seen that their offices in San Francisco, New York City, London and Beijing have a very significant place in supporting such a global community.
In the games industry, he sees a much more scientific approach to game development occurring, superseding the creative and artistic focus that has been prevalent. Companies will therefore be looking for more data analysts. From the earliest stage of development they will be incorporating procedures to monitor data.
Apps as an Integral Part of the Gaming Experience
One of the greatest challenges everyone is struggling with is making advertising an integral part of the app experience. ironSource responds by providing customized solutions for both game and utility developers. In order to stay close to the needs of game developers, last year they acquired Upopa, a successful indie game studio. Upopa is an independent team within the company, allowing ironSource to get in-depth feedback on their product offering.
Omri is now seeing companies refining and improving their in-app purchase techniques while also understanding that advertising is a legitimate part of the ecosystem. As data analysis advances, all studios will be able to direct their advertising only toward those players who are not making purchases. In this way they will be able to most effectively generate revenue from those who consume the content they create.
He advises developers to put their major emphasis on in-app purchases. However, they must remember that even with a successful in-app purchase model, they will monetize at most 3% of their users. As a result, it is important to partner with a third-party provider that can advise them about an advertising model which will allow them to successfully monetize the remainder of their user base.
Halamish insists, “Everyone needs that one thing that grounds you and reminds you of the simple pleasures in life — friends, music and love.” For him that one thing is Latin American music, everything from salsa to samba. As he says, “It picks me up and helps me keep everything in proportion.” He also finds ancient stories spark his imagination; in fact, at one time he dreamt of becoming an archaeologist.
