Mobile App Monetization – Expectations and Attitudes Formed by Users in Response to Advertising and Pay To Download Monetization Models

Professional project report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in Journalism from the School of Journalism, University of Missouri--Columbia.This research attempts to discover the attitudes and expectations formed by different methods of mobile app monetization in users who have paid to download apps or encountered any method of monetization in their use of apps. The goal is to help lead app developers and marketers to proper conclusions about how to monetize mobile apps in ways that are unobtrusive to users. The research is completed via focus group and online survey. Upon examination, it is clear users prefer a single method of monetization -- pay to download OR advertising based, for example -- rather than a hybrid approach commonly seen in traditional media. Men may be more likely to download apps on a more frequent basis, also paying for upgrades more frequently. Users seek out brands they recognize and rely on friends and other users to provide them information about apps they should download.Includes bibliographic references