Publishing Your Android App

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MySkylla.com

How to Publish your Android App

Publishing on Android Market is a fairly simple and straightforward process. The implications are not. This Blog will lead you though a step by step process for publishing on the Android Market. I assume you’re ready to publish and your App is ready. Another Blog covers getting ready to be a publisher. You really need to understand that and appreciate that publishing and being ready to publish is two very different concepts. I’m very certain most of the publisher on the Android Market don’t understand this. You shouldn’t be one of them. Some of these steps are optional depending on your app, you and many other factors.

Packaging your app for export (creating your .APK)

A few things you need (or really should) do:

  • Rename the Package Name
  • Allow Install to SD Card:
  • Make a copy of your Signing Certificate and store it several secure places
  • Read Buzztouch’s TOS
  • Read MySkylla Copyright Blog
  • Sign up for PayPal
  • Make copies of all your content

If you’re not familiar with Android Developer web site you need to be. Some of their very helpful links for publishing are:

  1. Prepare to Publish
  2. Publishing on Android Market
  3. Merchant Account
  4. Google Play Developer Program Policies
  • Join Android’s Developers Program $25 (That’s not $25 per year)
  • Screen Shots (minimum two)

    • Use actual Screenshots

  • High Resolution Application Icon 512 x 512 32 bit PNG or JPEG Maximum: 1024 KB

  •  Promo Graphic: 180w x 120h 24 bit PNG or JPEG (no alpha) No border in art
  • Title characters (30 max): “MySkylla Mobile Buzz v1.4″ (That’s 25 characters.)
  • Privacy Policy

    • Link to your Privacy Policy or indicate you don’t have one.

  • App Description (4000 characters max) Hint: create the description in another program so you can use spell and grammar check and you’ll have a copy should it be lost somehow.
  • Promo Text (English) (many language options)
    “MySkylla Mobile Buzz v1.4 Empowers Mobile App Builders by Showcasing Potential.” 78 characters (80 max)
  • Application Type (two options):
  1. Applications
  2. Games
  • Category (24 options)
  • Copy protection (on/off)
  • Content Rating (four options)
  1. High Maturity
  2. Medium Maturity
  3. Low Maturity
  4. Everyone

I chose “Everyone” but the Android Market Team changed it to Low Maturity. They didn’t give a reason, but I suspect it’s due to the Sharing Screens and the Chat-box.

  • Choose the Countries you wish to publish in.
  • You may not wish to publish in certain countries
  1.  (France)
  2. It’s not your market
  3. You don’t wish to provide support to that market due to language or cultural barriers.
  4. Content Concerns
  • Select Supported Devices:
  • Provide Contact Information: I only provided Website and Email
  1. Website
  2. Email
  3. Phone
  •  Select “This Application meets Android Content Guidelines
  • Select “I acknowledge that my software application may be subject to United States export laws, regardless of my location or nationality. I agree that I have complied with all such laws, including any requirements for software with encryption functions. I hereby certify that my application is authorized for export from the United States under these laws.” Learn More

Ok, now that you’ve know how to publish on Android Market, let’s talk about are you ready to publish.

Just because you have an Android App, you shouldn’t place it on the Android Market. One of the strengths of Android is the market is not controlled by Google as Apple tries with iOS. Wikipedia has a good description of the Android Market. If you go to External Links in that article you’ll find a list of various app markets such as Amazon Appstore for Android.

Beware of publishing too early, a few one star ratings may doom your app to irrelevance forever.

Consider publishing on your own, (Test Market), and various other ways before you publish on Android Market.

You may have the experience and skills to immediately publish your first app on Android Market or may not care and just want a merit badge, but either way, don’t go in blindly.

I agree publishing to Market Place has some advantages, which is why I say “consider”. Someone noted that a lot if not most of what is published is “dross”, (remind me to google that word), so I’ll say make sure your app is not dross before you publish. A few people have given up on Android Market, but I’ve noticed some improvements (more needed) of the Android Market.  Depending on your app and business model, Android Market, may not be the only or best channel for distribution.

A few skills you may wish to perfect are:
1. Publishing Updates on Android Market
2. Allowing Install to SD card
3. Advertising on your App
4. Using Google Play Licensing Service
5. Marketing your App
6. Using a Secondary Online Config file.

A few tools that’ll help you publish your App:
1. Screenshots
2. Googlewallet
3. Dropbox
4. Adsense

Best of luck, please post in the Buzztouch Forum about your app so the rest of us can learn.

Fred

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