Battling Software Piracy by Courting Consumers
With piracy rates so high for both desktop and mobile apps, developers often question how much time they should spend on trying to bullet-proof their apps. While it’s always a good idea to do what you can to prevent ordinary consumers from cracking your app, don’t spend too much valuable time on it. No matter how much blood, sweat, and tears you put into your anti-piracy measures, the unfortunate truth is that if hackers want to crack your app, they’ll find a way to do it. It’s the challenge they thrive on.
My friend (and ever-so-wise developer guru) Jeff LaMarche posted on Twitter today:
“You can’t win by fighting the pirates. The more complex the scheme, the greater the satisfaction they get from cracking it. You win by courting the consumer. If any potential customer can’t easily buy the product, you’ve failed. It’s the pirate-to-consumer link in the chain that’s vulnerable. Make it easier for the ordinary person to buy than to pirate.”
Even though Jeff was referring to the recent news that the new Android app licensing scheme has already been cracked by hackers, his tweeted words of wisdom actually apply to any software app platform.
Some iPhone and iPad developers also complain of dismal app piracy rates, but that’s not all money lost. A large percentage of those people using a cracked version would never have paid for that app anyway. But if your industrial-strength anti-piracy measures make it more difficult for ordinary consumers to purchase your app, then you’re doing it wrong! Your time and energy is best invested in keeping your paying customers happy, and making it as easy as possible for consumers to buy your app and not wander toward the cracked sites out there.
One helpful method is by maintaining an inviting, direct relationship with consumers via your web site, blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc. Sure, answering emails, tweets, and Facebook messages takes time, but it’s just as valuable as the support you provide to existing customers. If there’s a direct connection, consumers are often more motivated to support the developer’s efforts.
Another method that is proving effective in iOS apps is by attracting new customers through the In-App Purchase of add-on content, which can be securely verified via Apple’s servers.
If you’re new to iOS development and haven’t yet checked out Jeff LaMarche’s amazing blog, do yourself a favor and visit: http://iphonedevelopment.blogspot.com/
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