A Definitive Guide To Publishing An App On Google Play
With more than 2.5 billion active users, Google Play Store is probably one of the most recognized and largest platforms for publishing, distributing, promoting & selling your Android applications. This number clearly shows why the Play Store is so popular for mobile app development.
However, uploading an app to Google Play Store may seem like a very intimidating & daunting task for first-timers & new app owners. This is because Google Play comes with a set of important rules, regulations & procedures.
If you’re wondering “how to publish an app to Google Play”, stop your search here. This blog will give you a step-by-step guide on how to publish an app on the Google apps store successfully. Let’s get started.
How To Publish Your App On Google Play And The App Store?
To launch an app on the Play Store, the process might seem simple but can be quite lengthy, as noted by app development companies. It's crucial to follow each step in chronological order to avoid mistakes and ensure a smooth launch. The steps include:
Step 1: Open a Developer’s Account
Before publishing an app on the Play Store, creating a developer’s dashboard or account is highly imperative. Without registering it, you can never publish your mobile app. The registration process is straightforward, all you need to do is open Google Play Console – backend controlling center and pay a one-time registration fee ($25) to sign in. Android apps developers must follow this process to make their apps available to users on the Google Play Store.
During the registration process, you have to fill in all important credentials while opening your account such as name, location, etc. After completing this process, it generally takes 48 hours for Google approval.
Step 2: Link Your Google Wallet Merchant Account
Next, you need to create a Google merchant account if you would like to launch a paid app or sell in-app purchases. Check out the below steps:
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Open your Google Play Console
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Select ‘Reports’ followed by ‘Financial Reports’
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Click ‘Set up a merchant account now’
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Submit your business info & details
Once you complete the task, your merchant account will get linked to your Google Play Console & will help you manage app sales & monthly payouts.
Step 3: Make an Application
Once you’ve created your Play Console & linked your merchant account, you need to start making an application. Here are the few steps that you need to follow:
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Firstly, open the ‘All applications’ tab in the menu section
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Select ‘Create Application’ button
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Select the default language of your app from the drop-down list
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Enter the title of your application (You can change it later)
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Click “Create”
Once you have done, your app’s title will start showing on the Google Play Store after publishing. Don’t think about the app title as you can change it later.
Step 4: App Store Listing
Preparing the store listing is important before you publish your application on the Play Store. The store listing provides the right information and details of your app to your customers. Now, you do not have to finish this listing process necessarily before you move forward to the next stage of mobile app solutions. You can make a draft & visit again to complete it once you are ready to launch your app.
Different types of information are required for the store listing & they are divided into the following categories:
1. Product’s General Info:
Product info like title & description must be written based on your user experience. Here’s a table that will show how to write general information for your app.
|
Fields |
Definition |
Character limits |
Notes |
|
Title |
The name of application |
50 |
Title should be unique and eye-catching |
|
Short description |
The first text of your app that a user will see while looking for an app in the Play Store |
80 |
Covey the core features & functionalities of your app through the short note |
|
Long description |
A long text that describe your application elaborately |
Not more than 4000 |
Long description must be informative and easy to read |
2. Graphical Assets:
Under this, you usually add images, promotional graphics, screenshots, icons & videos that give a complete overview of your app features. Among them, some graphic assets are imperative such as a high-resolution icon, a feature graphic & some screenshots.
Others are not mandatory but you can use them to attract your user’s attention. Every graphic asset has some specific requirements such as dimensions, file formats, etc. Before you add any asset, you should read all the requirements properly.
3. Languages and Translations:
In the store listing details, you can add translation features of your application’s details along with localized images and in-language screenshots. Translations help your users understand your app’s features and functionality with ease.
4. Categorization:
This section helps you add a particular type & category to your application. All you need to do is pick an appropriate type from the drop-down menu. There are different categories for every type of application available on the Google Play Store. Apart from that, you can also upload an APK to rate your content. You may skip this for later.
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5. Contact Details:
In this section, you have to enter your contact details & information regarding your application properly. You can simply add different contact channels such as email, phone number, website, etc. However, adding a contact email is extremely necessary to publish any app in the Google app store for Android.
6. Privacy Policy:
For an application that mainly requests access to sensitive data & permissions, you have to fulfill a privacy policy that describes effectively how your application collects, utilizes & shares user data. You should add a URL to the privacy policy within your application & in the store listing. Make sure that the link is relevant & always active.
Step 5: Upload APK or App Bundles
Now, you need to use APK files or App bundles to finally upload your application. An APK stands for Android Package Kit which is a simple file used by Android OS for distributing & installing applications. An APK file consists of all elements required for your application.
Google usually provides multiple methods to upload & release APKs. Before uploading the file, you have to make an app release. To do that, go to the ‘Release Management’ section first & then select the ‘App Release’ tab. Here, you have to choose the type that you would like to upload. You can select any one from several options: an internal test, an open test, a closed test & a production release.
The first 3 options enable you to test your application among a group of users before making it live for everybody. It’s a good option because you can examine the results & fix or optimize your application accordingly. On the other hand, if you choose the production release, your app will become accessible in the regions you select for distribution.
Once you have selected it, click the ‘Create release’ option. After that, you need to check the on-screen guidelines to upload your APK and describe your app release. Once you’ve done this, click Save to proceed to the next step.
Step 6: Focus on The Content Rating
The next step is all about how to rate your application on the Play Store. This is because if you do not focus on app rating, your application will be listed in the ‘Unrated’ app list. Sometimes, Google Play removes ‘Unrated’ apps from the store.
For app rating, you have to fill out a questionnaire regarding content rating & then you access it while selecting your application in the Google Play Console. Now navigate to ‘Store presence’ and select the ‘Content rating’ option from the left section. Now click ‘Continue’ to move forward & enter your email address in the field. Once you’ve done this, select the ‘Confirm’ button.
Make sure that all information that you’ve entered is accurate. Misrepresentation of an application may lead to app removal or suspension from the Google Play Store. A precise content rating will help you reach a wider audience, which will enhance your app engagement rates eventually.
Step 7: Set Up App Pricing & Distribution
Now, you have to assign the cost of your application. However, before filling out all the details, you have to properly determine the monetization strategy of your application. Once you understand how your app will help you make money, you can start setting up your application as paid or free.
If you would like to make your app free, you can’t change your decision. This is because Google never allows you to convert free applications into paid versions. Although, the app price can easily be altered.
All you need to do is open the Pricing and Distribution tab first & next, decide whether your application will be offered as a paid or free version. Then you can select the region where you would like to release your app. In addition, if your app is good for kids (below 13 years), click ‘Yes’ for Primary Child-Detected. Otherwise, click ‘No’ to proceed.
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Step 8: Publish Your Application
After you checked all things, your app will be finally ready to publish. This step mainly involves reviewing your app release. Before reviewing your release, make sure that the content rating, store listing, pricing & distribution of your application all are correct.
Once you have done all these things, go to ‘Release management’ and then select ‘App releases.’ Now click ‘Edit release’ & and review it. Next, select ‘Review’ & then click ‘Start rollout to production’. This will also release your application to your users on Google Play Store.
What’s Next?
Publishing an app on the Play Store isn’t everything. Once you’ve done it, you need to follow some steps to ensure your app gets very good exposure on the Play Store. Here are some android app development company that you must focus on:
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Promote your app on the social media platforms
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Create press releases to share news
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Focus on app updates & maintenance
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Practice ASO
How Much Does It Cost To Put An App On The Play Store?
While publishing your app on the Play Store, you need to pay a one-time developer fee of $25. Aside from this, the overall cost to put an app on the Google Play Store is free. Moreover, Google usually takes 30% of your application revenue. After one year, it reduces to 15% of total subscription revenue. Knowing all the financial factors of your app development pricing can help you smoothly optimize your application model for the Play Store.
Final Notes
We hope that the above-mentioned steps & instructions were extremely helpful in assisting you through the entire process of uploading the app to Google Play. As we also mentioned above, don’t forget to focus on marketing strategies to grab your user’s attention, once you’ve published or uploaded your app. Continuous effort in marketing, maintenance, and support will give you long-term success. For more info, get in touch with our Android app professionals specializing in app development India.
FAQ’s
How much does it cost to publish an app on Google Play?
Google charges a one-time developer fee of $25 for publishing an app on the Play Store for the first time. Aside from that, the overall cost to publish an Android application on the Play Store is free.
How long does it take to publish an app on Google Play?
There isn’t any exact timeframe for publishing an Android application on the Play Store. Though the entire process of releasing an app through the Google Play Console is concise & simple, the overall duration of your application getting reviewed as well as selected may vary between days & hours.
How much does it cost to make an app on the app store?
Google Play Store charges a one-time registration fee of $25 for releasing any application successfully. On the other hand, Apple App Store charges a yearly developer fee of $99 to publish an iOS application. For your convenience, here is a table that will showcase app publishing fees.
|
App store name |
Publishing fees |
Publishing time |
|
Google Play Store |
$25 (One-time fee) |
2 to 3 Days |
|
Apple App Store |
$99 per year |
24 hours to Review |
How to publish an app in the app store?
Publishing a mobile application on Google and Apple app store involves a number of steps. For your convenience, here is a quick guide to mobile app publishing process:
App publishing to the Apple App Store
Join the developer programs
Prepare your application
Add app information and details
Set up your app pricing
Configure in-app purchases
Submit your application for final review
Publish your application
App publishing to the Google Play Store
Set up a developer’s account
Prepare your application
Make app listing on Google Play Console
Create app distribution and pricing
Upload Your app APK & app bundle
How much does it cost to put an app on the Play Store?
The one-time registration fee for publishing an Android application on the Play Store is $25. This is the upfront cost that you have to pay to streamline the app publishing process.
|
Platform name |
Publishing fees |
Publishing Timeline |
|
Google Play Store |
One-time registration fee of $25 |
2 to 3 Days |
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