Develop Reference

Ask user to watch interstitial ad?

Lately I've been thinking about how to increase the revenue I get from my Android apps, and have come to the conclusion that I "need" to include interstitial ads in some form. I don't want them to feel forced or annoying like in many other apps where they pop up when they are the least desirable. Instead I have been toying with the idea of simply having a seperate "Support The Developer" screen in my app dedicated to explaining to the user that although making apps is fun it's also time-consuming and challenging and ask them to support the developer by watching a short interstitial ad. The user would then either tap a button to show an interstitial ad or tap another button to return to the main menu. Of course there would be no attempt to motivate the user to actually click on the ad - Just simply watch it.
I have scanned the web, AdMob/AdSense policies and other questions on here to try to find a clear answer on if this is against any rules. I certainly don't want to do this to have my app removed for violating any policies. I know that there are rewarded interstitials that you can implement, but since this approach doesn't award the user with anything in the app it doesn't seem like the right path.
I really want to ethically be on the right track here, so if anyone has any expereience regarding this, please help.

I have scanned the web, AdMob/AdSense policies and other questions on here to try to find a clear answer on if this is against any rules. I certainly don't want to do this to have my app removed for violating any policies. I know that there are rewarded interstitials that you can implement, but since this approach doesn't award the user with anything in the app it doesn't seem like the right path.
-> You are not violating any policies regarding asking user to click on button as long as you don't break any other policy for interstitial ad. ( e.g. you can't have consecutive Interstitial Ad, there has to be 2 clicks before you show another ad).
Refer this link for Admob interstitial ads invalid policies https://support.google.com/admob/answer/6201362?hl=en&ref_topic=2745287
Lot of games gives away goodies for viewing videos. In your case you can use ad finish event to process further. For solution refer to this link.
Listening to Video Ad. Finish Event in Interstitial Ad (Google AdMob)

I'm not a mobile developer but I'm a heavy mobile app user on both Android and Windows Mobile. From user experience on games and apps I use a lot, I would watch the videos if they are not in my face, do not start unwanted and bring me some 'benefit' when I watch them. In a game that would mean I would receive some advantage or a prize, usually linked with the game pace where I'm allowed to watch a new video only a certain number of times per hour/day so I can continue playing almost non-stop. In apps some premium options could be unlocked temporarily (for one time use/for 10 minutes/etc) after the user watches a video.
In the end, if the product is good and you have not spoiled the user's experience by putting advertisements all over the place, you can ask the user to switch to Pro version without ads and with more functionality.
You can tease users to become Pro by allowing "trial" period of Pro features for Free users. For example, one of the Pro features might become available to Free users for a day, so they can experience the Pro version. Next week you might allow "trial" for another feature, etc. If your product would have long usage life you should first of all make sure the customers like it, are able to easily use it and then they will gladly give you a fee to use it.
I hope this helps you.
Regards,
Georgi
P.S. The best way to make money out of a good product is to convert it into a service and then earn money from service subscriptions, additional features (like support, customization, plugins, etc). Of course, I don't know what your Android apps are.

I have implemented rewarded ads. The reward is banner or interstitial ads will temporarily be removed. Here is the rewarded ads welcoming message:
In order to use this application without ads, please watch the
following video

Not sure how the admob works?

Okay this may seem really stupid but i am really confused about it.
What do you search for in the admob search section when it asks you to search for an app?
Up until now i thought you search for whatever app you want (lets say clash of clans) and you will show clash of clans banner in your app. This way you will get money for advertising or actually referring people to their game. And the search for your own app option is for cases when you have to advertise your old app in your new app.
But i just saw a couple of tutorials and in those they said search for own app if you want to monetize your app and everyone does that in the tutorial. No one seems to search for other apps.
So can someone please clarify as to what i am supposed to do? What exactly should i search their? other apps or mine?

If you are talking about how you chose what app will be ad on your app, i think its admob that does that. Because its different from each person, let,s say its most like to show a ad of games about shoot,fps to guys and for girls games more to girls,(just a idea i am not generalize), let me make other example I have been shearing for a app to make music, its probably that when i enter on your app the ad banner it will be about music production apps, this because cookies. This is how i think it works, but I am no sure

Identifying Impersonation Suspension Reason In App Publishing

I've uploaded my first Android application to Google Play yesterday, and was really excited for my app to finally be on out there.
But my application got suspended for impersonation. I obviously didn't get any more information about what I infringed specifically, and I'm unsure what I should change in order for the app to be accepted (more likely, resend as a different app name).
Before you could help me you'll need to know some information on the app itself. So I basically made a companion app for a video game. I called the application "Horadrim Companion", and it's supposed help players for playing Diablo 3. Naturally, I'm using elements from this game in the app.
So, my main question is why did I get the impersonation suspension?
I can think of several options, please help me figure out what of those could be the issue:
I didn't write "This app is unofficial" in the description, which I've seen several other apps do. This might be the sole reason, but I'm not enough experienced to make this assumption.
I took the logo out of the game lore. Which in itself should be borderline legit, but I've seen other apps do the same, so I assumed it's fine.
The app name. I dont think I've hit a sweet spot with the name or anything, and I dont think it was any of the factors for the bans.
In-app design? I've seen other apps use design elements from Blizzard Entertainment and\or Diablo 3 design elements themselves. Could this be another possible reason? Sounds more like copy right infringement if anything, and not impersonation.
So I'm not sure which, of the above are critical for the impersonation policy or not.
I'd really like your help, you could make one developer a happy man. I'm really afraid the account will be terminated.
I'd really liked your suggestions!

I had the same problem with suspended app publishing because of impersonation.
I solved this by buying/registering the domain name I used as my app package name. I also added my developer email in the company details section of my keystore while signing the apk for release. After doing this my second attempt at publishing was a success.
It becomes easier if you actually own the domain of the package name you wanna use.
I think basically the algorithm used for verifying the originality of our apps is just too strict. So we have to also play our part and go the extra mile to show that we are legit.
Hope someone can relate to this.
All the best.

Usually you receive an email from
Google Play Support with REASON FOR REMOVAL: Violation of the spam provisions of the Content Policy. Please refer to the keyword spam policy help article for more information.
Your title and/or description attempts to impersonate or leverage another popular product without permission. Please remove all such references. Do not use irrelevant, misleading, or excessive keywords in apps descriptions, titles, or metadata.
If you received no such notification, you should try submitting an appeal your app removal/suspension from Google Play using the form in the link below:
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/contact/appappeals
It is most likely that the reason for suspension is one from the list of options in your post, but usually it is explicitly highlighted by Google in their email under the section 'REASON FOR REMOVAL'
The link below lists more such reasons for removal due to trademark infringement of a third party IP:
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/2986098?hl=en&ref_topic=2985713
It is unlikely that your account itself will be terminated, unless you are identified by Google as a repeat offender.

"I took the logo out of the game lore"
It's not your resource so you violate intellectual property
"The app name"
You can't use a trademark word

"I've seen other apps use design elements from Blizzard Entertainment"
Those apps must've been released years ago. Now, the SQA team is really strict about rule.
I mean, if u search "One Piece" or "Naruto" there are a lot of apps that doubtfully has a license.

Is there a way to see that a user has submitted a review to the Android Marketplace?

I'm considering asking users to submit a review to the Android Marketplace (Google Play I guess now, but...) ocassionally, but I would like to know before I ask them to if they have submitted a review. Is this even possible?

There is no API for the Play Market, which is what you really need.
As others have mentioned, you can always keep track if a user has pressed a button to launch the Play Market, but you can't tell what they did once there.
There is a 3rd party Market API, but it is not reliable (certainly not there fault - it is a workaround, since an official API doesn't exist).
It is possible to create a "Campaign" using AdWords. This allows you to track referral URLs (which would allow you to track entry points to the app from external resources). I found a good post about that here: http://gyurigrell.com/2012/2/21/tracking-install-sources-android-apps
Bottom line, I am pretty sure you can't do what you are asking.

Googling gave me this link - http://code.google.com/p/android-market-api/. I haven't tried it but it claims that it can get the comments according to your app ID. There are other ports listed there.
What you can try is that get all the comments for your app. Then get the user account details using the AccountManager. Check if any details here match those with the author name in the comments. You will need to add a permission in your manifest to get data from the AccountManager and it's a pretty creepy permission.
It seems like a lot of work though and I think you would be better off just using a dialog box once and then making sure it does not pop up again after someone has clicked on it through a stored preference.

if you have a button for them to press to leave you the review, you could always put a preference when they click it, and then check later to remove the button.

It would be nice if Google/Android, one day, would allow for a custom rate-my-app dialog where that user information could be known server side and not popup the developer/app dialog if it doesn't need to (the user has already rated the app). Wishful thinking Feature Request
Unfortunately this is not possible at the moment. See How to know if a specific user has rated a Android App?
Also, although a suggestion might be to use something like android-market-api please note that it does violate absent licenses and you could lose your developer account although I doubt it, but the app may mysteriously get banned one day!
I think the biggest issue is that of privacy.
As far as workarounds, it may be better to wait for something official. All unofficial APIs often are unreliable as to changes Google makes and the unofficial APIs have to catch up and fix problems while the service no longer works, with no way of continuing to run until it is fixed. Therefore, simply setting a SharedPreference may be the most you can comfortably achieve at this point. Either on first run, at delayed and specified intervals, or if a user has already checked a 'don't ask again/already rated' box.

AdMob and how does it work?

I'm confused about AdMob. I just signed up and I want to put ads in an app. I went to add site/app thinking this was it. There is a question and field that says Android package url. I clicked the question mark and it talks about formatting it like this market://details?id=. First, it talks about how it will link my app to ads so if someone clicks on it then it will go to my app in the marketplace. Well I haven't put the app in the market place yet and I don't think that is even a correct URL and I trying to get adds in my app not me make an add about my app. Can someone please enlighten me on how this all works and how to get it set up where I can have ads on an app. Thanks

When signing up for AdMob they want to see where your application currently is, but this isn't an essential part of the process from your point of view.
Basically, for AdMob (as well as a whole slew of other similar sites) you download a small SDK that you include in your Android application. This SDK usually has a View that you can plop on one of your Activities. You give that control some information, like a private AdMob key (so it knows which person you are) and then that control will provide an ad from the server. Note: it usually doesn't work right off the bat and there is a "development mode" setting you can set to always pull back a fake ad while you are just working on it.
You may also want to sign up for multiple sites and check out AdWhirl which allows you to manage the ratio of ads you display from each site, since you will find that some sites will generate more revenue for you than others.
Good luck!

Though its an older post, but still if it helps anyone who wants to display ads in their app. Based on many of findings with friends I would suggest to look for other ad network than admob. Imagine you set all things right, follow rules correctly, feel happy about your earnings through ads on your admob console and then suddenly one fine day you get an email from google admob that your account is suspended for invalid activity. Well what does it mean? In simple terms, it means google don't tell you what did you do wrong and will keep all your earnings. It's natural for every newbie developer to settle with admob being google's own ad network. But dont fall for this trap, if you don't want to lose your money better avoid admob.
It would be nice if readers share their experience with other ad network. It can help all of us I think.

Edit: I put this in a comment originally, but seemed suited better as an answer.
Google keeps switching the location of the Admob integration instructions which is driving me nuts. It has moved 3 times in the past 6 months. It originally was nicely done in wiki format, then moved to a PDF and now it is part of the Google code website which is here.
On this site you will find what you need, but unfortunately, you will have to dig a bit to get everything you need.