Build smarter, publish faster: Here’s what’s new in App Advisor
App Advisor just got a major upgrade - and it’s changing the game for software development companies building apps and agents for the Microsoft Marketplace. Since its MVP launch in January 2024, App Advisor has helped thousands of partners like you streamline their journey. 💬 What partners are saying App Advisor isn’t just a tool - it’s a game-changer. Here’s what partners have shared about their experience: “I appreciate that App Advisor curates the content for the partner since the amount of data available is just so vast. It does a great job of curating for them based on their goals.” Frank Valdivieso, President & CEO, Gryphon Consulting ⚡What’s new? Smarter focus, faster execution, and scalable growth Now, with six new features launched in the US (and global availability coming soon), App Advisor is making it easier than ever to stay focused, move faster, and scale smarter with apps and agents. Here’s what’s new: 🛠️ In-app marketplace offer creation Start your marketplace journey directly within App Advisor - no context switching required. You can now initiate offer creation for popular offer types without leaving the platform. Not signed up to publish - no problem! App Advisor can get you signed up and on your way to creating your offer. 🚀 Tailored recommendations by marketplace offer type Confidently align your app with the right marketplace offer and pricing model using our interactive wizard. Get personalized recommendations based on your app profile and program membership - and fast-track publishing to launch sooner. 📁 Multi-project save with Partner Center linking Advance multiple apps and agents from a single, centralized experience. Save guidance across projects and link each to its Partner Center offer for seamless continuity. 🎯 Membership-based guidance Receive personalized guidance based on your ISV Success or Marketplace Rewards membership. App Advisor adapts its recommendations to help you make faster, smarter decisions. ✅ ISV Success sign-up integration Sign up for ISV Success and resume your workflow without disruption. Unlock benefits like cloud credits, technical consults, and go-to-market resources - all without breaking your build flow. 🎥 Embedded video playback Explore how to build, publish, and grow your apps and agents with step-by-step video guidance. Watch demos and guidance videos directly within App Advisor. Stay in flow with seamless, distraction-free learning, all while keeping the AI-powered assistant visible and ready to help. Ready to accelerate your marketplace success? Dive into App Advisor today to build, publish, and sell transactable offers with clarity, speed, and confidence. Make sure you check out the new Microsoft Marketplace - the single destination to find, try, and buy AI apps, tools, and agents. Read the blog to learn more. Ready to level up with App Advisor? Watch this quick video and unlock what’s next!Why some apps reach revenue faster than others—and how App Advisor helps close the gap
Your team is working hard to build powerful apps, agents, AI solutions, and industry-specific offerings designed to solve real customer problems. The challenge is getting those solutions to market—and generating revenue at scale—as quicklyUsing App Advisor to build, publish, and grow in Microsoft Marketplace
In a recent partner office hour webinar, experts walked through how to build, publish, and optimize Marketplace offers using App Advisor, complete with a live demo of the platform in action. This article summarizes the key insights from that session and highlights how you can apply them to your own Marketplace journey. Navigating the path from idea to a successful Microsoft Marketplace offer can feel overwhelming. With countless resources, technical requirements, and go-to-market decisions to make, many software companies struggle to stay focused on what matters most. That’s where App Advisor comes in. App Advisor is a self-service, end-to-end guidance experience designed to help you build, publish, and grow high-performing marketplace offers, all with tailored, actionable recommendations based on your specific scenario. In this article, we break down how App Advisor supports every stage of your offer journey and how you can use it to drive better outcomes faster. What is App Advisor and why it matters App Advisor brings together curated Microsoft guidance, interactive tools, and AI-powered recommendations into a single experience. Instead of searching across scattered documentation, you get step-by-step, personalized guidance aligned to: Your app type and architecture Your chosen marketplace offer model Your current stage in the journey The result? Less guesswork, faster execution, and higher-quality marketplace offers. The four key stages of the Marketplace journey 1. Discover: Validate the opportunity Before building, it’s critical to understand the business value of Microsoft Marketplace. App Advisor helps you: Evaluate the business opportunity of building on Microsoft technology Understand the value of selling through marketplace Explore available partner benefits and incentives A standout feature here is the Marketplace Value Calculator, which allows you to: Estimate revenue potential Compare transaction costs vs. benefits Generate a business case to share with leadership 2. Build: Accelerate development with confidence In the build phase, App Advisor connects you with: Code templates and reference architectures SDKs, APIs, and technical documentation Free tools, cloud credits, and development resources A newly integrated Quick Start Development Toolkit helps you: Match your app idea to proven development patterns Access deployable code repositories Speed up time-to-market with ready-to-use solutions You also gain guidance on building secure, compliant, and well-architected applications, ensuring your solution is marketplace-ready from the start. 3. Publish: Simplify offer creation and launch Publishing in Microsoft Marketplace involves multiple steps—from selecting the right offer type to configuring listings and pricing. App Advisor simplifies this by: Helping you choose the right marketplace offer type Guiding you through pricing models and selling options Providing step-by-step Partner Center instructions Highlighting common pitfalls and certification requirements The platform dynamically adapts guidance based on your selections, ensuring you only see what’s relevant to your scenario. 4. Grow: Optimize, sell, and scale Publishing your offer is just the beginning. Growth requires continuous optimization and active selling. App Advisor supports this with: AI-powered listing optimization Receive a quality score for your marketplace listing Get actionable recommendations across key areas like value proposition, content clarity, and visual assets Improve discoverability and customer engagement by connecting to your offer so you can edit today Go-to-market and sales guidance Learn how to promote your offer effectively Use tracking tools and analytics to refine performance Access co-branded marketing assets and toolkits Advanced selling strategies Create private offers with custom pricing and terms Partner with resellers and channel partners Scale through CSP and multi-party private offers Unlock benefits and incentives Earn cloud credits and marketplace rewards Leverage co-sell opportunities with Microsoft sellers Accelerate deals with incentives and partner programs The benefits of using App Advisor throughout the journey Using App Advisor consistently across all stages delivers significant advantages: ✔ Personalized guidance- No more generic documentation, get recommendations tailored to your app, technology, and goals. ✔ Faster time to market- Reduce delays with step-by-step instructions, pre-built templates, and streamlined workflows. ✔ Higher quality listings- AI-driven insights help you create compelling, optimized marketplace listings that convert. ✔ Improved discoverability- By following best practices, you increase your chances of being found and chosen by customers. ✔ Better sales outcomes- Access tools and strategies to promote, track, and close deals more effectively. ✔ Continuous optimization- Return anytime to refine your listing, improve performance, and unlock new growth opportunities. App Advisor is valuable for everyone Whether you're: A first-time publisher exploring marketplace opportunities An experienced software development company scaling multiple offers A marketing or sales stakeholder optimizing performance App Advisor provides value at every level. Watch the full webinar 👉 Be sure to watch the complete recorded session to see a detailed demo of App Advisor, showcasing how to navigate each stage and apply best practices in real time to get the most out of your Microsoft Marketplace journey. Partner office hour: Build, publish, and optimize marketplace offers with App Advisor By integrating App Advisor into your workflow, you’re not just building marketplace offers; you’re building better, faster, and more successful ones. Get started with App Advisor App Advisor is publicly available and free to use. Partners are encouraged to explore the experience firsthand and share feedback directly within App Advisor. App Advisor: https://aka.ms/appadvisor Marketplace Community: https://aka.ms/community/marketplace
