Why doesn't The Guardian write about more Android apps?

Here's an interesting post in The Guardian's App Blog about why they review so many more apps for iOS than they do for Android.

Best and Worst App Icons

Check out this nice slideshow on what works and doesn't when it comes to app icons:

http://www.cio.com/article/503569/iPhone_App_Logos_10_of_the_Best_and_Worst?page=1#slideshow

Marketing Report from Android Marketplace

Here are some findings from a recent marketing report on the Android Marketplace:

• Android 
Market 
developers 
publish
 most 
apps 
on 
average
(4.38
 active 
apps 
per 
active 
publisher).


• 37% 
of 
apps 
have 
been 
deactivated 
since 
launch 
of 
the 
store,
 leaving
 nearly 
320,000 
apps 
available 
for 
download 
for 
users 
of
 Android 
Market.
 

• In 
September 
2011, 
Android 
Market 
added 
a 
record‐breaking
 42,000 
new 
apps.

• At 
the 
end 
of 
September, 
34% 
of 
active 
apps 
were 
paid, 
however,
 this 
month
 that 
figure 
is 
only
 26%, 
which 
shows 
that 
developers
 are 
developing 
more 
free 
content 
than 
before.


 

• Average 
selling 
price 
in 
Android 
currently 
equals 
$3.18.
 

• Nearly 
50% 
of 
newly
 added
 content 
falls 
into 
four 
top 
categories:
 Games, 
Entertainment, 
Personalization 
and 
Music 
& 
Audio.


The number of content in the games, entertainment, personalization and music & audio categories simply makes me think that one of the most important things that apps can bring to consumers is ways to make their phone very personal to them - the phone is both a diversion and a form of expression.

Readability of the Web and Press Releases

I was reviewing a company's press release the other day and the first paragraph was like my momma's Friday casserole: everything included.

It took me awhile just to identify the main ingredients.

When it comes to writing for your website or a press release, this isn't middle school composition class. Try to make each point as quickly as possible. Your sentences should be short and positive. Your paragraphs should include as few of those short, positive sentences as possible.

If you are listing the features of your app, rather than jumbling a paragraph with descriptions of your features, try breaking them out of the sentence and into a bulleted list. People have trained themselves to scan copy for the information they are looking for. Bullets are much more scannable than blocks of text.

One website I wrote that provides an example of writing in short, readable bursts is www.ringomo.com.

Does your PR rep need to KNOW the media

PR folk like to tout all the personal contacts they have in the media. I certainly do that when I'm approached about helping mobile software companies, because I've been working in this field for over a decade and happen to know some folks who write about mobile tech.

Those contacts are certainly useful sources, but they're not the most important asset a PR person should  bring to the table. From my experience, there's so much turnover in the media and the amount of blogs that come and go that relationships I may have had last year are completely pointless this year.

If your news is newsworthy and targeted to their particular "beat" then there's a good chance they'll cover it whether they "know" your PR rep or not. When considering hiring a rep, just remember this winning rule: media relationships are nice, but their ability to communicate and strategize on your behalf is even more important.

12 Things to Remember When Pestering - Err - Pitching Bloggers

I saw this post on Ragan.com and thought I'd re-post. Once upon a time, a blogger liked my approach to blogger relations so much that it spurred a blog post on the topic. I should try to find a link to it sometime. In the meantime, enjoy this one...I thought it hit the highlights of the craft quite nicely...

12 things to remember when you pitch to bloggers

Pestering bloggers—it's a PR rep's time-honored tradition. A client has something to announce or show off, and PR reps go out of their way to get attention of bloggers. But what's the best way to approach them?

At the recent PR Summit in San Francisco, the following four bloggers and I tried to answer that very question.

• Ryan Singel (Wired.com)
• Jolie O'Dell (Venturebeat)
• Beth Spotswood (SFGate, Huffington Post, and CBS)
• Michael Leifer (Guerrilla PR)

Here are 12 tips and arguments that came up during the discussion:

1. Keep it short and sweet. Far too many email pitches have endless copy. Ryan Singel was really impressed with a particular five-line pitch. It's OK if you have more information. Just send it once the blogger expresses interest.

2. Avoid ALL CAPS, jargon, and the term "press release" in the subject line. All the bloggers said they delete any emails that have "press release" in the subject line. Plus they get annoyed with all caps and industry jargon.

3. Personal is best, but bloggers will accept mass-mailed requests. Bloggers definitely appreciate the personal approach where the PR rep knows the bloggers, what they cover, and what they're interested in. Though they understand the problems with "spray and pray," they are still receptive to mass-mailed requests, provided they're on target.

4. Getting on a blogger's radar is a win. Just because someone wrote about your competitor, that doesn't mean they want to write about you right away. In most cases they won't, but it's still really valuable to get a competitive product on a blogger's radar. Even though it's not published right away, you need to count that as a win for your client.

5. "Me too" or "not me too" comments on blogs. The bloggers showed annoyance for people who left "me too" comments on a blog post, a.k.a. a comment that says, "Oh, we do that too" with a link to the business. They find the practice annoying, and I agree that blatant self-promotional without additional insight is irritating. But I believe if someone is writing about a competitor in your space and you don't leave a comment, it's a missed opportunity. Realize that anyone that reads that post is pre-qualified to being interested in that subject. Take advantage of that real estate, and place yourself in the conversation.

6. Don't call. Seriously, don't call. Once again, all the journalists agreed that they hated when PR reps call to make a pitch. Their biggest pet peeve is the call to ask if they received the email they sent. One PR rep, Ken Shuman from Trulia, asked, "Why are bloggers so allergic to phone calls? You call us when you need something."

Ryan Singel responded, "You're right; it's not fair."

7. Urgent requests are OK, but use them sparingly. Bloggers are receptive to urgent requests and respond to words like "Urgent," "Quick Fix," or "Time Sensitive" in the subject line. But be judicious of your urgent announcements and requests. Bloggers admitted that some PR reps took liberal advantage of the urgent requests and as a result been filed under "cry wolf" reps for which all future requests are ignored.

8. If a blogger writes your story, a "thank you" is enough. Don't do anything overly effusive as that will break ethics policies at the outlet. A generous gift, even a fruit basket, and then the blogger feels like they're doing you a favor, and that's not their job.

9. Media requests can come from anyone. The bloggers don't care if it comes from a PR person or an executive of the company.

10. Email is the preferred means of communication—but not always. On this panel there was a lot of disagreement as to whether you should use Facebook, Twitter, or some other social avenue to pitch a journalist. All the bloggers argued that PR pros should not invade their social space and should stick to email, although that decision should be made on an individual basis.

In my interviews with people on how they manage their social networks is that each person has a very clear definition—which stays in his or her own head—as to what each social network should and shouldn't be used for. If you cross that individual's unknown line as to what's right or wrong, then you will definitely offend and possibly get unfriended. Tread carefully in social spheres.

Some are more responsive in the social space. I do know of cases where Twitter is the preferred form of communication. For example, members of the IT security industry have embraced Twitter and appreciate using the microblogging platform over email, explained Matt Hixson, formerly of Tripwire, an IT security company. A message sent to a security journalist via email might take days to get a response. That same request sent via Twitter will probably get a response in minutes.

11. Follow up emails are OK. Bloggers admit that they do sometimes miss emails that they're interested in, but it doesn't happen often. They will accept a follow up email, but if they don't respond, then accept that as a "no." Bloggers don't have time to reply to every email with, "I'm not interested."

12. Act like a journalist if you want to talk to a journalist. Marketing-speak definitely doesn't win journalists over. If you write and talk like a journalist, then you'll be read by a journalist.

David Spark is a journalist, producer, speaker and owner of the custom publishing and social media firm Spark Media Solutions . A version of this article originally ran on his blog, Spark Minute as a report for Interntainment Media.

Social Media Rules

   In high school, I really wanted to be cool. I swerved from Hawaiian shirts with Jams, ala Fast Times at Ridgemont High, to preppy with boat shoes, argyle sweaters and feathered hair. Swerving from trend-to-trend in an effort to be “cool” didn’t work for me in high school (ask just about anybody in the Shawnee Heights class of ’85!), and it doesn’t work any better for many companies trying desperately to build a cool and culturally relevant brand via social media such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

   Don’t get me wrong – having a Facebook “Page” can be a very effective communication tool if a substantial number of your customers spend time there. Probably for most mobile app developers, a huge chunk of your customers are on those sites every day. Even more importantly, though, is that you’re willing to put the time, creativity and energy into feeding your Page with enough useful information that will cause customers to make use of it and, better, to share it with their friends.

   But, even if they do, will your Facebook Page inspire your customers to click on your links and download your apps? Will the friends they shared your Page with become avid customers of yours? Only if sprinkled liberally with pixy dust!

   Most people hear “social media” and think they must do it because it’s the “cool thing to do.” If you think creating a Facebook Page or Twitter account and blasting out ditties about the latest specials you are offering on your apps is going to bring you fame and fortune and earn you a Featured spot in the iTunes App Store, you’re missing the point.

   The key word in “social media” is “social!” Your Facebook page is an extension of your relationship you have with John and Jane Q. Customer. It provides you a chance to listen as well as talk back.

   One of my clients is the brains behind GoodReader, the phenomenal document viewer for iPhones and iPads. I help them manage their Facebook page by keeping the app’s fans abreast of new features coming out and responding to their “wish lists” of new features that they post to our Wall. It’s amazing how many times we see posts that begin, “GoodReader is amazing! If only it…” and what follows “it” is always something different.

   GoodReader’s Facebook page gives us the opportunity to fine-tune our brand message, adapt the app based on feedback from its biggest fans, and sometimes tell them why certain wishes can’t and won’t come true (like why there will likely never be a GoodReader for Android).

   Getting to know your customer and responding to them is an essential aspect of your social media strategy. My friend and web marketing consultant, Mark Murnahan (check out his blog at www.awebguy.com), says that “customer modeling” is invaluable to being successful with a social media strategy.

   “Customer modeling involves creativity, analytic thinking, and data,” Mark says. “If you do not have the data to tell you who, what, where, when, how, and why people will respond to your marketing, you need to create it. Without knowing how to reach the right people with the right information, you may as well skip all the rest, because your time and money will largely be wasted. Worse yet, it can damage your brand value.”

   Take the time to find out who among your customers are on social media, what they would want from you, and how they would respond to it. Then, and only then, are you ready to put on your pink IZOD, flip up your collar, don your Ray-Ban shades, and be the cool kid with a Facebook page.

Success with Android

There was a webinar today on successfully marketing Android apps in the Android Marketplace, and here are some of the highlights:

• Put your best text above the fold (before where people have the option to click for more info) in the marketplace, especially if you have any review snippets
• Include screen shots with text if not localized
• Put the information on "what's new" at the top of your description for existing users
• Your promo graphic should tell users what the app does
• Icons are very important when shoppers are comparing competition
• Ratings - ask users to rate app after they have used it, take them to rating page from inside app

• Bloggers love video (video will be part of press release)
• Google wants tablet apps
• Include a link to feedback alternative (perhaps link to facebook)

Small Icons - Big Impact

A slide from a presentation Apple used at one of its conferences was forwarded to me and the first thing I noticed on the screen of the iPad they were displaying was GoodReader's icon. It's distinctive green color and recognizable "file and eye" mark tells anyone that sees it that it stands for GoodReader.

For many consumers out there, the tiny app icon is the first design element they'll encounter when looking around for apps to buy. In fact, if it's not a good one, it may be the only thing they EVER experience about your app.

Make sure your app icon is distinctive, clever, and gives a good indication of what they might discover when they click on it in the App Store. If it's your first impression, that tiny icon better be able to deliver - big time!

MobilePRWire - a new newswire for multiple platforms

I got a note from Chris Caso that his company, CR Digital Designs, has launched a new press release distribution platform for mobile tech news. Check it out at www.MobilePRWire.com. They're currently working on building their list of media agencies that pick up their news. While it's not fully established yet, the nice advantage of it over PRMac is that it offers channels for both iOS and Android.

The basic press release is $18, or you can add an image and pay $25.

How to Pitch via Twitter

I've been at this PR pitching business for 12 years now and I'm still working on getting my pitch down as tiny as possible. The best pitch is one that captures their imagination in as few words as possible.

If you want to pitch to someone via Twitter, you don't have much choice! You only get 140 characters to make your best impression. I've been told by some that you shouldn't pitch via Twitter and that most journalists don't like it. I think for those that don't use Twitter a lot, that's probably true -- but some are die-hard Twitter users and I think most of them are open to being pitched via Twitter. In fact, they're probably quite comfortable with it by now.

To tweet or not to tweet, that is the question! But if you do "Twitpitch," here are some general guidelines:

1. Be sure yourTwitter profile is complete. If they get pitched by you, they'll likely want to know more about you before they give your pitch any credence. Also, be sure to include your URL in your profile.
2. Speaking of which, include a URL in your tweet. You'll want to be sure to use your pitch to drive traffic to a web site or blog post that provides much greater detail on your company, product or story idea than you could include in your 140 character Twitpitch. You'll also want your URL to take up as few characters as possible, so be sure to run it through a shortener like http://bit.ly.
3. Just like with email pitching, don't be an annoying spammer. Don't pitch the same ideas or stories multiple times, and don't send pitches about irrelevant topics to what the writer/blogger normally covers.
4. Engage in conversation. Twitter provides a great way to dialogue with someone -- but don't make it a one-way conversation. Don't use Twitter to simply broadcast your messages, but look for ways to engage those who follow you on Twitter as well.

Apple still dominates in app market, despite Android growth, report says

Apple is still full of its juicy sweetness when it comes to market dominance in the smartphone app business.

Apple is projected to rake in $2.91 billion selling apps in 2011, a 63.4% increase from the $1.78 billion earned last year from the App Store, according to a report from research firm IHS Screen Digest. But it is Google's Android market that appears primed for explosive growth this year -- predicted to jump almost 300% compared with last year, to $425 million.

But where there's a winner, there's a loser, and BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion is expected to lose its second-place spot in app revenues to Android this year.

The overall app market -- which includes Apple, Google and RIM among others -- will see a 77.7% jump to $3.8 billion this year, IHS said, and in three years' time, that figure is expected to double to $8.3 billion.

Read the full article.

webOS gets a promo code system

Promo codes have made setting up reviewers with iPhone apps a snap. But if a reviewer wants to try a webOS or Android app, it gets complicated. For webOS, I ended up reimbursing reviewers via PayPal. Yuck. Android isn't much better as I have to send them a apk file for the application they wish to install. Better, but not great.

I just heard today that there is a new promo code system for the webOS that grants up to 1,000 promo codes per build! Woot! That's far superior than the 50 codes Apple grants which expire after 28 days.

Here's an article on it over at MobileCrunch.

According to the article, the big downside is the location of the redeem field -- right on the buy screen. Buyers see that there is a possibility of entering a promo code to get the app for free and wonder why they don't have a promo code. They leave the screen to go investigate and may never make it back! I agree with the writer -- move the field to some inconspicuous location in the store.

There hasn't been a lot of development action for webOS lately -- at least not among my clients. I really hope webOS can get cooking again under HP. It's still my favorite smartphone platform.

Using Storify to tell your app's story

Storify has opened up for a public beta and I just used it to publish my first story: "Using the iPhone Inbox as a Self-Reminder System".

Storify is another step in self-publishing your own stories -- connecting with people through social media and by-passing traditional media channels.

With Storify, you can consolidate a variety of resources about a story to help readers contextualize it. Storify will aggregate almost everything into your story: Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, etc.

I found it to be extremely easy to use, but they were short on instructions. I felt like I was pretty much on my own to figure out how to format a story. I had to click on Preview a number of times to make sure the formatting was right. It was super easy, though, to drag and drop information into your story. You'll see in the story I published that I dragged and dropped a YouTube video about MailTones right at the end of the story.

It integrates wonderfully with Twitter. Sometimes a story will have so many Tweets that it can be hard to put them into perspective. With Storify, you can drag and drop relevant tweets into your story to put them into their proper context within the story. 

I'm just learning how to use it and will be creating more context-rich stories to really put it through its paces. I'd be interested in learning how you use it to promote your business or apps! Share!

3 New Ways to Get Your App Noticed

GigaOM's JKontheRun blog posted on 3 new ways to get your app noticed. We all know the struggle of standing out in a crowd of, literally, millions of apps. The three tangible ways the article refers to are Appolicious, which helps people discover apps by using what they call "social graphs" plus an algorithmic search and recommendation engine, Appsfire, which personalizes apps in an app stream like Pandora has done for music, and Appboy, which now lets users "check in" when they open an app to let their friends know about the apps they like and use -- Foursquare style.

Robert Scoble, in response to the post, said, "You forgot the most important way: to get Apple to feature your app. That gets you more users than anything any of these other sites can do. Now, all is NOT lost, though, because if you get everyone else to feature your app, and get some bloggers to say it’s the best thing since sliced bread, then the chances that Apple will feature it go way up."

The problem is there aren't that many featured spots Apple or Google can deliver, but he's right that if your app gets publicized on some top blogs, the gangs at Apple or Google will likely notice it and it will improve your odds of getting featured. But smart developers can't necessarily just bank on this hope -- because there's no guarantees and even if you get featured, it's a short lived spike you'll experience. Smart developers should try a number of avenues to reaching potential users, including Appolicious, Appsfire and Appboy -- and don't forget YouTube videos.

Meet the Android Millionaires

Electric Pig posted a good article with some tips on how to succeed as a developer of Android apps.

1. Make it great


It might sound simple, but quality really matters in the Android market. A dearth of second-rate apps means the great ones really stand out. Android owners will give everything from simple games to handy utilities and even swift iOS ports the time of day, so long as they’re worth the asking price. Make it great, price it sensibly and you’ll see there are greater opportunities for cut-through than in other mobile markets.



2. Sell it in the Android Market

Many Android developers still hawk their wares outside Google’s official Android Market, but that’s a mistake. Recent security scares, and an enormous pace of growth mean the Android Market’s being seen as the only trusted destination. Improvements by Google that let users discover apps more easily will help you out too, and it’s no longer a race to the bottom. Price your app sensibly, and as long as it conforms to point 1 above, you’ll be on the right track.



3. Don’t be cynical

Being motivated by profit isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just don’t try to cash in too obviously. There are already several I Am Rich apps on the Android Market going for anywhere between $99 and $199, none of which appear to have sold any at all. Don’t be that guy, create something worthwhile and have faith in your customers. If you build it, they will come… and pay.



4. Invest in Android now

“Android was always an afterthought,” Will Moore tells us. “The business world wanted iOS; Once an app had been made for iOS, we often made it work for Android too, but it wasn’t the starting point for any project.” As these high achievers indicate however, that’s about to change forever. “Sadly, Android is still seen as the domain of geeks, but I don’t think it will be long before this changes. With Android appearing in everything from fridges to cars, as well as mobiles, the world will be using Android without even knowing it…Android is on the tipping point of big brand adoption.”

Getting Your App Reviewed

Mobile Orchard published a nice post by Jim Bernard on how to get your app published. It's worth a read, and lines up with my own experience. Here's a quick summary, but go over and view the full article:

1. Provide complete information. Every email, website, video should include basic information such as the app name, your contact information, company name, and link to the app store page.
2. Start with a great description. Lead your inquiry letter with a precise description of what your application does, what segment it belongs in (games, productivity, etc.) and why it is unique or interesting. 
3. Include promotion code. Reviewers want a promotion code with your request for coverage.
4. Make a great video. A short video that shows your application in action is perhaps one of your best selling tools.
5. Put your best app forward. If you canʼt take time to polish your application, why should a reviewer take time to provide feedback and encouragement?

Think Global

Other than Winning Rules for smartphone app developers, I write a column for TK Magazine (which I founded and published until a year or so ago) -- also called Winning Rules. That column just focuses on winning rules for small business owners, since TK is Topeka's business magazine. The Spring 2011 issue is out! My column is on page 60 and the rule this time is "Think Global!". I tell the story of Amy Rose Herrick and how she dreamed beyond the borders of Topeka and just opened a branch of her financial planning company in St. Croix, Virgin Islands. What a view she has! The column ends with a Mark Twain quote she had painted on her bedroom wall:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Charlie Sheen publicist quits

In the category of "You couldn't pay me enough", the poor sap who served as Charlie Sheen publicist has politely quit.

I'm so glad to have decent human beings for clients. Then again, if you sign up to be a Hollywood publicist, you've got to be prepared to handle narcissistic lunatics like Sheen.

I've not been sure whether I pity his father or his publicist more. I probably lean to the publicist because Martin Sheen has to take some responsibility for the brat he raised. Then again, the publicist can (and has) quit! Martin is kind of stuck with the kid to a certain degree.

Combining Keywords in App Store Descriptions

Someone asked on a developer's forum the following question:

"Does anyone know if the App store successfully combines keywords? For instance, if I have these keywords: "project, tracking, widgets" and someone searches for "Project tracking" will my App appear? Should I be wasting space with: project, tracking, project tracking, widgets?"

I was glad to see the question and hoped someone would answer because it's one that I wasn't sure about myself. Fortunately, someone answered. Elia Freeman replied:

"You do not need spaces and it does combine keywords. Project,tracking will show your app in searches for project, tracking and project tracking. It will not, however, show your keyword if the search term is project track. I also wanted to comment that Apple uses the app name for searches also, splitting it up into keywords automatically. So the name Gobble for Project Tracking, excluding any other keywords, would find you for Gobble, project, tracking, project tracking and any other combination of those three words."

Playing Nice with Reporters

Way back when I was learning the ropes of PR, my ninny of a boss said we shouldn't care about what reporters think in response to our incessant "nagging" -- they, after all, don't pay our bills. Fortunately I ignored her and treated the journalists that I dealt with as if they were, in fact, my paying clients. I sought to give them the information they wanted -- when and how they wanted it. And before long I was getting calls from other PR agencies trying to recruit me because local journalists told them I was among the best at media relations.

So here are some tips to dealing with your friends on the other side of the Internet:

• Respect their beat. Research what kind of stories the reporter typically covers and either tailor your "pitch" appropriately to their beat or don't bother them at all.
• Help build the story with compelling media. App developers, that means screen shots, app icons and links to videos demonstrating how your apps work in the real world. Which leads to #3...
• Keep attachments to a bare minimum. Set up a Media page on your website and include links to press releases, images and videos that they can access when they want them rather than clogging up their inbox with files they may not want or need.
• Speaking of media, print media will have different requirements than online media. That little low-res screen shot on your website may reproduce fine in a blog but will be very grainy when published in a glossy magazine. If you're contacting print media, be prepared to have higher res images available.
• Don't forget to include your contact info. I forgot this important little 4-line section at the end of one email and was on the receiving end of a scolding because the reporter had to figure out how to get in touch with me.

A nice day for referrals

Ok, I'm going to brag. I hate to do it because it's not my way...but is it really bragging if I'm just reposting the comments of others?

I got this nice referral comment from Joel Evans: I can speak to Kevin's approach as a PR person since I was on the receiving end as the Chief Geek and founder of Geek.com, and now a blogger at ZDNet. He definitely has a unique way about him and has gotten myself and many others to cover apps that we never thought we would.

And yesterday in an iPhone developers forum, somebody was asking for leads on good PR freelancers and Ken Ballenger simply said: Kevin's Talon PR is awesome!

Thanks for the kind words of both Joel and Ken. I try hard to provide a good service both for my clients and those who I want to cover my clients in their news coverage or blog posts. It's a nice relationship when I can help connect those who cover mobile apps with good information from those who produce them.

Mobile app puts a university campus in your hand

From Ragan.com:

“We all foresaw mobile technology really beginning to run the world,” Bucy says. Unlike other universities, he says, Texas Tech’s app isn’t managed by the IT department. “We want this to be run by the students, because it’s an app for the students,” says Bucy, himself a graduate student.