Showing posts with label mobile apps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mobile apps. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
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.
Friday, March 25, 2011
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.
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.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
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.”
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.”
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
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?
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?
Monday, February 28, 2011
Combining Keywords in App Store Descriptions
Someone asked on a developer's forum the following question:
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:
"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."
Monday, February 07, 2011
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.
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.
“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.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Making Money with Mobile Apps
Computerworld has a good article on the challenges and how-tos of making money with mobile apps. Since so much of my business is helping mobile app developers make money of them (by getting as much publicity as possible for their apps), I thought I would share this great article on my blog.
It is useful in that it discusses the three models of making money (monetizing) mobile apps: freemium (giving away a less functional version to entice people to pony up for a more feature-rich version); service-and-subscription model (providing a reader for instance, then selling the content on a montly basis); ad-funded model (free version with ads, or pay for a version that is ad-free); pay-for-product (sold!).
The article mainly lacks in how you actually make your app stand out in such a crowded marketplace. What advertising to use, what forms of social media, how to maximize PR (news and reviews), etc.
From the PR perspective, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to cut through the clutter of others asking writers to do the same thing I'm asking them to do -- namely, write about my clients' apps. So I'm getting as much as I can and then helping companies to distinguish themselves in the app store with keywords, well-written copy, and managing social media.
It is useful in that it discusses the three models of making money (monetizing) mobile apps: freemium (giving away a less functional version to entice people to pony up for a more feature-rich version); service-and-subscription model (providing a reader for instance, then selling the content on a montly basis); ad-funded model (free version with ads, or pay for a version that is ad-free); pay-for-product (sold!).
The article mainly lacks in how you actually make your app stand out in such a crowded marketplace. What advertising to use, what forms of social media, how to maximize PR (news and reviews), etc.
From the PR perspective, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to cut through the clutter of others asking writers to do the same thing I'm asking them to do -- namely, write about my clients' apps. So I'm getting as much as I can and then helping companies to distinguish themselves in the app store with keywords, well-written copy, and managing social media.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)