Comments on: So you’ve created an app; now why hasn’t anyone discovered it?

By: Rob Nightingale

Rob Nightingale — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 11:28:38 +0000

This is such a pertinent post right now. One of the main issues is that to develop an app is one skill, but to successfully market the same app is another skill entirely. As has been mentioned in the comments here, there are plenty of ways to go about this from PR, Mobile-centered SEO, paid-for solutions etc. However, one of the most underrated areas of app marketing, if we concede that simple ‘popularity’ here is key, is to head back to the basic networking as proposed by people such as Tim Ferriss. By joining forces, not on a ‘professional’ level, but on a personal level, with people who have the ability (or a network with the ability) to help rocket our popularity by a review, a tweet, a share, a recommendation- then this is a huge stepping stone to gaining that ‘popularity’ that’s often needed- building these relationships is key.

But then we have other problems- one of which is simply a lack of time to market and manage our apps- lack of time to test our app descriptions, images. Lack of time to simply keep on top of all this, especially when we have5, 10, even 20 apps to promote.

We’re working toward a solution ourselves, where developers can submit, and edit their app’s metadata all from one central hub, where this data will be updated across a number of app stores and distribution channels automatically, thereby cutting down this management time dramatically, but as you say, this is only part of the solution. We’re working on plenty of other features too, of course, but one of the key aspects here is understanding how marketing really works today- how people choose which apps to download, how social capital and peer pressure now has such a huge baring on our decisions.

By having a fuller understanding of this, and the tools available to us, we”ll be in a much better position to really make an impact with the apps we’re promoting.

By: le savant

le savant — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 21:21:00 +0000

I think you are focusing too much on the in-store marketing of Apps. Random discovery (even if you establish the merits of your app) will never be a sustainable strategy. It’s like depending on someone discovering your brand of t-shirt in a store. Prominence in display helps, but it is simply not a feasible option with the App Store.

The main marketing has to be done outside the AppStore, just like in a retail store where you buy clothes or books. People have to come in the store looking for your brand/merchandise and that marketing is external to the store. You do all that the shirt makers of the world or the book writers of the world do. Spend a lot of money and/or time establishing your brand or whitelabel for an established brand.

Depending on the store to showcase and sell your merchandise is naive, esp. given the fact that it costs almost nothing for the App Store to “store” an app. No inventory to move. So no special support from the store.

Welcome to the real market.

By: A Dub

A Dub — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 17:37:29 +0000

A very poignant albeit, depressing article.

By: Ouriel Ohayon

Ouriel Ohayon — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 15:11:49 +0000

Eyal there is no magic answer: if your apps has a good ROI you can invest in media buying, try to partner with big franchises to market your app for you with rev share, have some PR agency help you prepare a communication plan to impact your downloads, partner with others apps to cross promote each other….there are hunreds of ways….i can t share them all here…

By: MySoLaunchCampaign

MySoLaunchCampaign — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 14:39:17 +0000

We pushed the app on the app store,
we sent hundred of mails to journalist and bloggers
we promoted a facebook page to our friends
we bought a campaign on facebook
we offered free tickets to a famous artist concert.
we built a twitter launch campaign and followed hundred of people

it has no impact. Because wherever we are, people expect to see ads. We need to be unexpected. There’s practically no virgin place anymore.

By: eyal

eyal — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 07:27:48 +0000

What is properly marketed ?
Even though we have success in the store and even though every app that we submit for review get’s the attention of apple – let’s put it on the table – there is a lot to do with money and the right connections – the app store is not different then going to the supermarket. You are being educated outside of the supermarket and since no samples can be given (a free app is not a sample because usually people expect to get great apps for free and very low percentage continue to but the full app) – a lot of money and getting the right attention of the right people is in need. If you look at the app store in the education category for example or the books you will notice that the same apps are being pushed over and over – Skyview for example – Toontastic – release an update and get a banner. ABC food,music etc – same thing.

An app can be amazing, get’s rave reviews but let’s be honest – who has the time to read the reviews ? Parents look at the top25-50 and this is what they download.

The specific educational platforms like Yogiplay, Kindertown – are doing great job and very detailed review of every app they get, but at the end of the day – there is an overload of apps and the store is not ready for this.

So, what is the properly marketed way ?

By: Ouriel Ohayon

Ouriel Ohayon — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 05:28:03 +0000

viral magic is a myth. the reality is hard work, constant iteration and marketing channels leveraged all the time..until you find your way

By: Ouriel Ohayon

Ouriel Ohayon — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 05:25:58 +0000

Correct Juergen, to market an app you have to leverage several channels and constantly and consistently market your app. Many think buying download is the only way to do it. this is wrong (although i am shooting myself in the foot here). There are so many ways to build efficient distribution on and offline. What you are pointing to referring to offline business is totally true. Those companies provide apps as an extra service and do not expect a dramatic visibility of feature in the app store except that even networks like starbucks or 7eleven do need to leverage more than just their local point of sales because they are already so cluttered with marketing messages…

By: Ouriel Ohayon

Ouriel Ohayon — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 03:26:09 +0000

This is why we spent the past 2 years inventing a quality score for apps which ranks them for their inherent merit and not their rankings. The ratings system of the app store are supposed to provide a filter but they don t because 1. they are not directly built in the store and therefore not related to a trusted source 2. gamed (and easily so 3. many times pointless (negative review for a bug that was not corrected on time…for example)

By: Ouriel Ohayon

Ouriel Ohayon — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 03:24:05 +0000

Eyal indeed, the way the app store is built, meaning exactly the same for everyone [except the genius section – supposedly) is not friendly for kids, parents and educational apps. There are even services built entirely around discovery for those kind of apps. But it is not about money or financial ressources. Good apps find their way when they are properly marketed. Reaching to parents, and kids is something that can be done very unexpensively and there is indeed a strong need to solve on that side.. Appsfire is used consistently by parents and teachers because of the conveniency we provide. we could do a much better job at this and we will at some point.

Trust and curation AND appropriate user experience is critical to solve that vertical.