Massive Christmas iPod Touch Sales Boost App Store Downloads

[MacToddB]

Todd, how many sales of 100sounds did you get in the first 16 days without advertising?

Over 10,000

Once your app disappears off the front page and first few pages of a category, your app is dead. 16 days and my app is dead.

Yep. So that's why I started advertising, to try to keep it there...but you need to strike while the iron is hot. Your best advantage is being 'new'. You might want to make enough changes so you can re-release the app in another skin/name/form.

I guess I should write "300sounds"? (I would, but I'm all for innovation, not copying.)

Hah! Believe me, it occurred to me that others might! But remember it's about marketing. I'll take a look at your app and see what specific recommendations I can make.

I have a new venture I'm starting up that could help the little guy. I'll provide details when the site is live.

 

[darkpaw]

I think you're missing my point. You had TEN THOUSAND sales in the first 16 days before advertising. I've had THIRTEEN sales in that same period before advertising. You had 10,000 sales, and thus have *much* more income than I do.

Is there any point in me advertising to keep my sales 'there' when my sales are fewer than one per day? No. This is the same situation a lot of other developers are in. We cannot afford to advertise our apps and there seems no point in doing so if no one cares about your apps in the first place.

I wrote a game called Squares, and released it for free to get people interested in my other games. It has thus far had >200,000 downloads, but it hasn't increased interest in my other stuff. If I had charged 59p for it, I'd be very happy with those figures, but it seems no one wants to pay for something, and the figures would've been much much lower. (It also doesn't help that many games have been hacked and released on the internet; made possible because Apple can't be bothered to improve the DRM on iPhone apps.)

My latest game (Linx) has disappeared off the radar - it never had a chance. I'm not sure I want to bother writing any more games. Time for me to write stupid fart sound apps, and pointless crud that appeals to the base nature of humanity (that is, males aged 14-19).

Sales from my games simply can't justify paying next year's $99 annual fee. - I'm not a charity.

 

[MacToddB]

I think you're missing my point. You had TEN THOUSAND sales in the first 16 days before advertising. I've had THIRTEEN sales in that same period before advertising. You had 10,000 sales, and thus have *much* more income than I do.

You're missing MY POINT. It took marketing to GET the 10,000. Sure I think my app is superior, but I believe Marketing made the difference, specifically:

- Unique name. Yours are generic, duplicates, and frankly don't stand out.

- Web site. It helps both ways. 1) Search Engines find it, and it points the way to the AppStore to buy it. 2) On the AppStore description, I point to the website for a Flash demo, FAQs (most common question is I can't hear the sounds...it's because we obey the MUTE switch), and reviews. I have a lot more than the 11 reviews shown on iTunes, because of emails.

- Flash demo. As mentioned above. Instead of a free app, people can see how it works immediately before they "splurge" on a $.99 app. It also helps cut down on questions, as it shows how to move favorites to the top (the second most popular question I used to get).

- Next I'll be adding YouTube videos, showing/playing the sounds and user submitted videos showing how they use the app for practical purposes and practical jokes. I'm offering a free $10 t-shirt for user videos, one per week. For $520/year that's better advertising than anywhere else because it's viral.

- Respond to emails. I get dozens a day and respond quickly. They tell their friends. Check out my reviews on my site and you'll see a lot of comments about me, not just my app.

- EMAIL YOUR FRIENDS! Not a lot of 'em have iPhones, but they usually know someone who does. I even offered to reimburse friends who bought it, so I could get some sales figures and reviews. Ya know what? Nobody asked for the money.

- Also, as you can see here, I try to post informative, non-advertising posts, here and in similar forums. My signature does the promotion, but my posts I try to keep informative. Here's your signature: "iPhone Developer, but for how long?" Really inspires one to buy your app, huh?

Is there any point in me advertising to keep my sales 'there' when my sales are fewer than one per day? No. This is the same situation a lot of other developers are in. We cannot afford to advertise our apps and there seems no point in doing so if no one cares about your apps in the first place.

Please re-read my post. DO THE MARKETING FIRST. I didn't advertise until AFTER 10,000, so I can stay high. Indeed, my numbers peaked at Christmas (1,900/day) then down, understandably. I advertised, and yesterday they went back up, marginally, but I surpassed the Star Wars soundboard and I never expected that.

I wrote a game called Squares, and released it for free to get people interested in my other games. It has thus far had >200,000 downloads, but it hasn't increased interest in my other stuff. If I had charged 59p for it, I'd be very happy with those figures, but it seems no one wants to pay for something, and the figures would've been much much lower. (It also doesn't help that many games have been hacked and released on the internet; made possible because Apple can't be bothered to improve the DRM on iPhone apps.)

My latest game (Linx) has disappeared off the radar - it never had a chance. I'm not sure I want to bother writing any more games. Time for me to write stupid fart sound apps, and pointless crud that appeals to the base nature of humanity (that is, males aged 14-19).

Sales from my games simply can't justify paying next year's $99 annual fee. - I'm not a charity.

Again, stay tuned. I have an interesting non-profit concept I'll be rolling out, just for folks like you. Stay positive, and in the meantime, try some of the marketing suggestions above.

 

[darkpaw]

What I meant was, how many sales did you get before any marketing and advertising? On your first day, how many sales did you have? Was your website all up and running ready for when the app went live? Mine was.

I don't need a Flash demo, as there's a free version available. Did you have a Flash demo ready before the app went live? Were you giving away t-shirts? Bear in mind that here in the UK, free t-shirts and shipping don't cost us $10; they cost more than that (cheapest one on spreadshirt.net I could find is $20.65). In your first 16 days, how many t-shirts have you given away? How many emails did you get on day one?

I already tell all my friends about my games. None of them ever bother to download the paid ones. (I guess my friends are much tighter than yours.)

I already have Linx on my website. The website has been up and running for months and has had FAQs from day one. No one has ever emailed me about my games. I don't have the cash to put into giving away t-shirts.

As I stated, Colony was released BEFORE the other one. The two apps are completely different.

 

[xyz591]

darkpaw, I've read all your posts and also other guys' replies in this thread.

All I want to say is that you should change your attitude othewise your app will never fly in app store. The 100sounds guy already shared his marketing secrets with you and all you have said is oh I already did this, oh my app is great, oh i'm so unfortuate, that won't lead you to success by any means. What you should do is first stop whining, then learn how other people market their apps and try to apply to your own apps. If you can't do that, you probably should quit now.

What I meant was, how many sales did you get before any marketing and advertising? On your first day, how many sales did you have? Was your website all up and running ready for when the app went live? Mine was.

I don't need a Flash demo, as there's a free version available. Did you have a Flash demo ready before the app went live? Were you giving away t-shirts? Bear in mind that here in the UK, free t-shirts and shipping don't cost us $10; they cost more than that (cheapest one on spreadshirt.net I could find is $20.65). In your first 16 days, how many t-shirts have you given away? How many emails did you get on day one?

I already tell all my friends about my games. None of them ever bother to download the paid ones. (I guess my friends are much tighter than yours.)

I already have Linx on my website. The website has been up and running for months and has had FAQs from day one. No one has ever emailed me about my games. I don't have the cash to put into giving away t-shirts.

As I stated, Colony was released BEFORE the other one. The two apps are completely different.

 

[MacToddB]

What I meant was, how many sales did you get before any marketing and advertising? On your first day, how many sales did you have? Was your website all up and running ready for when the app went live? Mine was.

13 on the first day. The website was up but not as full featured. No Flash demo, etc.

I don't need a Flash demo, as there's a free version available. Did you have a Flash demo ready before the app went live?

Suppose you did NOT have the free app, but had the Flash demo. 200,000 people checking out your Flash might have resulted in more sales. Even 2,000 (i.e. one in a hundred). Not everyone wants to go through the motions and install an app, taking time, screenspace and memory, so the Flash demo is a nice way to try it, without any investment. It looks like your freebie is a little too inclusive. Not much incentive to buy the full app.

You had 200,000 freeloaders, right? You ought to be marketing to them. Put a button on the app that makes some kind of offer. I have yet to give out a t-shirt, so it costs nothing. I'll be thrilled to give out one per week, as the YouTube videos should be a great viral tool, plus the t-shirt is an advertisement in itself.

There are other free things you could give away. What about this:

"If you submit a screenshot with your high score, we'll add it to the app and ALL users will see it!" Even their photo if you want. Be creative... There are FREE things you can do.

Were you giving away t-shirts? Bear in mind that here in the UK, free t-shirts and shipping don't cost us $10; they cost more than that (cheapest one on spreadshirt.net I could find is $20.65). In your first 16 days, how many t-shirts have you given away? How many emails did you get on day one?

Again, no t-shirts yet, so it hasn't cost a thing. You can always say while supplies last. I'm using CafePress. Shirts are $8.99 and there's no overhead. But be creative...it doesn't have to be a physical giveaway.

I already tell all my friends about my games. None of them ever bother to download the paid ones. (I guess my friends are much tighter than yours.)

Expand your circle. Neighbors, relatives, etc. I avoided it at first, but by offering to reimburse them, it didn't come off as greedy. Plus, I'd get $0.70 back for each $0.99 so it's not a big expense.

I already have Linx on my website. The website has been up and running for months and has had FAQs from day one. No one has ever emailed me about my games. I don't have the cash to put into giving away t-shirts.

As I stated, Colony was released BEFORE the other one. The two apps are completely different.

I see you edited your signature...GOOD! Now include your web address, not just the appstore link. You'll get statistics that way, too. I get 800 visits to my site each day. I sell 1,200/day. I think the site is helping.

I checked out your app. $1.99 is a threshold many gamers aren't willing to cross, without a known entity..and you have ZERO reviews. Have you offered promo codes to get reviews? You should offer some here, but be firm about getting reviews.

Your colors are vibrant and you have some attractive apps. I'll buy your apps later today, and give a legit, positive review.

Lower your price for a day. There are a bunch of sites and apps that monitor and alert users of price drops. A lot of people will be home (with freetime) on 1/1/09, just like Christmas, so tomorrow's a good day to try.

You also require 2.2. (so do I) Unfortunately, not everyone upgrades. I had a relative over with a very new iPhone 3G and he went to buy the app but he couldn't...he was on 2.1! Even though he just bought it from AT&T! So they have old ones on the shelf, and he's never upgraded. He did since then, but unless you need 2.2, you might be turning away customers.

Finally, as stated before, the names aren't great. How about "SquareStealer" or LightningLinx just to be unique. You could also tweak it to use hearts and make it a Valentine's Day app...might get featured that way.

 

[darkpaw]

All I want to say is that you should change your attitude othewise your app will never fly in app store. The 100sounds guy already shared his marketing secrets with you and all you have said is oh I already did this, oh my app is great, oh i'm so unfortuate, that won't lead you to success by any means. What you should do is first stop whining, then learn how other people market their apps and try to apply to your own apps. If you can't do that, you probably should quit now.

Okay. Perhaps I should.

 

[darkpaw]

13 on the first day. The website was up but not as full featured. No Flash demo, etc.

13 on the first day for you. ZERO for me. That's the point. I sent it to Apple on 14th Dec. They released it on 18th Dec, and left the release date as 14th. Practically on the first day it was on release it jumped down to page 7 because other apps had been released since then.

It looks like your freebie is a little too inclusive. Not much incentive to buy the full app.

The free version of Linx doesn't have hi-scores, and is limited to 5 levels (about 5 minutes' play). The full app has hi-scores and 999 levels. There is a good incentive for people to buy the full version. There's not a lot else I can cut out of the app.

Again, no t-shirts yet, so it hasn't cost a thing. You can always say while supplies last. I'm using CafePress. Shirts are $8.99 and there's no overhead. But be creative...it doesn't have to be a physical giveaway.

T-shirts may be $8.99 in the US, but they are £12.32 here from Cafepress. I'm just pointing out how different everything is for people NOT in the US.

Expand your circle. Neighbors, relatives, etc. I avoided it at first, but by offering to reimburse them, it didn't come off as greedy. Plus, I'd get $0.70 back for each $0.99 so it's not a big expense.

As I've said, no one is actually bothered. None of my friends have downloaded my paid-for apps. And I can't give them promo codes as Apple have seen fit to only roll out that really useful idea to the US.

I see you edited your signature...GOOD! Now include your web address, not just the appstore link. You'll get statistics that way, too. I get 800 visits to my site each day. I sell 1,200/day. I think the site is helping.

Already have a website; have had since July. Am seeing very few visits to it. I have promoted it everywhere I can think of, and I'm still not seeing any sales. (Also, bear in mind that the signature on MacForums was changed for less than a day because I was fed up yesterday.) I've had my app links in signatures on forums all over the place.

I checked out your app. $1.99 is a threshold many gamers aren't willing to cross, without a known entity..and you have ZERO reviews. Have you offered promo codes to get reviews? You should offer some here, but be firm about getting reviews.

I have ZERO reviews because I have very few sales, and no way of contacting those people to get a review.

Lower your price for a day. There are a bunch of sites and apps that monitor and alert users of price drops. A lot of people will be home (with freetime) on 1/1/09, just like Christmas, so tomorrow's a good day to try.

Well, it's an idea. If I can remember to do it after tonight's alcohol... I dropped the price of Colony a while ago and saw no sales, so doing it again doesn't really bode well.

but unless you need 2.2, you might be turning away customers.

Is there somewhere you can stipulate what OS the app runs on? Xcode has it set to all versions of the OS (there's nothing in there that specifically reuires 2.2), but there's nothing on iTunes Connect to change it...?

Finally, as stated before, the names aren't great. How about "SquareStealer" or LightningLinx just to be unique.

I chose short names because they show up under the icons on your home screen. Longer names get truncated, and just aren't catchy.

You could also tweak it to use hearts and make it a Valentine's Day app... might get featured that way.

Will do.

Look, I don't want to come across as negative and I do thank you for your help. I really have tried a lot of different things to get my games sold but it's not working. It seems that in order to get anywhere, you need contacts all over the place, and I just don't have that.

 

[MacToddB]

13 on the first day for you. ZERO for me. That's the point. I sent it to Apple on 14th Dec. They released it on 18th Dec, and left the release date as 14th. Practically on the first day it was on release it jumped down to page 7 because other apps had been released since then.

When my app went live, I sent out promo codes on MacRumors Forums. Have you done that? I've NEVER been featured or listed as new. And I've made thousands for Apple. It's annoying, but it's out of my hands. So I've focused on what I can control.

On this forum, I asked people to tell me how they would use my app, and THEN I sent them, directly, a promo code. Instead of posting 5 codes and hoping the right people would use em and post a good review, I made them jump through a small hoop. That qualified who would be a good reviewer, and established a one-to-one connection. Presumably, they'd show/tell their friends, and so on.

It seems to have worked.

The free version of Linx doesn't have hi-scores, and is limited to 5 levels (about 5 minutes' play). The full app has hi-scores and 999 levels. There is a good incentive for people to buy the full version. There's not a lot else I can cut out of the app.

Apparently not enough incentive. Look, I'm gonna buy your apps tonight when and I sync w/ my Mac at home (I'm at my day job...Director of Marketing for a multi-million dollar software business, so I think I have some credibility, outside of the success of 100sounds!). I'll try to give you some specifics, but for example, if in the free game there was a button that said click here to get xxxx where xxxx is your name/photo in the paid version, that wouldn't cost you a bit. You've got 200,000 users! That's HUGE! Even if 1% are still using it, and upgrade to the next update (of the freebie), think about the eyeballs you can reach! What can you offer them to upgrade, besides levels?

T-shirts may be $8.99 in the US, but they are £12.32 here from Cafepress. I'm just pointing out how different everything is for people NOT in the US.

I'm guessing most of your potential is in the U.S. anyway. CafePress lets you "gift" a shirt, so you just need their size and email (probably not even their size as they could change it) and CafePress will email the recpient for their address. I certainly don't want to be shipping shirts... but I can easily provide an email address to CafePress and let them fulfill it. How about an iTunes gift card for the high score of the month?

Personally, I think it would be REALLY COOL to have my name, photo and high score embedded in the app for all 200,000+ players to see!!!

As I've said, no one is actually bothered. None of my friends have downloaded my paid-for apps. And I can't give them promo codes as Apple have seen fit to only roll out that really useful idea to the US.

Give them a dollar (euro)! You get 70% of it back! YOU NEED REVIEWS. You have zero. Most folks won't waste $1 let alone $2 on an unreviewed app.

Already have a website; have had since July. Am seeing very few visits to it. I have promoted it everywhere I can think of, and I'm still not seeing any sales. (Also, bear in mind that the signature on MacForums was changed for less than a day because I was fed up yesterday.) I've had my app links in signatures on forums all over the place.

I'm glad you changed it back. And you don't have a website.... you have a web page, buried on mac.com. You need to appear bigger. Get DarkPaw.com. A domain is $10/year. Hey, I just checked and you actually have a blog there... that's a start. Your id here is more memorable/interesting than "squares". Maybe DarkSquares, DarkColony, DarkLinx, etc., would be unique and interesting names? And for Valentine's Day, DarkHearts! And make your apps the central attraction of your web site, not your blog. Especially since some of it is social commentary.

I'm not trying to be dismissive, but constructive. I used to charge big bucks ($1000/day) for this kind of consulting. And I'm giving to you, free, as well as all the readers here.... plus we're in competition!

I have ZERO reviews because I have very few sales, and no way of contacting those people to get a review.

Then fix it. This is a big problem. I'll buy your apps and post a review. Use your promo codes wisely. If you're out of them, update the app (use some of my ideas) and get 50 more. Make them count.

Well, it's an idea. If I can remember to do it after tonight's alcohol... I dropped the price of Colony a while ago and saw no sales, so doing it again doesn't really bode well.

Would you rather have 100 sales at $.99 or zero at $1.99?

Is there somewhere you can stipulate what OS the app runs on? Xcode has it set to all versions of the OS (there's nothing in there that specifically reuires 2.2), but there's nothing on iTunes Connect to change it...?

When you compile it, you specify the target. When you upload a new binary, you might have that option.

I chose short names because they show up under the icons on your home screen. Longer names get truncated, and just aren't catchy.

Yes, but you can have a short name for the app and a longer description name, for iTunes. Plus DarkSquares, DarkColony, DarkLinx should fit fine.

Will do.

Look, I don't want to come across as negative and I do thank you for your help. I really have tried a lot of different things to get my games sold but it's not working. It seems that in order to get anywhere, you need contacts all over the place, and I just don't have that.

Not really. I admit I've been lucky, but I didn't know the first 13 people who bought my app, or the first 1000 for that matter.

 

[darkpaw]

I think you've mixed up which app had 200,000 downloads. That was Squares. Linx Free has only just been released (because Apple sat on it for much longer than the paid version).

I HAVE offered to pay for my friends to download the app. NONE have done so. That's the problem! No one actually cares...

I actually own the domain theappstore.co.uk. It's been pointing to a blank page for the few weeks since I bought it (what with Xmas and all). I've redirected it to my Mac.com pages. Think that'll help?

 

[akacaj]

Let me sell your apps for you and ill give you a percentage?

 

[MacToddB]

I think you've mixed up which app had 200,000 downloads. That was Squares. Linx Free has only just been released (because Apple sat on it for much longer than the paid version).

No, I just see it as irrelevant which app has had success. Bottom line, you have an app with 200,000 users! That's a huge success! Update the app with more incentives, like including your photo/name/score if you submit a screenshot, etc.

While I've had great success (over 11,000 paid users) you have 20x that in unpaid users! Who wouldn't want that kind of installed base? What percent would need to convert to make you happy? 1%? 2%? This is low-hanging fruit.

I HAVE offered to pay for my friends to download the app. NONE have done so. That's the problem! No one actually cares...

Well, maybe that has more to do with your friends or your approach. I bought all of your apps last night and I'll post reviews soon.

I actually own the domain theappstore.co.uk. It's been pointing to a blank page for the few weeks since I bought it (what with Xmas and all). I've redirected it to my Mac.com pages. Think that'll help?

Can't hurt. Maybe you need to market YOURSELF as an app developer, and not sell apps directly? You could make $500 to $1000 just writing an app based on specifications from someone else, and they have to do the creative and marketing. Might be a good way to minimize the risk and get some success not to mention cash.

 

[Oxtail]

I'm not a developer or anything, but I just wanted to register on this site so I could applaud MacToddB for his amazingly constructive posts on how to market an app in the AppStore. It's really something every new developer for the App Store should read!

 

[MacToddB]

I'm not a developer or anything, but I just wanted to register on this site so I could applaud MacToddB for his amazingly constructive posts on how to market an app in the AppStore. It's really something every new developer for the App Store should read!

Wow, thanks! I guess it works cause 100sounds is now #70 paid app overall and #9 in Entertainment!!!

My posts and blog on iPhone Life magazine are precursors to an article I'll be writing for the printed version of the magazine.

http://www.smartphonemag.com/iphone/todd.bernhard

It's a new publication from the publishers of Smartphone Magazine (formerly PocketPC Magazine, formerly the HP Palmtop Paper... all of which I've written for before!!!). They have closed up shop on the Smartphone magazine and gone 100% iPhone, as have I! So if you see the magazine in stores, please support it!

Also, I'll be live blogging from the Consumer Electronics Show, in Vegas, next week! So if you want to see what's going on in iPhone and other gadget news, from somewhere other than MacWorld, check it out!!!

Thanks again for the kind words!

 

[justbn]

@ MacToddB "Also, I'll be live blogging from the Consumer Electronics Show, in Vegas"!!!!!

Someone get a rope! LOL! Just kidding. Just seems funny for an iPhone developer/writer to be attending CES instead of MacWorld.

Oh... Just checked the dates. They don't overlap; so maybe you are going to both. In that case, us Fanboy's will spare you the noose - just barely.

 

[MacToddB]

@ MacToddB "Also, I'll be live blogging from the Consumer Electronics Show, in Vegas"!!!!!

Someone get a rope! LOL! Just kidding. Just seems funny for an iPhone developer/writer to be attending CES instead of MacWorld.

Oh... Just checked the dates. They don't overlap; so maybe you are going to both. In that case, us Fanboy's will spare you the noose - just barely.

Hah! Actually, I've been going to CES or Comdex for two decades now. I used to be "MacTodd" in Carnegie Mellon (1984-1988) when I worked for Apple as their Campus Representative, and worked in the school computer store. I remember (and just blogged about) the day Steve Jobs came to our school to talk to students and research the school's MachOS which he acquired for NeXT.

Since Apple dumped Jobs, and NeXt wasn't hiring, and I was a Unix believer, upon graduation, I went to work for Sun Microsystems. We had a booth at Comdex, etc. I did buy an original Newton, and Motorola Marco, but it wasn't until Apple adopted Unix that I returned to the Apple fold!

In fact, just today my dad went to the local Apple store for a lesson and his instructor was a student of mine when I taught sales training for Sun! So there's another Sunnie who moved to Apple!

Believe it or not, CES is full of Apple stuff, especially iPod-related items. After all, Apple dropped .mac and "Computer" from their name, and Steve Jobs from MacWorld, and MacWorld from their tradeshow schedule. So, aside from the keynote, there will be more news at CES. And with Jobs not delivering the keynote, my decision looks better.

Plus, it's Vegas baby! I'm staying at the Venetian!!! That's where all the press conferences are and many of the exhibits, so it'll be really convenient!

 

[liaison4fun]

Sales of my app (iBlueSky - mindmapping app) have been up slightly on normal over Christmas.

Thanks to Google Analytics, I now know that the number of people visiting my website http://www.tenero.co.uk on iPod Touches has more than doubled since Christmas - previously it was around 5%, whereas now it's around 13%.

Heya wanted to ask if there is any discount or such thing for christmas. I love this app a lot but can't afford it at the present price.