In the past four months since we started advertising iPhone apps and games (on the requests of developers), I’ve deduced many theories on how to make your iPhone app/game reach the top. Many of my developer friends too have asked me often on how to promote their applications. This write up is for you if you are asking this same question to yourself.
Searching for applications and games in the App Store is like searching for a needle in a haystack. More than 65,000 applications under 20 main categories, Oh my…….!
How innovative/engaging/addictive/handy is your game/app to make to the top list? Well, I am not saying only games that are super engaging and addictive or apps that are handy and innovative make to the top. Many near stupid apps and games have seen the summit of App Store. The secret is simple, the developers did a neat job of promoting or they were lucky. If you have something good that you think iPhone users would find interesting or helpful, do not wait for luck to come your way though.
Here are five straight things you should consider doing to promote your iPhone game or application.
1. Aim to make to the “What’s hot,” “Staff Favorites,” or the “New and Noteworthy” page in the App Store. The first criteria here are your game/app need to be exciting, handy, fun, etc. Talking to Apple to place you there ain’t the right way. Make something that’s polished, unique and noteworthy. These things would provide the ticket to the golden seat in the App Store. The other four requirements below brings you to this stage.
2. Spreading words well before the release of the app/game helps a lot in making people aware of what is coming. I have come across developers who do more than what is expected. Every week I get more than five dozens of mail from developers. Most of the mails are review requests, there are few others who write just to say they have submitted a game or app and are waiting for approval. A simple ‘hi’ kinda lines with the name of the game and short description.
I used to think why do they bug people when their application ain’t actually out. Well, that was kind of the first warning call. Lately, I realized that those short info were the most effective of all scoops. All the irritation of getting seemingly unnecessary notifications become bearable on finding that the app is indeed good and handy or the game is innovative and engaging.
Making effective use of social networking sites to let others hear about your upcoming game should be done at the right time. A developer friend of mind make use of Twitter and Facebook like freak. He does that well and the results are not disappointing too. Your app/game has one week time to stay on the first page of new applications list, if it manage to get a few thousand downloads then, it sure is on the way to the golden seat of App Store.
3. Contacting bloggers requesting for review and Advertising on prominent sites are other requisites to make your iPhone applications noticed. Here you’d be confused about the blogs and sites to contact and advertise. Contact all the blogs and sites that you know, however, when it comes to advertising, you need to be a little careful in making your choice.
Things that you gotta to know about the site/blog are the traffic on the site, number of visitors, number of dedicated readers, page impression, etc. Write to them right away, most of them would be more than willing to let you know. Making your final pick depends on your pocket and instinct. It is completely up to you to pay $300 for a single package or split it into $100 three packages on different sites.
4. Naming of applications cutting of app price to remain on top: Naming of games and application is a trick in itself. There are many games and apps that are named intentionally to make them sound like some famous games and applications already in the App Store. The trick here is when users search for the famous titles, your game also get listed in the search results. Hundreds if not thousand downloads would come from there. Give a name that is easy to find as far as possible.
I paid $7.99 for choppers, $9.99 for Real Soccer 2009 and purchased a bunch of other games when their prices were high. Most of these games are now available for $1.99 and this precisely is the trick why most of these great players managed to have stayed in the top list for so long. Cut price of your app/game at the right time and make a big announcement about it. You sure would get thousands of downloads there. A sure way to make to the top or to remain there.
