Then people will look at the review and will buy it from seeing my review.
Well, since you're giving this an honest go of things please answer these questions for me:
1. How are you going about promoting your own site?
2. How many unique visitors have you had so far?
3. Are you going to register a top level domain?
i.e. www.iphonegameandcasereallylongdomain.com ?
4. Are you planning to include screenshots in your reviews?
5. What makes you stand out from other review sites?
6. Why would I or another developer want to use you as opposed to a more established site?
7. Do you have anything unique that would make your site stand out?
In business, if you produce something that's complete tosh, you'll get a pasting for it. The site is 'minimalist' for want of a better word. What do you want people to say - 'oh how wonderful, what a great idea, perfectly executed'??
If someone goes for an audition as a singer, if he/she can't sing, they get told just that, no matter how hard it is to take.
I once had to present to the board of directors of BMW UK. I prepared for weeks, spent hundreds on glossy handouts etc etc. They didn't like certain things that we were doing; they didn't sweep it under the carpet, they told me bluntly, and I took it on the chin. And lost a deal worth £340k. But I learned from it.
If this idea the kid has had was on Dragons Den, he'd have lost all 5 judges in a heartbeat.
Well, since you're giving this an honest go of things please answer these questions for me:
1. How are you going about promoting your own site?
2. How many unique visitors have you had so far?
3. Are you going to register a top level domain?
i.e. www.iphonegameandcasereallylongdomain.com ?
4. Are you planning to include screenshots in your reviews?
5. What makes you stand out from other review sites?
6. Why would I or another developer want to use you as opposed to a more established site?
7. Do you have anything unique that would make your site stand out?
Thanks!
Well first of all I made this site to make reviews on apps and cases. If people are not sure if they want to buy it or not they can read a review for it, and then can decide for them selves. Obviously they wont make their decision of one review. This is just a site to put reviews of any app, it might be useful if another site doesn't have the review for the app they are looking for.
1. I am trying best to promote my site by telling as many people as I can. I just started on this site. I really can't go in the advertising issue, because money is not what I want to earn or spend.
2. With Google analytics I just had 22 visits yesterday. I didn't really think i would get that many at my first attempt to this, but it looks good to me.
3. No, not really since I can't go in the business of domain and stuff. I am only 15 I can't have my own credit card.
4. Yes, I am planning to do that soon.
5. I don't like to make this a competition of who has the most reviews. My reviews are plain and tell about the basics of the app. So people can understand the app.
6. They would want to use me because the site is clean and there is no ads on it. I don't want to make money off my site. It gives general information and clean interface. I do not try to make one app higher than the other one. People who visit get what they are looking for if what they need is available with out having to worry about donations, ads, and other track loosing objects.
7. I think the clean interface and the ability to navigate to what they are looking for is more efficient for them with my website.
Again I don not plan on making this the est app review website, or being in competition. It helps developers by getting their app more to the public and noticeable. And helps people looking for apps a decision and knowledge to what the app is and what it does.
I wish I had a dollar for each email I get offering this type of "service". Here's what I don't get: what makes these "reviews" relevant to anybody? Let's face it, if this is a way for us to "make more money", then presumably all of the reviews will be positive, in which case they are useless, IMO. Not only that, what makes a 15 year old kid qualified to "review" any and all apps that get submitted? I seriously doubt he has the breadth or depth of knowledge to be a qualified reviewer of a large number of apps.
I'd be fine if he were calling this advertising, but to seriously call this a review site? I doubt it.
Might seem cute for a 15 year old to be doing this, but I say it's another scam to get free apps from developers. I've seen enough of those already.
...what makes a 15 year old kid qualified to "review" any and all apps that get submitted? ...
The bulk of the market, at least in games and entertainment, seems to consist of people around this age. We may think we're cool enough to relate to them, but I promise you we're not.
The bulk of the market, at least in games and entertainment, seems to consist of people around this age. We may think we're cool enough to relate to them, but I promise you we're not.
Would any of you go up to a neighborhood kid, who is trying to sell lemonade via a lemonade stand and criticize him/her on how their lemonade could not possibly be better than what restaurants or national manufacturers could produce?
Timmie: Lemonade! Get your lemonade here for $1!!
Adult: So, what makes you think your lemonade is any better than what I could buy at the Cheesecake Factory or even buy from Trader Joe's?
Timmie: Well, I just thought it'd be a good idea. I make these myself...
Adult: By the way, your marketing is all wrong. Where is your advertising? How do you expect to compete with the grocery store chains and restaurants, that are only 2 blocks away?
Timmie: I'm just selling lemonade. If you don't want it, you don't have to buy any...
Adult: I'm not convinced that you offer a better product than your competitors. I'm sorry.
Now, there's nothing inherently "wrong" with criticizing this kid, but come on.
Would any of you go up to a neighborhood kid, who is trying to sell lemonade via a lemonade stand and criticize him/her on how their lemonade could not possibly be better than what restaurants or national manufacturers could produce?
If the kid was 15? Maybe...
I agree people are being a bit harsh, but no one has been completely unreasonable...
Now, there's nothing inherently "wrong" with criticizing this kid, but come on.
I think the bigger question for a forum like this is, do we need yet another 'give me something and I'll throw up a review site'? We already have a market that is flooded with crap apps, and the 'review' sites are following closely along. If there was some true value-add to set this apart, then it's a different story.
To continue your analogy, in my neighborhood I would get tired of the lemonade stands if they were lining the street every 20 feet, and all selling the same recipe. At that point, it begins to degrade the value of the homes in the neighborhood.
Sorry, but kid or not, this is a marketplace that is already overpopulated with me-too stuff.
Sorry, but kid or not, this is a marketplace that is already overpopulated with me-too stuff.
That was my point, I want to know why people will go to his review site and how his are any different than anywhere else. A clean interface without ads, meh. I don't see any ads with AdBlocker in Firefox
Affan, I applaud your entrepreneurial spirit - and I wish there were more 15 year olds out there that thought like you. We old dudes in the app development community are a bit jilted, myself included from time to time. Please do keep your site up! Use LinkShare to try to make yourself some money from it. When traffic gets high enough (+5000 uniques a month to be of any interest), place some ads on it. Learn about SEO. Learn about social media. Learn about content sharing. Learn about CRM and advertising. These are valuable skills to have in the future.
I would suggest your find yourself a niche market. You are young - make a site that focuses on apps that appeal to young people. Games, stuff that would help in school, etc.
Save the money you make and go to business school. Trust me. Its not cheap.
Btw - I could use an intern with some spirit like yours. Its unpaid, but you might learn a thing or two. Drop me an email.
Looking a way to sell your app to more people well I have an idea that will help your sales.
On my website i will post a review of the app when i get the promo code in my Email I will reply when I get the Codes and When i post the reviews. i will post the reviews on my website and on the itunes page of the app.
Then people will look at the review and will buy it from seeing my review. Depending on their decision.
Actually this is the most useful marketing offer I heard of. Small scale, but fair and traceable. I wish you could clone yourself 1000 fold
OK! Time to get this all straight. This idea that I said was just so developers can get their app reviewed, also from the review of the app they also get to have their app displayed in my site for people to look at. With people looking at your apps theres a chance you can make sales. If your app and the review wasn't there how else would people know your app besides the App store. This is just one more step for getting your app to the public. App store had a lot of other apps that make it hard for other apps to be seen. If developers want there app to be seen then I can do a review for them and put them on my site. the review is just something based on the app. What would it do to you (developers) to give off a promo code (no money being wasted there). Most developers like their app reviewed. Therefore I made a site for it. From that site I also figured that its a really good way for people to see apps rather than the app store. Better way to make sales rather than being at the bottom of app lists in the app store. Most developers just give there promo codes off. However if I happen to get one I am doing the developer a favor. Developers get 50 promo codes. Giving 1 off to me does hurt them. It gives one more step for getting there app displayed to the public with a review so people can better understand the game. A second resource like the App Store. I appreciate the developers who are sending their app in. While people who are being harsh don't really know what there missing. Its OK if you don't want me to review your app. If you just want sales just give me an email and i will put your app up for display with direct links to the app store page of the app. the apps with the reviews tell more about the game so the person who is buying it can better understand what he is buying.
Also I read that people think I'm doing this so I can get free apps. First of all I'm not doing this for free apps I'm doing this for developers, because there is some great apps that just don't get noticed when there is apps from Great developers or companies taking control of the app store. If your just a starting developer or you think your not getting noticed a lot give me an email. If you don't want me to review you app ,but just get it displayed just email. Also if I want free apps I can just go get cracked apps if I wanted, but what would be great from that when developers are losing money like that. So that is why I don't do it because one day I want to become a developer too. And one day i'll be looking for a 15 years old who would want to this for developers and helping them out.
WANT YOUR APP REVIEWED AND MORE SALES FOR IT?
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