I'm not sure why my latest app is getting hammered in the App Store?
I released my latest app a few days ago and I'm down to 7 downloads a day. For a free game. I'm not blaming the the world for screwing me over, I'm just not sure what I've done wrong.
This is the first game I've released. I've released three utility/productivity apps, two of which have had satisfactory performance. I haven't had any reviews of the trivia app, nobody seems to be downloading it at all.
One of the problems is that I'm only receiving positive feedback from my family and friends. If it sucks, I'd like negative feedback.
The UI generally sucks. Add that to the fact that there are -- literally -- hundreds of trivia apps in the app store and you have a combination guaranteed to fail. My advice to you would be to find the top 10 ranked trivia apps, figure out what they are doing right and compare that to your approach.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pyrrhic Victory
I released my latest app a few days ago and I'm down to 7 downloads a day. For a free game. I'm not blaming the the world for screwing me over, I'm just not sure what I've done wrong.
This is the first game I've released. I've released three utility/productivity apps, two of which have had satisfactory performance. I haven't had any reviews of the trivia app, nobody seems to be downloading it at all.
One of the problems is that I'm only receiving positive feedback from my family and friends. If it sucks, I'd like negative feedback.
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Michael Emmons
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It seems games is quite a competative category. If you dont hit off extremely well then u will fall down quickly. Same thing happened for me.. im hovering about 20 downloads a day (free game app)
I think the UI could be improved simply by removing the gradient effect.
Even basic black or a solid color would be better than that gradient.
People tend to use it as a crutch because they think it looks cool but it almost
never works. That would not make it a "great" UI but I think it would not be as
garish as it is now. No one plays trivia apps because they care about the
UI, less is better. Subtle is better.
Another thought is to make the subjects more provocative and exciting,
something that catches people's attention instead of the cliched subjects that
have been done to death. How about crime-science trivia or sexy-culture trivia
off the top of my head? Get people's attention. If you don't want to be
sensationalistic, play with the format like Jeopardy where they switch the
format upside down or somehow change the typical way that people play trivia.
You got so much unused space.. Got to trick the eye of the viewers..
Your use of colors the question mark with the clouds seems so off.. use a color wheel.
I used to do some course "desktop publishing" for uni and a few things i learned..
+keep it simple
+dont waste space.
+If you going to make a an area of eye attention when the app is first open use something that causes immediate attention.
+It is said that red is the most attractive color to the users eye.
blah blah blah.. the course i did was useless overall .l0l
1. Your Icon is horrid.
2. Your UI is even worse.
3. Your concept has been overplayed.
I am seeing these questions asked every week, do you guys not read the forum? This is probably the most common question we see, and Bertrand21 has answered it for almost all of them.
There are a huge number of apps out there, this is what is going to happen, unless you find a niche, or do something special. There are so many top quality free games, being free is not enough anymore.
In general I agree with what's already been said above. That said, quick question...
When you say your other apps have been mildly successful, what kind of downloads are we talking about here?
Both are free and ad supported.
One app has 250 to 300 downloads a day, consistently since February. I have no idea why, I released it as my first app and it was mostly testing out the App Store.
The other app has 40 to 80 downloads a day, but has a much higher usage rate. So it ends up making as much money as the first one even though it was released a few months later.
I would say that both of them have a worse icon and UI than the trivia app. But both are doing much better.
I must say, I'm not trying to waste people's time. If I had a clear idea of why the app wasn't working. Your responses have been helpful. Given the feedback, I'll be focusing on the icon and the UI.
I must say, I'm not trying to waste people's time. If I had a clear idea of why the app wasn't working. Your responses have been helpful. Given the feedback, I'll be focusing on the icon and the UI.
Your other two apps aren't awesome but they are at least useful. I can imagine someone using them more than once, and getting used to them even though there's better options out there.
The game, though, is not fun or interesting. There is a market for trivia games, but there needs to be something exciting about them. They have a gimmick, something, anything. If your game looked better and had some kind of twist, some kind of come on, it would do better.
Your other two apps aren't awesome but they are at least useful. I can imagine someone using them more than once, and getting used to them even though there's better options out there.
The game, though, is not fun or interesting. There is a market for trivia games, but there needs to be something exciting about them. They have a gimmick, something, anything. If your game looked better and had some kind of twist, some kind of come on, it would do better.
It was probably a mistake making a plain vanilla trivia app. There are simply too many competitors and I didn't enhance it with a twist. I'll put some thought into how it could be improved.
It was probably a mistake making a plain vanilla trivia app. There are simply too many competitors and I didn't enhance it with a twist. I'll put some thought into how it could be improved.
That's why you should do some research before you start coding (unless you're doing it just for the hell of it)
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Your icon needs work. People greatly underestimate the impact of a good (or crappy) icon. I think if you'd look at all the apps that get featured on the iTunes homepage, unless it's VERY specific to a category, no app is up there without a well designed icon.
Icon, icon, icon. Human beings are very visual with imagery more than words. Attract them with a good icon.
But it really doesn't help that the general UI of the app isn't that great. This leads to an important point I have, programmers should NOT be graphic designers. Hire one or buy photos from a stock image site.
You need to spend money to make money. There is nothing for free.
Yup your icon pretty much IS your marketing. I would pay a LOT for a really good icon. It's well worth its weight in gold.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SeatSherpa
Icon gets your app noticed.
Repeat that three times.
Your icon needs work. People greatly underestimate the impact of a good (or crappy) icon. I think if you'd look at all the apps that get featured on the iTunes homepage, unless it's VERY specific to a category, no app is up there without a well designed icon.
Since an icon is made up of digital 0s and 1s with no appreciable weight, does that mean they aren't worth anything?
With the dollar sliding, even the amount of physical storage space required to house the icon's binary bits would be worth a great deal given the price of gold these days.
Thanks for the response everyone. I will be re-working the icon and the description.
I understand that there's also a problem with the UI, but I'm not sure what the problem is. Is it usability (confusing, slow, buggy, etc) or is it appearance (color, background images, etc)? If I figure what is wrong with it, I'll fix it.
Actually an icon is not really THAT important. It catches the first glimpse, sure, but I think it is only half important. the other half is what your app can do.
Go for something less competitive and something with less people are doing that way your downloads will go up and rating/reviews also
I'd agree, but I already have the app in the iPhone Store. Knowing what I do now, I would probably not start a trivia app. However, I'm going to at least try and save it because of the work I've already put in.
I'm not sure why my latest app is getting hammered in the App Store?
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