I just released my first app and I'm in the grinding process of promoting it and sending promo-codes to a couple dozen review sites. I understand that these sites are slammed with daily review requests, but it seems that I haven't received feedback from most (unless it was an automated response).
I was wondering what other developers' experiences were with the free app review sites. Are they usually good about getting to all apps within good time?
I was thinking of using the handful of promo apps left for a promo-dispensing site. Is that a good idea?
Also, have others found that personal video review are helpful for sales? I'm looking for some good software to use in order to make those as well.
I've been grinding the same lately; and so far no word back accept for CrazyMike, who I did some paid advertising with (he offers a free review with monthly advertising packages).
I've been grinding the same lately; and so far no word back accept for CrazyMike, who I did some paid advertising with (he offers a free review with monthly advertising packages).
You seem to be working hard on making quality apps. Have you found that it's easier to release more once you get that first one out? I'm worried that my sales haven't been so hot so far that it will be hard to justify the $99 developers fee each year for this "hobby" of mine.
You seem to be working hard on making quality apps. Have you found that it's easier to release more once you get that first one out? I'm worried that my sales haven't been so hot so far that it will be hard to justify the $99 developers fee each year for this "hobby" of mine.
It had been getting easier with each releases; as you get some cross promotion sales...but the past few weeks have been rough for me. My new app iTough; which I think is one of my most quality apps, is getting no traction and I can't figure out why.
My latest app has only been out for a month and I've also been grinding away daily trying to promote it as best I can on a very limited budget. As far as review sites go...I think I submitted to about 20 sites or so and still no review/feedback. Of course these were all freebies...so as they say...you get what you pay for. Maybe the reviews will come later when they get around to it but so far...nada :-/
Do review sites really work? Are they worth the time? It just seems like it's easier to go promote yourself in forums rather than rely on some website that gets minimal traffic anyway.
Just curious, what forums do you use to promote your apps? It seems like your app has a good number of reviews. If you're not using review sites at all, it seems like whatever you're doing is...well...better than what I'm doing ;-)
If you care to share and help out us newcomers, that'd be awesome.
I just released my first app and I'm in the grinding process of promoting it and sending promo-codes to a couple dozen review sites. I understand that these sites are slammed with daily review requests, but it seems that I haven't received feedback from most (unless it was an automated response).
I was wondering what other developers' experiences were with the free app review sites. Are they usually good about getting to all apps within good time?
I was thinking of using the handful of promo apps left for a promo-dispensing site. Is that a good idea?
Also, have others found that personal video review are helpful for sales? I'm looking for some good software to use in order to make those as well.
Any insight would be helpful.
Thank you,
You can use our service iSpreadNews.com to send announcement of your app to blog owners. We have 280 sites in our database, most of them ARE NOT in English (e.g. in Italian, French, German), and we try to use contact forms (instead of emails that can be just ignored by blog owner using some rule of their mail client) if contact form is available on the blog/news site.
Our typical template for announcement does not include promo codes, but invites blog owners to ask for promo codes (for testing and running contest on their site). So you won't be just thowing your promo codes into nowhere.
We gather statistics from our clients - i.e. how many blog owners have contacted them asking for promo codes. It turns out that about 10-15% of sites will request promo codes. In most cases, owners of blogs that are in English do not ask for promo codes, so it seems they are really overflowed with app review requests.
__________________ iSpreadNews.com - VERY CHEAP (from $63) way to send your iPhone/iPad app announcement to hundreds of blog owners over the globe.
Just remember that US AppStore is not the only AppStore in the world.
Last edited by iSpreadNews; 04-15-2010 at 09:53 AM.
Reason: typos fixed
Our typical template for announcement does not include promo codes, but invites blog owners to ask for promo codes (for testing and running contest on their site). So you won't be just thowing your promo codes into nowhere.
Same here, I never send promo code on my initial pitch but I ask the recipient to write me back to get more info, promo codes and graphics.
If your app is interesting to who you're writing to they'll write you back and ask for the promocode; if they are not you save a code that you may better use somehow.
stefano
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AppSnap lets you install any iPhone app by taking a picture of its icon!
I think I will try to do more blogging/press releases and forums work in order to get the word out next time. Seems like sending to the review site was a waste of about 7 hours of my life.
I just released my first app and I'm in the grinding process of promoting it and sending promo-codes to a couple dozen review sites. I understand that these sites are slammed with daily review requests, but it seems that I haven't received feedback from most (unless it was an automated response).
I was wondering what other developers' experiences were with the free app review sites. Are they usually good about getting to all apps within good time?
I was thinking of using the handful of promo apps left for a promo-dispensing site. Is that a good idea?
Also, have others found that personal video review are helpful for sales? I'm looking for some good software to use in order to make those as well.
They often seem to have online forms that require a promo code - how do you get round that if you want to wait til they ask you for one? Do any of those sort of review sites ever come back and ask? I don't want to waste all the codes just throwing them out there, but I don't know how best to use them.
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They often seem to have online forms that require a promo code - how do you get round that if you want to wait til they ask you for one? Do any of those sort of review sites ever come back and ask? I don't want to waste all the codes just throwing them out there, but I don't know how best to use them.
I usually try to use email when possible so that all review-requests remain in my Sent Mail folder (when you send tens of requests it's quite difficult to remember who you sent the pitch to :-)).
For sites that have only html forms I usually enter something like "please ask if you want to try it out"; I waste promo codes in html forms only for well-known sites that don't accept emails (pretty unusual).
You can use our service iSpreadNews.com to send announcement of your app to blog owners. We have 280 sites in our database, most of them ARE NOT in English (e.g. in Italian, French, German), and we try to use contact forms (instead of emails that can be just ignored by blog owner using some rule of their mail client) if contact form is available on the blog/news site.
Our typical template for announcement does not include promo codes, but invites blog owners to ask for promo codes (for testing and running contest on their site). So you won't be just thowing your promo codes into nowhere.
We gather statistics from our clients - i.e. how many blog owners have contacted them asking for promo codes. It turns out that about 10-15% of sites will request promo codes. In most cases, owners of blogs that are in English do not ask for promo codes, so it seems they are really overflowed with app review requests.
Has anyone (independant) used this service and can vouch for it?
I have an app that I can only put on the UK itunes store, do you do anything just for that?
We don't separate sites in our database by domains yet.
I've just checked - there are about 10 web sites in our database that are in .uk domain (we have only major websites from each country). I guess it would be easier for you to submit to them manually..
__________________ iSpreadNews.com - VERY CHEAP (from $63) way to send your iPhone/iPad app announcement to hundreds of blog owners over the globe.
Just remember that US AppStore is not the only AppStore in the world.
Review turnaround / success rate?
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