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Two tools I consider developing:
- a tool helping with app seo - helping you choose the right keywords, tracking how well are they going
- a good promo dispenser (like this one: http://coach.9goals.me/promo - but don't take a code unless you plan to), so instead of sharing a list of codes, you just share a link
Would you be interested in such tools? Would you be willing to pay for them?
- Beta testing seems under-served. There are some great communities to find beta testers (ibetatest) and tools to distribute them (testflightapp) but not both in the same place.
- Keyword SEO/etc seems empty also. I don't know of any good tools for this.
- Promo dispensing has a lot of stuff out there. I'd use it more, but the 50/ea limit puts a cap on the usefulness of these services.
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- a good promo dispenser (like this one: http://coach.9goals.me/promo - but don't take a code unless you plan to), so instead of sharing a list of codes, you just share a link
Just curious: why is this link or that what you plan is better than the site in my signature?
@Promo, I think we discussed it some time ago already
With all sympathy to what you're doing:
- I really, really, really dislike your design. I'm not a pro designer, but I can give you some pointers / elaborate on this if you wish.
- I want the process to be streamlined - no distractions to the user. Just the description, and the link (perhaps a facebook / e-mail requirement inbetween)
- I don't want to force my users to post a review to Facebook. I'd like to encourage them to do so, but I don't want to force them
Finally, your site seems to be built for "promo-code chasers". By this I mean, users who would never ever spend a dime on an app (for example - high schoolers, or people from poorer countries), and use these sites to get some freebies. In some situations this kinds of users are nice to have (for example, for my Blow Up The Frog ), but in this case I want to promote my app amongst professionals / people who could use a promo, but won't be afraid of buying once promo codes run out, who can recommend the app to friends who will purchase it
If you'd like more feedback related to your site, from the usability / design point of view, let me know (here, or PM).
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Ah yes, I recall... I just don't remember names...
btw I changed the design a few days ago.
If you want to target professionals, then you should also mention that and/or provide the link only to those, because otherwise the freetards will come automatically
I want to promote my app amongst professionals / people who could use a promo, but won't be afraid of buying once promo codes run out
This seem interesting - if you give a promo code to a user, and he uses it, then it will never "runs out". He will just get your app via promo code and will never bother to buy it, because he already has it with all your future free updates.
This seem interesting - if you give a promo code to a user, and he uses it, then it will never "runs out". He will just get your app via promo code and will never bother to buy it, because he already has it with all your future free updates.
So what is the point of a promo dispenser?
When I ask for an opinion about my app, I don't want an opinion of a person who wouldn't buy the app if it wasn't free (i.e. freetard). I want an opinion of a person might buy the app if it was paid (i.e. "a professional"), but just doesn't have to because of the promo code.
In other words - the feedback / publicity I can get from the audience of *the Promo Dispenser* is different than a feedback I can get by using my dispenser & publishing a link to it onto forums populated by my target audience.
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I want an opinion of a person might buy the app if it was paid (i.e. "a professional"), but just doesn't have to because of the promo code.
I can see your point - you dont want opinions from freetards. I don't either.
But what makes you think "professionals" would spend time looking for promo codes online?
Here is a scenario: a person found an app he was interested in. The app costs $1-3. He is willing to pay the price, it is not expensive by any means. Now what would make this qualified customer abandon the app, and start searching in internet for free promo codes? If he is going to do it, he is not really willing to pay the price. So he is a freetard who we are not interested in. Correct?
His way of dealing with promo codes is interesting in one scenario:
He sends the link to review sites where the reviewer can take a code IF he is really INTERESTED in reviewing the app.
The main problem with sending promo codes to review sites in hope of getting reviews from them is that most review sites don't even look into your app, and your promo code is wasted because you don't know if it was taken or not (there is a workaround to check, but somehow complicated).
You have 50 codes but literally hundreds of review sites out there. So his promo dispenser could be a good way to dispense codes only to those reviewers, who really want it.
The bad thing about it is, that most reviewers (at least the big ones) are so arrogant, that they don't bother with links.
If they don't see a promo code in the email, they don't even read your mail. Some of them even state this on their site.
His way of dealing with promo codes is interesting in one scenario:
He sends the link to review sites where the reviewer can take a code IF he is really INTERESTED in reviewing the app.
I agree - it might be helpful in this case.
I used to put promo codes on my website in this scenario, but since reviewer are not taking any anyway, I have not thought about improving this method...
Another thought: the reviewers from really important, popular site do not need promo codes. They somehow get the app.
The reviewers from not so important sites are less arrogant - they might ask for a promo code, at least from my experience.
@lifewires - you're right that "professionals" wouldn't be actively looking for promo codes. But if they happen to stumble upon one, they won't mind
Say, I have 40 promo codes for the Goal-Setting Workshop and I don't know what to do with them (update is coming soon, so I'll lose them unless I spend them). I don't want to give them to freetards, because they simply aren't my target audience.
What I do is I put the promo codes here, onto my Twitter account, onto reddit/r/getMotivated & reddit/r/iPhone, plus onto my Facebook account. The codes will be gone within two hours, and I'll have 40 users who are my target audience.
Re @Promo Dispenser - I totally agree with the use case you described, and with the problem with reviewers possibly being not willing to take the code if it's behind the link. I guess the best way would be to ask a couple of reviewers what do they think.
Another use case. I've got 300 e-mails from the users of Goal-Setting Workshop & I've got 50 codes for my other app (Love letter writer). I'd like to give away the promo codes to the 300 users in the newsletter. Right now there is absolutely no mechanism to do that, even Mr. Dispenser will admit that his «Promo Dispenser» wouldn't help much
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- e.g. 10 people get a code.
- Unless your app is highly marketed, the chances are that maybe 1 of those 10 would have found out about your app and purchased it otherwise.
- Of the 10 who used codes, 1-2 will end up telling a friend about it who might purchase.
= You gain a small number of customers, losing next to nothing. It's not the most time-efficient way of marketing, but I believe (not much direct evidence I admit) that it is a net positive.
@lifewires - you're right that "professionals" wouldn't be actively looking for promo codes.
What I do is I put the promo codes here, onto my Twitter account, onto reddit/r/getMotivated & reddit/r/iPhone, plus onto my Facebook account.
If you already have a crowd potentially interested in your app and you have a way of delivering codes to them... you don't need anything else. You simple just give them the codes. This is the best case actually.
The original point was about a scenario when a developer doesn't have any means of finding potential customers, so he would give out promo codes anyway to anybody hoping some people... will buy the app? This is where I miss the logical sequence.
- Of the 10 who used codes, 1-2 will end up telling a friend about it who might purchase.
Lets get to numbers. You distribute 50 promo codes. How many people do you think will buy the app because of these promo codes?
You said 1 out of 10 will tell a friend. So out of 50 we got 5 friends who has been told about the app. And how many friends will buy? I guess out of 5 maybe 1-2 will purchase it. So out of 50 codes, you will have maybe 1-2 sales. If your app costs $1-2, you will get at best around $1 after tax in additional revenue from each batch of 50 promo codes.
I don't really think this activity is worth your time. Wouldn't you agree? Am I missing something crucial here that gives it more efficiency?
That's why my promo dispenser is targeting freetards giwing iTunes reviews.
Reviews are essential for a new app.
Now that Apple allows promo codes being reviewed again, Promo Dispenser will have a meaning again when we roll back the old system.
If you already have a crowd potentially interested in your app and you have a way of delivering codes to them... you don't need anything else. You simple just give them the codes. This is the best case actually.
How exactly? I won't just send 40 promo codes in a newsletter. Nobody will sort through the used ones. The same with twitter.
Also, on some forums people might not be that interested and won't use up even one code. With a dispenser I don't have to worry about that.
As for 1 or 2 people buying app after publishing the promo code - personally, I don't care too much about a couple extra bucks. But reviews, feedback (even negative - but just not in the store, e-mails - this is what I want
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I think advertising is the best form of marketing for an app. By reviews or videos or just banners. Putting it out there and making a need. Selling it basically. Cant go wrong.
How exactly? I won't just send 40 promo codes in a newsletter. Nobody will sort through the used ones.
....But reviews, feedback (even negative - but just not in the store, e-mails - this is what I want
How do we distribute promo codes on forums? Exactly just like that - post 5-10 codes and some people will even reply which one they took.
In this scenario seems like promo dispenser represents an improvement. But it really depends what your goal is here: give out promo codes? Mine is get attention to the app. So if I lead my potential customers away to a different website (promo dispenser) they will not generate any attention on the forum. Which is what app developers are after.
Feedback - if you are really interested in a feedback, why don't just post here on the forum some simple offers: review my app, give some feedback on how to improve it? Or even pay some small amount for the feedback - this would elevate the quality of the feedback.
I think advertising is the best form of marketing for an app. By reviews or videos or just banners. Putting it out there and making a need. Selling it basically. Cant go wrong.
Oh, it definitely can, and it often goes wrong. Did you ever successfully promote an app using ads? I'd like to hear some numbers, because most of the people in the field agree that ads are usually a bad idea. For example, read up here: tap tap tap ~ Kill yr ads? the don?ts of iPhone app marketing
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App marketing toolbox
Music Visualizer ~ Rabbit Hole 
, e-mails - this is what I want 
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