My first attempt at an iPhone app! Help me out!

[JackArc]

My roommate and I recently created an iPhone app over the last few weeks and were hoping to get some insight from all of the pros out there.

We saw a popular game like "The Helicopter Game" done wrong with games like iCopter, etc so we set out to make a better one with cool, unique 8-bit graphics.....

My question for all of you is simple... What do you do to market/advertise your application? What do you see in our advertising that you like and don't like? What areas do you think we can improve on?

I'm not at all trying to self promote or spam a forum I am fairly active on, just trying to get a good discussion going.

The app store link: http://www.itunes.com/app/jetmanjack

Looking forward to the responses,
jack

 

[Pixellated]

I think a vertical version would be good, where the guy is going upwards and he dodges obstacles from left to right. It would get some originality in there.

Here is my accurate representation (the !'s are obstacles, and the $'s are point boosts):

AT&T---------9:42-------100%
__________________________
Points- 1337----------Level:1
---------!!!---------------------
-----------------!!!------------
<-------------m------------->
---------------a-------$--------
--------------n----------------

 

[JackArc]

I think a vertical version would be good, where the guy is going upwards and he dodges obstacles from left to right. It would get some originality in there.

That's a good idea. Something to consider as we move onto our next project. Maybe a sky diver? And it goes downwards and you move left and right? Thoughts?

 

[Pixellated]

That's a good idea. Something to consider as we move onto our next project. Maybe a sky diver? And it goes downwards and you move left and right? Thoughts?

That is exactly what I was thinking of, but going down instead of up.

 

[JackArc]

Any suggestions/ideas for how to better market my iPhone app already in the app store?

 

[macmacey]

Any suggestions/ideas for how to better market my iPhone app already in the app store?

Your best bet is to get it onto one of the top-100 lists. I realize this is a little bit like chicken-n-egg. Get some honest feedback on the app. Fix and improve it. Then release it again, dropping the price if you have to.

 

[MacToddB]

Any suggestions/ideas for how to better market my iPhone app already in the app store?

I've posted a long list of suggestions before, and iPhone Life magazine will be publishing an excerpt from my upcoming (free) ebook on the subject of app marketing. Here are some of those threads:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/696555/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/670933/

But the first thing I'll tell you is... what's up with your website?

Your signature points to http://www.jack-archer.com/ but that looks like a bogus site.

You should have a site with a Flash demo (for PC/Mac viewers) and autosense Mobile Safari to show an iPhone-version of the demo (animated GIF).

Offer promo codes on the code sharing subforum here, but don't just post the codes. Ask some kind of qualifying question to get the right people to respond, people who will appreciate the app and write a fair review.

Too many folks expect to rely on iTunes rankings to sell their apps, and it's true, that's a big part, but you cannot rely on it. Any sales through iTunes rankings is a bonus. You need to do traditional marketing. Treat iTunes as if it were "PayPal", i.e. the checkout counter used strictly for making the transaction.

We're advertising on many iPhone sites, and Google AdWords. Also, iPhone Life magazine has a good deal ($199/issue) but full disclosure, I write for them. Our app, 100sounds, was at 49 in paid Entertainment and danger of falling out of the Top 50. Our print ad hit, and we reached the top 20.

 

[JackArc]

I've posted a long list of suggestions before, and iPhone Life magazine will be publishing an excerpt from my upcoming (free) ebook on the subject of app marketing. Here are some of those threads:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/696555/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/670933/

But the first thing I'll tell you is... what's up with your website?

Your signature points to http://www.jack-archer.com/ but that looks like a bogus site.

You should have a site with a Flash demo (for PC/Mac viewers) and autosense Mobile Safari to show an iPhone-version of the demo (animated GIF).

Offer promo codes on the code sharing subforum here, but don't just post the codes. Ask some kind of qualifying question to get the right people to respond, people who will appreciate the app and write a fair review.

Too many folks expect to rely on iTunes rankings to sell their apps, and it's true, that's a big part, but you cannot rely on it. Any sales through iTunes rankings is a bonus. You need to do traditional marketing. Treat iTunes as if it were "PayPal", i.e. the checkout counter used strictly for making the transaction.

We're advertising on many iPhone sites, and Google AdWords. Also, iPhone Life magazine has a good deal ($199/issue) but full disclosure, I write for them. Our app, 100sounds, was at 49 in paid Entertainment and danger of falling out of the Top 50. Our print ad hit, and we reached the top 20.

Thanks for the tips! Yeah.. jack-archer.net was my own domain name. I haven't updated my signature on MR anytime recently. Fixed now.

I've been doing the whole press release thing to different blogs/websites and the promo code through various message boards and more. Our app was featured on appcraver yesterday and we have a couple more reviews/blog posts coming up shortly.

We should also have a demo video and a funny commercial/webisode up too.

 

[MacToddB]

Thanks for the tips! Yeah.. jack-archer.net was my own domain name. I haven't updated my signature on MR anytime recently. Fixed now.

I've been doing the whole press release thing to different blogs/websites and the promo code through various message boards and more. Our app was featured on appcraver yesterday and we have a couple more reviews/blog posts coming up shortly.

We should also have a demo video and a funny commercial/webisode up too.

Jack,

I checked out the new site, and it's an improvement but does nothing to sell your app. I couldn't even find mention of the app, or a link to the appstore.

If you're getting coverage in AppCraver, that's great! (they featured my app once, and myself via a developer interview and it helped. I also 'tweeted' the coverage, and that had a ripple effect. You'd be surprised how many twitterers are looking for something to retweet so they can provide content to their followers.

But if you're getting publicity and can't point people to a web site that sells your app, it's like spitting into the wind.

I'll buy your app and try to give you some specific suggestions.

 

[JackArc]

Jack,

I checked out the new site, and it's an improvement but does nothing to sell your app. I couldn't even find mention of the app, or a link to the appstore.

If you're getting coverage in AppCraver, that's great! (they featured my app once, and myself via a developer interview and it helped. I also 'tweeted' the coverage, and that had a ripple effect. You'd be surprised how many twitterers are looking for something to retweet so they can provide content to their followers.

But if you're getting publicity and can't point people to a web site that sells your app, it's like spitting into the wind.

I'll buy your app and try to give you some specific suggestions.

Thanks Todd --

Sorry my signature has really nothing to do with my app, maybe I should add some info.

Here are some other links that may help the community get a better feel for what we're doing marketing wise

http://www.jetmanjack.com

http://www.twitter.com/jetmanjack

http://www.vimeo.com/axium

Here is also the link to the appcraver.com review....

http://www.appcraver.com/jetman-jack/


Like I said, we should have our demo video and webisode/commercial up on Vimeo and YouTube sometime late tonight.

 

[JohnnyQuest]

I would create a more unique, eye-catching icon first. I like pretty icons on my iPhone haha, and I'm drawn to ones in the app store that are pleasing to the eye. I also think that releasing some sort of "LITE" version is an effective way to promote your game, and actually gets people to buy the full-priced version.