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Hi, I'm a new app developer and I recently published my first app on the android market. Unfortunently I'm not getting any downloads besides those from friends. I've tried posted in app development forums like this one but that did not create an downloads. I also tried running an admob campaign and that did not create any downloads. I've been reading through the forums here and at other sites and it seems people won't download unless you have reviews and other people downloading. If others won't download because no downloads then nobody will download. I would really appreciate any advice. I'm not expecting or hoping for 10000 + downloads but I was hoping for at least 5 downloads since it's been almost 3 weeks now. Thanks for the suggestions.
go to smaller android blogs and ask them to review it. create youtube video and show how it works
This blog post documents my experience in App Marketing
This blog post documents my experience in App Marketing
http://karim-ouda.blogspot.com/2012/05/android-app-marketing-dumping-my.html
Submit your app to http://50bestandroidapps.com/
Submit your app to 50bestandroidapps.com
It's a good web site to get your apps promoted. :fingers-crossed:
the_main_app said:
Hi, I'm a new app developer and I recently published my first app on the android market. Unfortunently I'm not getting any downloads besides those from friends. I've tried posted in app development forums like this one but that did not create an downloads. I also tried running an admob campaign and that did not create any downloads. I've been reading through the forums here and at other sites and it seems people won't download unless you have reviews and other people downloading. If others won't download because no downloads then nobody will download. I would really appreciate any advice. I'm not expecting or hoping for 10000 + downloads but I was hoping for at least 5 downloads since it's been almost 3 weeks now. Thanks for the suggestions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Increase SEO of app..
In app details, enter large no. of keywords related with the app. Also, enter name of other similar popular apps as keyword.
It'll not just increase visibility in built-in search results, but also on external search engines and curators!
I might be able to help?
If you are looking to get your app promoted, I actually own and operate a website called Droid App of the Day, so if you would like a free app review visit my site (I cant post links as am a new member). A google search won't fail you!
the_main_app said:
Hi, I'm a new app developer and I recently published my first app on the android market. Unfortunently I'm not getting any downloads besides those from friends. I've tried posted in app development forums like this one but that did not create an downloads. I also tried running an admob campaign and that did not create any downloads. I've been reading through the forums here and at other sites and it seems people won't download unless you have reviews and other people downloading. If others won't download because no downloads then nobody will download. I would really appreciate any advice. I'm not expecting or hoping for 10000 + downloads but I was hoping for at least 5 downloads since it's been almost 3 weeks now. Thanks for the suggestions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello friend, I have the same problem as you! I also have a new android app, but cannot promote it properly. Could you please, share your experience on promoting your app. It would be interesting not only for me Good luck!
I have wrote this guide for people like me. I have wrote almost everything I tried when I was promoting my app.
http://obscurant1st.biz/blog/how-to-promote-android-app/
obscurant1st said:
I have wrote this guide for people like me. I have wrote almost everything I tried when I was promoting my app.
http://obscurant1st.biz/blog/how-to-promote-android-app/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great article! Thanks for sharing this
Few words about google play app pronotion
Empirically, I determined that a new application has to be seen through search Google play. Search is all that we have without money for a marketing campaign.
Therefore,application should be optimized in the following order:
Application name in google play. This name may be different from the name displayed on the desktop device. The application name contains 30 characters, they should contain the main application keywords.
Description of the application must be clear and also contain keywords.
Attractive icons are very important.
The application must be beautiful and functional. No need to buy a device for $ 300-500 and install an ugly app. People want a beautiful application.
Publication of forums mentioned above.
Well if you don't mind paying for installations try appbrain. It features an option to pay per installation, for a small number of installations you can go as low as 0,20 per installation. They only allow to promote free apps though, and if your income is from ads you will probably not get your money back.
Other options are going to forums and telling the users about your app. Or contact review blogs. Appeggs usally posts good apps, or try app of the day blogs. But make sure your app is ready for the big public or else you might just end up getting bad reviews,
I wrote a little guide on how to promote your apps http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2225125
I wanted to add that the guide that i've been using (a small one) and that lead our team to initially post a thread here on XDA is: http://karim-ouda.blogspot.kr/2012/05/android-app-marketing-dumping-my.html
Interestingly enough, the author of that guide has posted here as well!
So keywords actually do stuff then? I only tried it in one app, I didn't tell anyone I built or released the app. Not even one or two people and admittedly it has had 200 downloads.
I thought it didn't really do anything. Think I have to add keywords to all my apps descs now.
Be careful with keywords: http://droid-blog.net/2011/06/13/how-to-not-get-kicked-out-of-android-market/
This is also interesting: http://droid-blog.net/2011/07/11/four-reasons-why-your-app-wont-be-successful/
And for tips: http://droid-blog.net/category/aso-2/
Ok. It is all from the same blog but I found it very helpful.
Advertising is one option, the other is to advertise your app on various forums, facebook groups. Making youtube video is also a good practice. It avoids you negative reviews as user has already been aware of all app features.
First of all, I want to say that I have no experience in promoting Android apps. But I did some work in promoting websites for businesses, and I can suggest some things.
Key is a having a functional app. If users download an app which is half done and has disabled functions because they aren't done yet, they are going to uninstall it. Second suggestion, a great design is makes a difference for a lot of people whether they're going to install it or not.
When you have both those things, you can get on with actually promoting the app. I would search for an SEO copywriter to get the description for your app. SEO copywriters are specialized in optimizing texts for Google. And I would look into advertising on Facebook. I think you can actually promote your apps, and advertise only on phones. This way your advertisement will only be showed to people who are using Facebook on their phone. User will probably more tempted to install the app.
My app is now having more 1600+ downloads! I am planning to do a major update which might increase the app exposure!
EDIT: I would like everyone to know that I have started a free review service, so if anyone in the process of promoting thier android app, they could consider requesting a free review from me!
the_main_app said:
How to Promote Android Apps?
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Hello to all.
You can promote your apps at Appsorg.com :good:
Appsorg.com - Helps you share and organize your Android apps from around the web.
ps - This is my first post at xda, but this is not a spam )
I really think this site will be very helpfully to all of us
App promotion
Thanks for all the interesting links and posts on app marketing ideas. We're a new app developer & in the same boat.
It seems that App Store Optimisation along with submissions to as many review sites as possible are good starting points. We started looking at pre launch strategies as well focusing on building up some marketing steam.
Check out pre apps. It's a pretty interesting idea. We also submitted to any app dev competitions and as many journalists as we could. Paid reviews are worth a look at as well if you can scrape a few 100 bucks together but make sure the site has traffic
dinamotxt dot com
Hi! I'm Dylan, the xda intern :victory:
I'm doing some research on how devs monetize their apps. We're currently exploring ways to help you make more money from your apps and we'd like to find out about what you currently do. If you could please, please take this short survey, it would be much appreciated! We promise to keep everything confidential; in fact, the survey is anonymous.
Thanks again! :laugh:
~dylan
Gave the survey.
Where can i see the results?
ablawle which
Make an account in Admob by google. And read this monetization in developer.android
Forums
Posting on forums or other websites that allow it.
Today in this competitive world whether you have an iPad app...., Android app or any Mobile app you need to advertise to make people know about your app. very important factor for advertising your app is effectively determining where and how to advertise your app.effective app advertising requires mainly 4 key areas....
Brand
Buzz
Balanced opportunity
Social Media support
I have the same problem.
2 weeks ago I published an Android app but very few people tried it.
The market is full of apps so it's hard to acquire visibility.
So I'm looking for websites to advertise it.
admob sucks
I have like 40,000 plus downloads on admob. got like 9 dollars. U don't need to advertise. Just pick a name. They will find it. The market is large
Posting on forums, when allowed
Contacting websites and suggesting the app for review
Using admob for monetization
We tried admob too, no luck there. Posting on forums (where allowed), trying to make a good icon and description and looots of luck
we tried getting some reviews done too, but didn't see any rise in downloads. Also we got into a printed medium too, which didn't seem to have much impact either.
posting it on social network like google+,fb+twitter+forum is way better than admob
Yes idlike to know this
Sent from my GT-I9070 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
One major problem, (for example with google play) is that they dont actually give a chance
for new developers to promote their applications
Our apps hide under a pile of dozen of others.
One sulution
A random application could be featured on the main entry page every hour.
This will balance the major companies promoting their stuff. And if the app is good, it wil get
the hype to climb up
Unfortunately we dont see that comming soon.
carbonpeople said:
One sulution
A random application could be featured on the main entry page every hour.
This will balance the major companies promoting their stuff. And if the app is good, it wil get
the hype to climb up
Unfortunately we dont see that comming soon.
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Click to collapse
And why? Because there are lots of crappy apps out there. I'm glad (even from a developer standpoint) that this won't happen.
nikwen said:
And why? Because there are lots of crappy apps out there. I'm glad (even from a developer standpoint) that this won't happen.
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a) Half of the apps in google play are NOT crap. Have you seen them promoted ?
I can point to some excelent apps (better than the well known competition) with
so little downloads that looks suspicius
b) Even imdb has a heuristics system to remove biased/suspicius rankings, so surely
google can do that. A crap-free promoting system can be created
But it seems that
1. Either major companies want to clear out small competition on google play
or
2. Or... some developers created a good highly-downloaded app and had their
idea stollen from somebody else who created a better one, and want
to push new competition out of the way
Either way...
carbonpeople said:
a) Half of the apps in google play are NOT crap. Have you seen them promoted ?
I can point to some excelent apps (better than the well known competition) with
so little downloads that looks suspicius
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Of course, there are many good apps. I even think that this is the majority.
And I've seen those great small apps, too. (But most of them got lots of downloads within a few months. It took some time but if the app is good and unique, you will get your downloads. )
b) Even imdb has a heuristics system to remove biased/suspicius rankings, so surely
google can do that. A crap-free promoting system can be created
But it seems that
1. Either major companies want to clear out small competition on google play
or
2. Or... some developers created a good highly-downloaded app and had their
idea stollen from somebody else who created a better one, and want
to push new competition out of the way
Either way...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that it is Google that doesn't want to promote the small apps.
If they did it randomly, most apps (not all!!!) would get less downloads than the bigger ones.
If they selected the small apps by hand, it would be very expensive and they wouldn't know where to start.
If they choose the big ones with many downloads (like now), they can be sure that they will get many downloads. And with downloads comes money.
I don't think it's fair, but I can't think of a better and still efficient method to select the small apps which generates as much income as the system does now.
~dylan said:
Hi! I'm Dylan, the xda intern :victory:
I'm doing some research on how devs monetize their apps. We're currently exploring ways to help you make more money from your apps and we'd like to find out about what you currently do. If you could please, please take this short survey, it would be much appreciated! We promise to keep everything confidential; in fact, the survey is anonymous.
Thanks again! :laugh:
~dylan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
well, i dont think ist good to use ads in an app anyway. better use "donations" or "Pro" Versions since ads will make your Reviews and Ratings worst.
mynote said:
well, i dont think ist good to use ads in an app anyway. better use "donations" or "Pro" Versions since ads will make your Reviews and Ratings worst.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A combination of approaches work best. Having a facebook presence helps. Some of the very successful apps integrate with facebook very well. Some games tend to grant more time/lives if you share or like on facebook (Candy Crush, for example).
Depending on the app, limited-time trial versions are quite effective.
Agree that plain ads can be problematic as they can lead to poor reviews.. that in turn can hit your G. Play ranking and lead to fewer downloads.
Hi guys! Interesting discussion. Actually there are number of general ways to monetize an app:
Paid applications. You create an app that will charge a certain amount from the beginning.
Freemium. A software product can be downloaded free (so-called 'lite' version), while its extended, 'premium' features and services are offered for a payment.
Subscription (paid access). This monetization model originates from real magazines and newspapers, and is also very widespread.
In-app purchases.
Ad banners, texts, videos - this monetization model is constantly growing, encompassing the market of free applications.
User base. When the free software you own finally becomes popular, wins an audience, it can also be used for further monetization.
MobiDevCorp said:
Hi guys! Interesting discussion. Actually there are number of general ways to monetize an app:
Paid applications. You create an app that will charge a certain amount from the beginning.
Freemium. A software product can be downloaded free (so-called 'lite' version), while its extended, 'premium' features and services are offered for a payment.
Subscription (paid access). This monetization model originates from real magazines and newspapers, and is also very widespread.
In-app purchases.
Ad banners, texts, videos - this monetization model is constantly growing, encompassing the market of free applications.
User base. When the free software you own finally becomes popular, wins an audience, it can also be used for further monetization.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And which one do you prefer?
nikwen said:
And which one do you prefer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually we develop mobile apps for our clients, so it's monetization is their decision.
One of the most widespread one is freemium, but like other models it has its limitations.
Hi I recently published an app on google play but I’m not sure how to promote it.
I have spent 7 months developing it and now I’m trying to reach wider audience, I tried to promote my app on admob but it did not get the amount of installs. are there advertising options better than admob for my app and can you suggest any?
My app is called Smart Booster I posted the apk file.
I would like to share my experience with you..
Our company have developed many apps including Android and iOS.
At the first stage of our promotion,we choose Facebook ads.But unfortunately,Facebook only drove a very small amount of audience.Then we tried google display ads,.Google will show your picture ad on the relevant sites after you set the key words.The result is much better than FB ads.We are inspired and keep looking for more ways to promote our app.
I came across an app review site : Bestreviewapp（you can use google to find it) from another forum somewhere.Like most devs,I think such site is unbelievable and useless ,but I still wondered whether it really works.So I registered as a reviewer first,to see what it looks like.I saw many apps listed there for me to download and review,and they paid me real money after I reviewed and rated the app.A few days later,I have completed about 10 app reviews as a reviewer,I decided to try their service as developer for my own app.I ordered 30 reviews from US app store from them, got 24 5-stars and 6 4-stars.During the campaign ,I noticed my daily sale was increasing.I got double downloads than before.As they also recommend my app on their social media:Facebook,twitter and Google+.I think these also helps my app gaining more exposure.
Now I keep cooperation with them and I also review other developers' apps now and then.
A question was asked on a forum " Why does Google Admob & Facebook not work for promoting my app "
The reason admob, facebook and others are not particularly effective is because they 'exploit' app discovery by charging per install. This is a very expensive and un-scalable option for most app developers. According to a Gartner report released in January 2014, less than 0.01% of apps will be viable. That is a massive problem which should concern app developers.
App Developers need to learn the concept of broader marketing and branding and how it can be done cost effectively. So, PromotedApp Dot Com wants to help app developers achieve consistent downloads and user retention, through evangelism and branding of your app.
If you want sustainable marketing and long term discovery of your app with growing followers and sharing, then simply post your app on
PromotedApp
PromotedApp is a Visual & Social Media Startup helping solve the critical problem of app discovery and user retention. PromotedApp is like the Pinterest for apps!
Most importantly, its very affordable.. only $50.00 to post once, or $50.00 per month to create your own App Media Board. This can include all your gorgeous app screenshots, videos and articles. Developers can also message followers and users on the platform with app updates and incentives.
PromotedApp is at the beginning of helping solve a huge problem and we are developing algorithms and other attributes to help with app discovery.
It's important to realize facebook, google, twitter and co, were not built from scratch to help solve the problem of app discovery and user retention which is even more critical. What they do is exploit app discovery through cost per install, or pay per click ranging from $0.30 to $4.00. That is ok for them, but it really is not the cost effective way to scale your app brand.
App Developers should think like fortune 500 brands and understand the full spectrum of media & marketing to achieve sustainable retention with app consumers. For instance, if your app media board includes videos and article reviews about your app, users will start to integrate more closely with your app brand and share your content. This is the long term solution PromotedApp provides.
Apps can be shared and downloaded agnostically on any device and every piece of media uploaded can be followed, and also shared on major social networks.
Users can curate lifetime app boards for free, from developer postings they love. This way, your apps & updates can be downloaded more frequently, followed and shared with friends.
Hope all the above information helps App Developers learn how PromotedApp aims to help solve the problem of discovery.
We are Crowdfunding too! See the following link below if you'd like to become a Sponsor and have your app amplified as we scale! :
fundly dotcom/promotedapp
Hi all,
I have low budget for the marking of my new game that i will publish soon
I have only $200 , is that amount will effect or i will just spend for nothing ?
and how i can use them ?
Thanks
It would be very easy to throw that money away. It won't do a lot, all told. Focus instead on the app, encouraging people to review it positively, managing bad reviews, building up a good relationship with an initially small number of users so that they'll tell their mates and build your numbers up. Talk to people for whom your app solves a problem. They don't exist? Well, there's your problem and $200 of marketing won't help
Ryan.T.Student said:
It would be very easy to throw that money away. It won't do a lot, all told. Focus instead on the app, encouraging people to review it positively, managing bad reviews, building up a good relationship with an initially small number of users so that they'll tell their mates and build your numbers up. Talk to people for whom your app solves a problem. They don't exist? Well, there's your problem and $200 of marketing won't help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ryan has an important point: actually, adwords, facebook ads, *can* bring some result but at a too much heavy cost. I have tried them and my cost per install was like $5 to $10, for free apps...
Prompting users to review your app in your app works, but do it at moments when they achieve something positive with your app, like attaining a certain level in a game. Building a relationship is a key, i can't agree more to that
$200 is a low budget.
Try first the all free methods we all know are aware off (mailing, asking parents and friends to download and promote the app, posts on forums and so on).
Also try to exchange reviews with other developers (I'm always willing to do it, for instance).
And if your really want to boost the number of downloads of your games in order to look more attractive for users visiting your Google Play page, you can buy incentive installs from tapjoy (0.10 / install will give you up to 2,000 downloads (but I don't think it worth the effort, as vast majority will remove your app right after they get their rewards).
Here are some useful methods to increase downloads for consumer mobile apps:
• Application name-is unique
• Keywords-including related keywords, but be careful - don’t stuff every keyword into your app
• Make Facebook or Twitter page for your app and write story of your game there to attract every users
• Description. Your description is clearly the value of your App
Best of luck in your app business.