Marketing Mobile Applications

							Marketing Mobile Applications
     Silicon Beach Start-ups




                       January 10th 2012
              Who We Are
DogTown Media – www.dogtownmedia.com
  • Rob Pope - rob@dogtownmedia.com
  • Marc Fischer - marc@dogtownmedia.com


Twitter - @siliconbeachsu
www.siliconbeachstartups.org
             What’s This About?
Bringing the local tech community together…
  – Sparking innovation with open dialogue and discussions.

  – Offering support and creating new opportunities.

  – Sharing knowledge and experiences.
            Meet-Up Group
• Each month we’ll cover a different topic to
  open up to discussion.
• We don’t know everything. We’d love you
  guys to present.
• We’ll add your suggestions to this
  presentation then upload it to our website.
                iPhone App FAQs
iTunes App Store is arguably the most egalitarian
free-market on earth.

Low barriers to entry allow entrepreneurs to join in
as long as they have…
   •   A great concept
   •   Mac computer
   •   $99 developer account
   •   Access to a developer or skills to code
                Mobile is HERE
Rate of iPhone adoption 4 times faster than the
PC computer. (www.flurry.com)
  •   200 mln iOS devices sold
  •   18 bln apps downloaded
  •   100,000 developers
  •   550,000 apps
             Focus on Quality
• Make your app great or don’t make it all!

• The consumer is in the driver’s seat.

• What does a great app look like?
  • Instagram (app of the year)
  • Loopy App
  • FlipBoard
           Personal Networks
Leverage your contacts. Tell the world what your
doing. Call, e-mail, text, ask for feedback…

  • Family, Friends, and friends of friends.

  • Recruit them to help spread the word.

  • Promote on Facebook - Twitter - LinkedIn
Shamelessly Self Promote!
                Build a Website
Promote with a simple and stylish site.
   •   Include screenshots
   •   Write an enticing App description
   •   Visible links to your App Store page
   •   Optimize for search



Inexpensive website resources - www.themeforest.com
www.Dogboogie.com
Go Viral with Social
Integrate an “Invite a Friend”
Feature

Encourage your users to help
you grow through…
  – Facebook
  – Twitter
  – E-mail
             Ask for Reviews
• App store biased
  toward bad reviews,
  hurting sales.
• Satisfied users rarely
  takes time to write
  reviews.
• Check out Appirater
       In-App Cross Promotion
Leverage your user base from one app to cross-
promote new app releases.

  • Establish a user base with a free app.

  • Use the free app to present your other apps.

  • Create a menu tab with ‘Other Cool Apps’ or try
    “In-House Ads” with AdMob
   App Reviewers = Your Friends
Reviewers are bombarded with submissions –
make their job easy.

  • Create a demo video (Sharepoint.net)
     • 30 seconds to 2 minutes in length
     • Showcase best features
  • Stick to the facts
     • App name, developer name, price, category, etc.
  • Free reviews vs. sponsored
           Power of the Press
A well written press release can:
  • Get you media coverage
  • Blogger attention
  • SEO benefits

Press distribution outlets
  • PRWeb ($80 to $369)
  • 24-7 Press Release ($49 to $369)
  • PRMac (Free to $78)
            Blogger Outreach
Contact bloggers and journalists that write
about your industry niche.

  • If your have a beauty app, reach out to well
    known beauty writers.
  • For paid apps give the writer a “promo code” to
    test out your app for free. (Limit of 50)
                Ad Networks
Mobile ad campaigns can be cost effective.

  • Instant downloads from targeted mobile users.
  • Easy setup, control over budget, flexible terms.
  • Ability to generate positive ROI.
        Favorite Ad Networks
Flurry App Circle (www.flurry.com)
   • Pay-per download model (Min Bid $0.75)
   • Works well for higher price-tier apps
   • $250 to open account

AdWords for Mobile
   • App and mobile site display ads
   • Low CPC (Min Bid $0.01 CPC)

AdMob & MobClix
   • Bids as low as $0.05 CPC
        Don’t Waste Your Time
PPC Campaigns for Web Search
  • Expensive
  • Poor conversion rates


Web Display/Banner Ads
  • Poor targeting
  • Low Click Through Rates
         Useful Resources
Silicon Beach Startups
• http://Siliconbeachstartups.org
App Galaxy (Google)
• http://guidetotheappgalaxy.com
Mobile Orchard
• http://mobileorchard.com
              Next Meet Up
Top 10 Resources To Supercharge Your Start-Up

Wednesday, February 22, 2012, 7:00 PM

Brief presentation: 10 invaluable resources for
your start-up. Followed by a group discussion
and then drinks, obviously.