hi everyone found these forums very interesting and filled with great discussions I wanted your opinions regarding promo codes and other methods of giving free copies of your app. What is the best way?, is promo codes the way to go? are they simple to use?
Easy as iTunes connect -> manage you apps -> your app -> view details -> promo codes You can get 50 per app version.. Great for rewards and reviewers.. Here is a trick... Some times it can be tricky to work out which codes have been used... So log out of your normal iTunes account an try using the promo code... If it ask you to login then it is valid otherwise it will give invalid (hint don't log in when it asks you)
Thanks for the answer ClockWork That sounds like a very helpful to tip to prevent embarrassing situations! Is there any other distribution method for free versions or promo codes is the only solution out there?
Promo codes is the easiest. For beta testers/reviewers you can provide an Ad Hoc version of your app by including the tester or reviewers UDID in your Mobile Provisioning file, but there are only 100 slots per year, and those people won't automatically get any updates to the game you put out. For media, reviewers and contest prizes/giveaways promo codes really are the simplest option.
I tried this method but it always asks me to log in (even on promo codes I know have been redeemed). I'm tried this on my computer and iPhone. Maybe this "trick" went away with the latest iTunes update
When you do an update to your game you get another 50 codes, so if you have to fix bugs or add features each time you update with a new App Store version, the number of codes is refreshed to 50, and people you have given codes to before will automatically get the update from the App Store, so you can give them to different people each time. As we've got loads of different games on the store, I keep a spreadsheet with who I've given codes to so I can check the types of games different journalists like, let them know if there's a major update etc.
Don't forget you can always gift an app to someone if you've used up your promo codes. I've done it...sure you have to pay but you'll get 70% of it back at least (put your app on sale first haha). In fact you can pull the number from the end of the "gift url" and send that to someone. It will work just liike a promo code.