The app is free now. What's next?

Discussion in 'Public Game Developers Forum' started by rudybear, Apr 22, 2010.

  1. rudybear

    rudybear Well-Known Member

    Sep 20, 2009
    65
    0
    0
    Hi

    After my sales dropped to zero, I did my app free, just for the test. I wrote only one sentence here, in ta forum, but now my app in several countries, including USA in free tops on games\puzzle and games\family and even in all games. It looks great, of course, but now I'm basically don't know what's next.
    From one hand, I'd like to sell it for money :) From another, I don't know what happens right after the app would be paid again. I see no any kind of hype on google, I doubt that Apple will notice that (will they?). I think an app just disappear from the tops and that's all.
    So, do you have any advises? What usually works in this situation?
     
  2. originalcopy

    originalcopy Well-Known Member

    Sep 10, 2009
    369
    0
    0
    I would like to know that as well. Maybe your app will be picked up and featured in one of those "free app of the day" sites and it will generate enough downloads to put in in the top 100 apps in the appstore. Is that how it's supposed to work?
     
  3. PixelthisMike

    PixelthisMike Well-Known Member

    No, you submit your app to those sites asking to be included
     
  4. bravetarget

    bravetarget Well-Known Member

    Sep 14, 2009
    330
    0
    0
    update with in app purchases.......orrrrrr switch back to paid and see what happens.
     
  5. rudybear

    rudybear Well-Known Member

    Sep 20, 2009
    65
    0
    0
    i though about app-in purchases, but the application is kinda hmm finished. I have no idea what I can sell there :)
     
  6. Flickitty

    Flickitty Well-Known Member

    Oct 14, 2009
    761
    1
    0
    iPhone Dev
    ... well... uhhh ?

    I'm at a loss for words.

    I'm not sure why people take action and then come here to ask what should be done next. These should have been planned BEFORE taking the action. This is like going skydiving: do you jump out of the plane and then ask the instructor what to do next?

    What if he says "you forgot your parachute!"

    rudybear, you don't even have your app listed in your sig. Once you go back to paid, you drop immediately from the charts. Don't expect that you will gain substantial sales from this.

    Your best option might be to keep an eye on your FREE chart movement and determine if you think it is sustainable. If it is, you might consider staying free and adding an in-game purchase. DO NOT consider adding downloadable content, or I will come to your house and pee in your refrigerator. Do not try to upsell, instead, think of something else to sell.

    Impossible Test decided to sell the 'answers' to the test. An ingenious idea.
     
  7. rudybear

    rudybear Well-Known Member

    Sep 20, 2009
    65
    0
    0
    Sure, you're right. But, well, there was no sales, absolutely. I saw nothing to lose. Now, at least my ego is fine :) People write good reviews.

    It's a puzzle iTubes (http://toucharcade.com/link/http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=331051505&mt=8). But actually I heard, what I want to heard: that wouldn't give my sales boost. Thanks!

    Good point, thanks!
     
  8. Stroffolino

    Stroffolino Well-Known Member
    Patreon Silver

    Apr 28, 2009
    1,100
    8
    38
    Software Engineer
    Pennsylvania
    If you go back to paid, your app ranking will be reset. That doesn't mean that you won't end up getting a sales boost. If you're getting lots of good ratings despite being free, that's a very healthy sign. Just as you had nothing to lose by going free, you have little to lose by going pay again.

     
  9. DaveLev

    DaveLev Well-Known Member

    Nov 18, 2009
    161
    0
    0
    Indie Games Developer for iPhone
    Derby, UK.
    What do you have against Downloadable Content? Is it not just the same as in-game purchase? You need the internet to be able to log into iTunes to buy the in-game purchase so it can't be an offline/online thing. I see them as just the same thing.
     
  10. Rhythm

    Rhythm Member

    Dec 28, 2009
    8
    0
    0
    #10 Rhythm, Apr 23, 2010
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2010
    Your ranking resets anyways, regardless of whether you are switching between free and paid (that's the point of rankings!). Higher ranks over time mean a sustained awareness of your app (which the ranking itself helps to promote). However, switching your app to free often raises awareness of your app which can convert directly to sales when you switch back to paid. That's why free app websites work, and that's why app developers switch their app to free for promotional periods all the time.

    I think there were a few threads about this earlier if you run a search here on TA. One important factor for developers successfully doing this though is that usually there is a baseline number of sales for the app before they go paid. I haven't heard of anyone going from 0 sales on paid to getting ranked on free and then suddenly get a lot of sales on switching back :)

    Like Stroffolino said though, what's there to lose? Your ego may be good now, but personally I'd rather have some money in my pocket!
     
  11. NickFalk

    NickFalk Well-Known Member

    Flickitty can probably answer this better himself, but he never said he had anything against downloadable content. If you go to some of the other forums on this board you'll find however that changing free to freemium will anger a lot of people.

    Angry customers does not bode well for the future...
     
  12. Sinecure Industries

    Sinecure Industries Well-Known Member

    Now that you have exposure and a userbase, do an update and put some ads in. I mean really, what do you have to lose at this point?
     
  13. I downloaded your game and it is great :) good work
    Maybe try to reach more audience by making iPad version and more activity in forums (maybe some reviewers will want to make a review).

    You can try pricing it higher (it's really worth it :D) go for 1.99 and 2/3.99 on iPad
     
  14. rudybear

    rudybear Well-Known Member

    Sep 20, 2009
    65
    0
    0
    Thanks! :)

    Still not decided finally, what to do next.
    About activity, I was tried to promote it myself, but what i've got basically, that is toucharcade really make sense, and absolutely no results from review\forum posts\banners on another sites. I had no luck to be promoted here, well, huh, I see no another possibility.

    Btw, is it any chance to be noticed by Apple, if your free app is in top 100 like games\puzzle?
     
  15. Pamx

    Pamx Well-Known Member

    Oct 9, 2009
    303
    0
    0
    UK
    There's always a chance of being featured by Apple, regardless of your app's position in the charts.

    Honestly, I don't think you've had enough downloads of your game to sustain it in the paid charts yet on word of mouth alone. But as you have a Lite version, maybe it wouldn't be disastrous to go back to paid with an ad in your Lite.

    Good luck! :)


     
  16. and advertisements wouldnt hurt as well. :)
     
  17. I think there is a key distinction here about who exactly is complaining. IAP/DLC may anger a small percentage of TouchArcade users, but IAP/DLC is where a lot of companies like ngmoco are making all their money.

    As long as the IAP/DLC makes sense in your game and doesn't seem like a direct ripoff or bait and switch, I say go for it.

    You can't please everyone, especially the small but vocal minority of people that think you should continue providing them with new content forever for a one-time $0.99 purchase.
     
  18. Pamx

    Pamx Well-Known Member

    Oct 9, 2009
    303
    0
    0
    UK

    Agreed 100%. Of course devs have to listen to feedback & respond to it where feasible, but when all's said & done, this is not just a hobby for most of us.
     
  19. Flickitty

    Flickitty Well-Known Member

    Oct 14, 2009
    761
    1
    0
    iPhone Dev
    Yep, this is the key. IAP/DLC is difficult to pull off in my opinion, and I see far too many games that are simply gimped up and almost unplayable because the *real* game is contained within the DLC.

    Make sure it makes sense.

    Almost a decade ago, I had predicted that the industry would move in this direction. It was an impossibility because micropayments were not really feasible at the time- even payments of $0.99 were uncommon. In my statement, I had talked about releasing a game one level at a time or in episodes. I can't say that my statements were popular at the time.

    If anyone would like to point out a specific IAP/DLC game, I'll check it out. I don't like making blanket statements like 'IAP/DLC IS BAD!" because as I pointed out before, I think Impossible Test is a good example of proper IAP.
     
  20. klicktock

    klicktock Well-Known Member

    Oct 13, 2009
    416
    0
    16
    Director of KlickTock
    Ballarat, Vic, Australia
    You still don't have your app in your sig. I had to dig back a page, and search on your name before I found the link.

    You've got a great space to integrate adverts - right where it says "classical"!
     

Share This Page