Elements of a Successful AppElements of a Successful App

By: Dynamic ZolutionsBy: Dynamic Zolutions

OverviewOverview

Market ResearchMarket Research Popular CategoriesPopular Categories Current top appsCurrent top apps Elements of a successful appElements of a successful app ExamplesExamples ConclusionConclusion

Market ResearchMarket Research

Market ResearchMarket Research

iTunes Popular CategoriesiTunes Popular CategoriesNumbers next to category indicate amount Numbers next to category indicate amount

of apps each one containof apps each one contain

Popularity is determined by the amount of Popularity is determined by the amount of apps downloads each category getapps downloads each category get

The most popular the category, the The most popular the category, the harder is to be top 10 within that category harder is to be top 10 within that category but the most profitablebut the most profitable

Example from Fifa App: The amount of Example from Fifa App: The amount of downloads to be top 5 on the Sports downloads to be top 5 on the Sports category is around 250-300 dailycategory is around 250-300 daily

Example from Budget app: The amount of Example from Budget app: The amount of downloads to be top 5 on the Finance downloads to be top 5 on the Finance category is around 200-250 dailycategory is around 200-250 daily

1. Games (43,000)2. Entertainment (27K)3. Utilities (14K)4. Social Network (3K)5. Music (7K)6. Productivity (6K)7. Lifestyle (10K)8. Reference (7K)9. Travel (11K)10. Sports (6K)11. Navigation (6K)12. Healthcare & Fitness (5K)13. News (5K)14. Photography (3K)15. Finance (3K)16. Business (5K)17. Education (12K)18. Weather (1K)19. Books (26K)20. Medical (2K)

Some Top apps examplesSome Top apps examples EntertainmentEntertainment

• Fatbooth (0.99)Fatbooth (0.99)• Pocket God (0.99)Pocket God (0.99)• Talking Carl (0.99)Talking Carl (0.99)• Gun Builder (0.99)Gun Builder (0.99)• Aging Booth (0.99)Aging Booth (0.99)

UtilitiesUtilities• 90 in 1 appz (0.99)90 in 1 appz (0.99)• Red Laser (0.99)Red Laser (0.99)• A Volume Amp (0.99)A Volume Amp (0.99)• Alarm Clock Pro (0.99)Alarm Clock Pro (0.99)• Battery Doctor Pro (0.99)Battery Doctor Pro (0.99)

ProductivityProductivity• Streaks (1.99)Streaks (1.99)• Best Alarm Clock (0.99)Best Alarm Clock (0.99)• Emoji Plus (0.99)Emoji Plus (0.99)• GoodReader (0.99)GoodReader (0.99)• Awesome Note (3.99)Awesome Note (3.99)

LifestyleLifestyle• Craiglist (0.99)Craiglist (0.99)• How to cook everything (4.99)How to cook everything (4.99)• More Toast (0.99)More Toast (0.99)• Corkbin (0.99)Corkbin (0.99)• iKamasutra (2.99)iKamasutra (2.99)

Healthcare & FitnessHealthcare & Fitness• iFitness (1.99)iFitness (1.99)• Calorie Tracker (2.99)Calorie Tracker (2.99)• Sleep Cycle (0.99)Sleep Cycle (0.99)• Period Tracker (1.99)Period Tracker (1.99)• Calorie Counter (2.99)Calorie Counter (2.99)

EducationEducation• Wheels on the Bus (0.99)Wheels on the Bus (0.99)• Cookie Doodle (0.99)Cookie Doodle (0.99)• Star Walk (2.99)Star Walk (2.99)• Teachme (0.99)Teachme (0.99)• Math Bingo (0.99)Math Bingo (0.99)

MusicMusic• I am T-Pain (0.99)I am T-Pain (0.99)• Shazam encore (4.99)Shazam encore (4.99)• Ultimate Guitar (2.99)Ultimate Guitar (2.99)• Music Lyrics (0.99)Music Lyrics (0.99)• Tunein Radio (1.99)Tunein Radio (1.99)

BusinessBusiness• Documents to go (14.99)Documents to go (14.99)• PDF Reader Pro (0.99)PDF Reader Pro (0.99)• Quick Office (9.99)Quick Office (9.99)• To Do list (0.99)To Do list (0.99)• iSchedule (2.99)iSchedule (2.99)• Scanner Pro (6.99)Scanner Pro (6.99)

FinanceFinance• Ace Budget (0.99)Ace Budget (0.99)• Financial Calc (5.99)Financial Calc (5.99)• iExpense it (4.99)iExpense it (4.99)• iCurrency (0.99)iCurrency (0.99)• Accounts (0.99)Accounts (0.99)

Pay attention to the name, price, and category

Elements of a successful appElements of a successful app

1.1. New or improved successful ideaNew or improved successful idea2.2. Great NameGreat Name3.3. Great IconGreat Icon4.4. Right PriceRight Price5.5. Free versionFree version6.6. Lots of screenshotsLots of screenshots7.7. UI intuitivenessUI intuitiveness8.8. Easy navigationEasy navigation9.9. Registration formRegistration form10.10. Face book connectivityFace book connectivity11.11. Supportive WebsitesSupportive Websites12.12. Updates every other weekUpdates every other week13.13. PR, video review, promo codes, PR, video review, promo codes,

mediamedia

1. Idea1. Idea

The idea is to see which apps has been on top for the longest time, and mimicking those We will add more features and a fresh new look so it looks different

The main idea of an app should perform these two actions:

Does it solve a common problem?Does it make people laugh?

http://appshopper.com/bestsellers/entertainment/paid/?device=iphone

2. Great App Name2. Great App Name CatchyCatchy DescriptiveDescriptive SEO proof (common searchable term)SEO proof (common searchable term)

Example 1: When we first launch iCup Live scores, the name did not included the word Live radio anywhere. Once we added them, sales went up.

Example 2: A world cup app called 2010 South Africa World Cup got the most downloads during world cup, because of common searchable terms.

3. Great App Icon3. Great App IconAn image speaks a 1000 wordsAn image speaks a 1000 words

Now. Compare these icons above with the ones below

Non descriptive, non attractive, boring

4. Right Price4. Right PriceTake a look at the following scenario. If an app is priced at $0.99 and Apple takes 30%, The app only makes about $0.70 per copy. It will need to sell 71,428 copies a year or 196 copies a day to do 50K a year. Here is the table

Another option is to create in store purchase where people pay a monthly fee or an option for them to upgrade in top of the cost of the app, ex. Having a financial app that does budget, to add a loan calculator the user will have to pay 99 cents, etc.

5. FREE Version5. FREE Version

Anti piracy codeAnti piracy code Limited FeaturesLimited Features Up sale pointing to Up sale pointing to

full versionfull version

A free app gets downloaded about 1000 times compare to a paid one which the same app could get like 50 downloads.

6. Lots of Screenshots….6. Lots of Screenshots….

Having a lot of screenshots

tells the customer that the

app has lots of features and is worth the money

6. …With amazing graphics6. …With amazing graphics

7. User Interface Intuitiveness7. User Interface IntuitivenessThis topic is the one that will make an app successful or destroy it success. Customer experience is the most important thing when it comes to feedback. An easy to use app is easy to learn and create a satisfactory feeling within customers. The simpler the better. Buttons, navigation, similar iphone functionality will help tremendously. See below

8. Easy Navigation8. Easy NavigationAgain, this has to do with familiarity, some navigations are on the first page, or in the bottom, or at the last buttons to add more options. The important thing is to make it easy for the customer.

Bottom navigation Home page navigation

9. Registration Form9. Registration FormMarketing power

Facebook Fans

Having a registration form will provide us marketing power for future apps. We can add all users to our facebook page, and update everyone at the same time. All our apps should have a registration form either in the front or in the settings page called promotions or receive promo codes on your email for new apps and new versions, etc. See example.

Each app will have its own customized version. This one pertains to a budget one.

10. Facebook Connectivity10. Facebook Connectivity

Viral marketingViral marketing Customer Motivation to share the appCustomer Motivation to share the app Customer feedback and communicationCustomer feedback and communication Better Customer serviceBetter Customer service

12. Supportive Website12. Supportive Website One for all or each one separateOne for all or each one separate Chat option for immediate customer S.Chat option for immediate customer S.

Example:

Here is a list: http://www.designussion.com/the-best-iphone-app-websites-of-2009/

13. Updates every other week13. Updates every other weekItunes accounts (currently 32)Reviews for each release.

The key here is create updates every week on Thursday. So as soon as a version is approved and ready for sale a new upload will follow the same day. This will also provide 50 promo codes for every version, making 20 of them distributable around blogs and reviews websites.

Having 32 itunes accounts

Will display 32 positive ratings and it will make our app stand out from the rest

PR, video review, promo codes, mediaPR, video review, promo codes, mediaMarketing is a continue effort, but there is a point where you run out of things you can do to control the scenarios, therefore, for every new app, we have to advertise our other apps. Take a look at this excellent feedback page:

With forms like this, the user will feel important as they will know we listen.Examples: Feature request & Bug reports

Other products tab will allow us to advertise our other apps in the app store.

Once we have a set of 3 or 4, people will start looking for us because we will create a standard of perfect apps, great graphics, great customers service, and the most important one, great customer experience.