Promoting your iPhone and Android Apps with Publicity
Promoting your iPhone and Android Apps with Publicity
With hundreds of thousands of iPhone and Droid apps available for sale how can any Smartphone App developer get traction with their app?
It’s simple:Publicity.
As a publicist I’ve promoted hundreds of products and services using publicity. Apps are becoming so important to our society that the media MUST report on ones that are of interest to their audience. To get the media’s attention you need someone who deals with the news media on a daily basis. Sure you can do PR yourself up to a point. But, if you’re not available when they call or are busywriting code all the time, you may miss the opportunity for exposure. Furthermore, do you really want to allocate a few hours of your day to strategize and promote your app? Of course not, and that’s why smart developers hire a publicist to handle that chore.
For a little inspiration we’ve compiled a few case studies of iPhone and Droid Apps my firm,WestwindiPhone App Publicityhas promoted:
1. DYI Democracy App for the Prometheus Institute, a think tank inLos Angeles. A “California only app”that had more downloads than the bible during the first weeks of its initiallaunch. Westwind’s media and online marketing campaign put the app on a pace for 50,000 annual downloads in just the first weeks after launch.
2.ICEPICs. The app pinpoints the useron a map and automatically sends the photos to people the user pre-selects. Westwind iPhone App Publicityplaced stories in WallStreet Journal Radio, LA Times TravelSection and numerous media outlets. The YouTube views increased by 13,500 overnight after one major social media hit. We targeted both the safety and security market as well as the travel markets in the campaign.
3.Sacramento Book Review created an iPhone app called “KIDS BOOK App.” With their office a short drive to Silicon Valley they chose midwest based Westwind Communications to promote two new apps related to book reviews for Kids books. Westwind Communications has been promoting authors and their books for years so we were able to tap into our wealth of contacts in the book media world who would be interested in this book related app. The result: We kept KIDSBOOK App in the news by tying into book signings by bestselling authors and reaching out to reviewers who wanted to hear about the latest book app.
4.VUVAZAGA, This was an app game tied into World Cup Soccer and the fans’use of the 3 foot long horn, the Vuvuzella. In fact, the word “Vuvuzella” was named the most important new word in 2010. This developer identified this as a trend months before the World Cup Soccer games began. He anticipated its news focus and tied into it beautifully. Westwind Communications obtained world wideattention for this app.
5. LeadMyGoals, Inspired by thebest-seller 7 Habits of Highly EffectivePeople, this app was designed to record goals, tasks, milestones and trackprogress and personal performance. Westwind tied into the inspiration of theapp which was a bestselling book to gain traction with people who loved thatbook. Westwind also tied into New Year’s resolutions mania which is the mostpopular time of the year to set goals.
6.Traverse Traveler Designed topromote a very popular tourist area of northern Michigan’s wine country and the dining establishments of Traverse City. The app helps people find out about attractions and helps them navigate to the next vineyard. Westwind iPhone AppPublicityobtained dozens of TV, Radio and print placements in Michigan and across the USA. It hit 1000 downloads 25 days after launch and it was in the OFF season. Just wait until peak summer time travel season hits, then the downloads will really take off.
7.Livermore Valley App. This apppromotes the wine country of Livermore Valley, California. Wine connoisseurs and travelers are able to use this app to plan their trips to this wine region often lost in the shadow of the high exposure the Napa Valley vineyards receive. Westwind iPhone App Publicity launched the app, got reviews and media exposure.
8.sir Sampleton music app from thecreator of Atari sounds and the famous PCS TV commercial ‘Hello, Hello Hello.’From obtaining video reviews to blurbs and mentions in music publications, Westwindplayed upon this developer’s creative background and reputation to launch theapp into the hearts and minds of thousands of users.
9.Clubzone app– clubZone’s mission is to organize the world’s nightlife information. The clubZone app provided a comprehensive city-specific nightlife guide with content ranked by popularity, helping party people quickly see which events are hot. Their proprietary New Year’s Eve ranking system made it easy to quickly find the most popular New Year’s Eve events in dozens of cities in the US and Canada. Westwind iPhone AppPublicity obtained video reviews, dozens of reviews on the iTunes store and generated a buzz online and in numerous publications including the Miami Tribune as well as popular internet sites. Says the developer, “We were doing 70 to 80 downloadsper day… and it shot up quickly to 170, 180, 190, 200… then as our New Years Eve traffic started to build, we had days… 400, 500, 600… on the last day, we peaked at just over 1,000 downloads.”
10.RanDinger, a new Android App, allows the user to preview over 10 million tracks as their ringtone for $2.99 – the cost of the app. Each new call features a different tune based upon user choices. “If you like U2, then the next time your phone rings it could be a sample of “Beautiful Day”or “With or Without You.” Or if Kid Rock is more your style then youmight hear “Born Free” or “All Summer Long. Westwind immediately obtained a radio interview during peak drive time on WJR, Detroit’s number 1 news/talk station with the developers. We then landed a front page story in a major suburban newspaper, the Observer/Eccentric. More interviews are scheduled with business publications. Reviews are pouring in, as people love the app. (35,686 downloads in the first 110 days)
Westwind is usually privy to sales information as it helps us determine what pitch, and what media drove the most downloads. Some developers understandably, like to keep that quiet to not attract competition. We’ve seen copycat apps pop up to steal market share, so it’s best not to talk about huge sales for this reason alone.
Thesebrief case studies efforts are intended as illustrations of how a public relationsprofessional, especially one with Internet marketing savvy, can move an Appdeveloper high above the clutter into the niche market arena that will place himin the middle of shoppers and buyers using Publicity as the primary tool. For mylist of “52 Tips To Promote Your iPhone App”as well as other ideas on promoting an iPhone or Android app visit: www.iPhoneAppPublicity.com
If you are ready to put publicity to work for you then tell us about your app at www.iPhoneAppPublicity.com and we’ll create a winning proposal for you.
About Scott Lorenz and Westwind iPhone App Publicity
Scott Lorenz is President of Westwind Communications, a public relations and marketing firm that has a special knack for working with individuals and entrepreneurs to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Lorenz has handled public relations and marketing for numerous iPhoneApp developers, authors, doctors, lawyers, inventors and entrepreneurs. Learn more about Westwind iPhone AppPublicity at www.iPhoneAppPublicity.com or contact Lorenz at scottlorenz@iPhoneAppPublicity.com or by phone at 734-667-2090.
With hundreds of thousands of iPhone and Droid apps available for sale how can any Smartphone App developer get traction with their app?
It’s simple:Publicity.
How do you get it? Hire a publicist who’ll “pitch” the media about your iPhone orDriod app.
That’s Where Westwind iPhone App Publicity Comes In
Westwind has the media contacts in the tech world and in main stream media and will get the reviews and media coverage you desire.
Get “21 Tips on Howto Promote your at App” at: www.iPhoneAppPublicity.com or contact publicistScott Lorenz at scottlorenz@iPhoneAppPublicity.com or by phone at 734-667-2090.