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The post 8 Tips for App Success (from 5+ years of trial & error!) appeared first on App Empire.]]>
So where's the disconnect? It's amazing how often we see developers overlooking essentials. We see super technical developers not understand the concept of marketing or promotion, or we see market-minded entrepreneurs ignoring great UX/UI basics.
The good news is there's SO much free information out there now, so you don't have to be left in the dark or launch your app with a half-assed plan.
In fact, we recently read a super extensive guide from our friends at Apadmi.com. They've been in business since 2009, and have worked with a variety of developers and entrepreneurs, which has helped them acquire a lot of "dos" and "don'ts" over the years.
Their newly released (and free) advanced guide to making your apps successful is for independent app developers and startups, and we wanted to share it with you. The guide includes tips that Apadmi has learned through creating apps for clients such as the BBC and the Guardian. It contains over 200 tips and tactics on creating, marketing and gaining users for your app, even one with a small budget.
Since their guide is super extensive, we invited them to share their top 8 best pieces of advice for our community:
1. Develop on iPhone first, Android second
It's easier to develop for iOS because there's less devices to support and it's a more standardized platform. Android devices have very different hardware capabilities (screen size, memory) and their users are traditionally less willing to pay for an app. iPhone's users were often early adopters with more disposable income so are more willing to pay for quality. Ultimately both platforms have their strengths – the final decision should be based on what your app's users most commonly have.
2. Don't just focus on the English language markets
Japan and China have huge markets for apps. Don't make the mistake of only translating thought – you'll need to optimise the user experience for each market. That means new layouts, screenshots and being able to offer support in that language.
3. Use price drops and special offers to drive word of mouth.
Forty one percent of people surveyed by Apadmi in August 2014 indicated that they mainly chose apps based on word of mouth. Your customers can be your ambassadors. Many successful apps use tactical price drops at weekends or special occasions to drive downloads and get people talking about their apps.
4. Integrate with other platforms
You should understand what other platforms and apps your potential customers are using and integrate with them. An example of this is offering them the ability to export information to Google Drive or Dropbox. This works both ways – your app's cloud based APIs can be shared with other app publishers and you can pick up users from the convenience this offers.
5. Simplify your app to remove repetition
Analyze your apps usage to uncover areas where users are forced to take more steps than necessary. Part of Tinder's success has been how it simplifies the process of sorting through a list. Often steps within your app can be removed by using the mobile device's hardware features intelligently, i.e. the GPS or accelerometer. If new features are added to mobile devices, you should consider how they can benefit your app.
6. Focus on retention
A majority of apps are abandoned within 3 months so keeping people using your app should be a key consideration. Push notifications are an essential part of modern apps and can keep your app from being forgotten about – but be careful with them. They're also one of the top causes for getting your app uninstalled so must be used intelligently, with easily accessible methods to configure or switch them off. An innovative method to retain users is trying to find some way of gamifying your app or unlocking benefits and new features over time.
7. Monitor your competitors' coverage and react
Google Alerts are a great way of tracking mentions of your app's competitors. If they're getting coverage on a website, it's very likely that the writer will be willing to review or recommend your product too. You can also use backlink tools like Ahrefs or Open Site Explorer to see which websites are linking to your competitor's homepage or app store listings.
8. Don't neglect paid channels
Interesting apps and games have had great success from advertising via social media channels such as Youtube, Facebook or Twitter. Twitter's promoted Tweets can even be targeted at people sharing hashtags from other apps or even the followers of your competitors. One tactic we've heard used is targeting accounts who have tagged themselves as app reviewers in their bios using a tool like Followerwonk (example).
To get your hands on the full guide and the other tips, visit http://www.apadmi.com/
The post 8 Tips for App Success (from 5+ years of trial & error!) appeared first on App Empire.]]>
The post Top 5 Ways to Build Your Lifestyle Business (that aren't too good to be true) appeared first on App Empire.]]>
Most think a lifestyle business is raking in a ton of money while working only "4 hours" a week.
The truth is it is a way of being and a way of feeling more than anything. A life full of choices and opportunities where you're truly living on your own terms. It doesn't have to be complicated, and a true lifestyle business usually is not.
For many, a lifestyle business simply means being able to work for themselves and make enough to enjoy life. Whether that looks like $40K a year or $400K, it's about taking your life back. It's the emphasis on putting the "lifestyle" into your business.
You do things you want to do because you want to do them. Working hard and doing what you want are not mutually exclusive.
You travel where you want to go, because you want to go there. Or stay in place because all you want is more time around friends and family.
You decide what your day looks like because you're the boss and you make the decisions. You are no longer tied to the stress of your employer or the office politics of your coworkers. Your business depends on you. When something isn't going right, there's no one to answer to but yourself.
You are not a "9 to 5." Maybe you're a 12am – 5am, maybe you're a 8am – 12pm. Maybe you will still work 9 to 5 because YOU want to. Your life and your business is not restricted to social constructs. You're able to build your business around what's best for you, and when you play to your strengths rather than fighting your nature, you'll be happier and more productive. You are constantly growing, experiencing, learning, and living.
Think about it like this (and if you're an over-achiever draw this out)…
The outer edges are things that are taking up your life that you don't want to do. (Take the time to list out these things.) As you get to the closer circles to the center, those things are better in alignment with what you want to be doing, but not ideal.
The bullseye of the target would be your ultimate "flow" state. The Zone. This is the area where all magic happens. It's all of the things you LOVE to do and where you "feel" the best. These are things that you are passionate about.
Here are some of mine: creating, playing and being a kid, playing sports, being in the woods, brainstorming, dancing, laughing, being active, going on adventures, traveling, eating, reading, doing yoga, mediating, being intimate, helping someone out, creating a movement, supporting, singing, biking, etc. The list goes on for awhile!
Before my lifestyle business, I was spending about 10% in the Zone and I didn't realize why I was depressed. Now, I spend about 75% of my time in the zone because I have the freedom and understanding to do so. I don't have to tell you how much better a life it is to spend more time in the zone.
In my opinion, this is the ultimate currency. I don't care if you have a billion dollars and the hottest wife or husband anyone has ever seen. It only matters how you feel, and I've seen a lot of millionaires feel like shit! More time in the zone = a better life and its as simple as that.
This is what a lifestyle business seeks to accomplish.
How do you crack the code and get into the zone? Well, we finally live in a world that has closed the gap and broken down the barriers to help get you there financially. These days, I see people making money doing almost anything (a professional Vine twerker? Slighty NSFW, obviously).
Here are my top 5 that have the true leverage and independence I'm looking for (no twerking required):
This one isn't a surprise to anyone Obviously this is one of my main models. It's one of the most lucrative options because it's HOT right now (and will be for years to come). I've said it before, but mobile apps are still in their infancy but the time to get in is NOW.
There is so much more to come and I am excited every time I talk about it with people. Apps will soon be apart of every product (as you're seeing with homes and watches and TVs, to name a few).
The first steps to getting into apps is deciding what model you want to pursue. To simplify things, I'm going to break down apps into 3 models: reskinning, high-retention apps, and startups.
Reskinning allows you to start on a much smaller budget, and provides more room for error. It's like using a website template and then adding sick features and customizing it to your specific audience. You added value and created a completely new user experience, but you saved on foundation costs. The ROI is fast, but you need to stay on top of market demand to be successful.
High-retention apps are apps built specifically to acquire large userbases and continually have those users return for feature updates and loyalty. These are BIG app projects that typically have larger budgets. If done right, these can be wildly successful and you'll need to develop less apps in your portfolio to make your ROI.
Startups are apps that typically received funding and built a company to launch and continually update the app. These are the Snapchast, Tinders, and Vines of the world. Yes, all those received funding prior to launch despite the seemingly "overnight" success stories.
Once you decide on a model, focus your efforts there. It's rare to see people successful at trying to spread themselves across multiple models, but what I do see often is people reskinning apps, building up revenue, and using their net revenue to start larger, high retention app projects.
Pros: Fast ROI, growing Marketplace (every business is moving towards apps), 24/7 worldwide audience, automation.
Cons: It's challenging to find a team that execute on what you want, consumer behavior changes fast, Apple gets finicky and changes their algorithm when they feel like it.
Cost: As little as $500 – as much as you want to spend.
This is the other business I'm most excited about right now. I just started selling physical products on Amazon, and the similarities between the Amazon store and the App Store are incredible – which is why this model fits so well into my current business. It's an amazing advantage if you understand the app business at all.
I'm able to find the best products by searching the top listings ("top charts") and emulate existing successful products because it's all right there in real time. I outsource production using a quality supplier that you can find through Alibaba.com ("oDesk") and customize the user experience by building my own brand around what I love.
It's been extremely rewarding delivering physical products to customers around the world. Entrepreneurs around the world are doing this with huge results. I recently was talking with a retired police officer who makes about $200K per month as an Amazon Seller. I have never seen so many newbies making that amount of money.
Note: I took a course that taught me how to do this, and I wanted to share it with you. There will be a special live webinar with the guy who taught me this system on Friday (October 17), just for the App Empire community. So stay tuned for that registration email on Wednesday! If you haven't already checked out the informational videos, you can find the latest here.
Pros: Can be a very simple lifestyle biz, establishing a brand for a BIG exit, Automation, fastest and largest growing marketplace, Amazon ships and fulfills everything.
Cons: You have to put in the time to find the "right" supplier and products.
Cost: Cheap depending on your initial product. Suppliers will typically go as low as 200 minimum order quantity, so it depends on the wholesale price of what you're selling. Then listing your product for $5-$40 on Amazon is the sweet spot.
Anyone can get involved in affiliate marketing, even if this isn't your main business model, but I know people who's sole source of income is through affiliate marketing. This is especially great if you are super knowledgeable about a particular topic, but don't want to create your own products. Instead, you'd rather blog and create free content then notify your community about great products you find. Whether that's the latest raw protein powder or a new mobile app course, you can create solid income from promoting others' products that you already use!
Others use FB advertising that converts into a sale. Note: Knowledge of advertising on these platforms is important. You can't just throw up an ad and make a sale.
First thing is first, you'll need to start building a community. Whether that's through blogging, an app, Instagram (hot right now & growing!), YouTube, or a combination of platforms, you'll need to start building your list. Every one has information that's valuable to others, you just need to figure out what you can bring to the table. You can get started by searching for companies on Clickbank or Commission Junction who are looking for people like you to promote their services or products.
This model takes time as you need to build up your community and get your name out there within your niche network, but can produce some serious income once you start partnering with bigger companies and building targeted partnerships.
Pros: Fast, you don't have to build a product, based a lot on relationships and what's trending now.
Cons: Takes time to find the right product/offering, it's not a real business that can be sold, it's dependent on someone else so you have to be super careful about how you promote.
Cost: Pretty cheap to very expensive depending on how well you can convert existing traffic to sales.
This is another model I've been involved in lately. It's a t-shirt selling platform with a Kickstarter vibe. You design graphics for t-shirts or other clothing, start a campaign, set a minimum quantity of orders, and send traffic to your page through online ads (like Facebook). The campaigns only last for a predetermined amount of time (7 to 30 days, your choice) so this platform is about relevant and timely designs. Once that minimum quantity is hit, your order is placed and TeeSpring does all the heavy lifting by printing, shipping, and providing support to your customers for the cut they take. The best part? It's free to make a campaign so you won't be charged anything if it doesn't sell.
This model is particularly effective through targeting niche markets or current events. Think: cat-loving grandmas in Mississippi or the funniest new YouTube video sensation. I suggest hiring a great graphic designer, because quality still matters.
Pros: CHEAP! You only spend money on ads, flex your creative muscles.
Cons: It's hard to get long-lasting conversions on something (trends) that change so fast. You need to create ads that convert.
Cost: You just pay for ads that convert typically on FB or IG.
This is a very broad option – which is great – because you're able to really cater to your own personal creativity and passions. My passion was sharing how I created wealth through lifestyle businesses so I created products outlining how I did it. I was successful, and continue to be successful in new businesses, because people share their knowledge with me. Others may start their own development companies or consulting services. Maybe you love writing or graphic design. Maybe you want to start your own clothing or organic products line. The point is leveraging technology to work with your passions.
The best thing you can do to take your online business off the ground is stay thirsty and always seek more information. Find a mentor, attend conferences, join a mastermind, take a course or read a new book. One thing I've learned is that knowledge and staying attentive to the market is everything in this business. It may seem like a simple concept – but the majority do not take the time or give up easily.
You don't have to be the majority.
Pros: Branding and exit potential, quick cash flow once its set up, audience all over the world, flexibility.
Cons: Can have some technical hurdles, need to really familiarize yourself with your market.
Cost: Starts cheap for hosting, domains, and websites. Costs grow as you grow.
Launch your ideas through Kickstarter or Indiegogo. I know people who routinely do this over and over. I recommend scheduling a talk with crowdfunding experts on Clarity.fm to get started.
The post Top 5 Ways to Build Your Lifestyle Business (that aren't too good to be true) appeared first on App Empire.]]>
The post From Full-Time Employee to Appreneur in 7 Months appeared first on App Empire.]]>
Today, we have one of our AE members who we'd like to share their success story with you. Justin Malik has been an AE member since 2013, which ultimately led to Justin leaving his job as an analyst and becoming a full-time app developer. Justin was able to sell a small portfolio of apps for $25,000, and since has produced over 20+ apps making $40K in net revenue with over half a million downloads. Justin and his partner, Lee, regularly help fellow appreneurs on their road to success over on their blog MoneyfromApps.com.
Q: Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with our community, Justin! Walk me through the step-by-step process that you went through to get to where you are today. What was the first thing you did? Next?
Back in 2012, my friend from business school texted me out of the blue. We caught up and both realized that we wanted to enter the world of apps. Lee had recently seen an article that Tim Ferriss posted featuring Chad Mureta, and I was constantly looking for a way out of the rat race. Fast-forward around nine months and thousands of dollars spent (starting to sound like a pregnancy!), and we had our first app in the App Store. In less than a year, with a ton of energy spent on marketing, we were able to get a quarter million downloads—more than the average app developer will get in his or her lifetime. But we weren't making money; in fact, we were losing money…fast.
Down to our last couple thousand dollars, we started reading. And we read some more. I came across BlueCloudSolutions and read every post I could on Carter Thomas' site, even the ones he had hidden away for his mailing list. After a good amount of research and debating, we took what we had left and invested in a couple of source codes. I learned the technical side of App Flipping, and after a few tries, we were able to make a positive return on our investment. We started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. We were so excited, we even posted about how great our results were for one of the reskins.
Once we had a taste of success, we tried to replicate it. Some projects succeeded and some failed. Over time and after releasing a handful of apps, we started seeing trends and understanding why some apps would lose money and others would be profitable. We continued this process of building, releasing, and analyzing to grow both our apps and ourselves as entrepreneurs. The profits of reskinning apps allowed us to invest in more opportunities, including joining App Empire, and also creating a portfolio of apps that we developed from scratch and later sold for $25,000. Throughout the process, we blogged about the experience and created video tutorials, hoping to help others achieve their goals of running a profitable business.
Q: Great insight! So a couple questions on that. As a new app developer, what marketing did you do to get a quarter of a million downloads? With all these downloads, why do you feel you were losing money still? And lastly, once you started noticing the patterns of success, why do you see some apps losing and others profit?
Ha.. I thought we could get away with not sharing our secret to hundreds of thousands of downloads, but of course you wouldn't let that happen.
The truth is, we hustled… around the time that Facebook acquired Instagram, we started looking at Instagram as a marketing vehicle. For a while, I spent all my free time, including weekends, building up our Instagram page. I remember days when I would search specific hashtags, go to a picture, and comment about our page and why they should follow us. We were reaching out to people individually for a lot of the time and we actually gained loyal users that way. A 14-year old kid even created an Instagram fan page for our app. With a lot of effort and unique content, we were able to build a following to 100, then 1,000, and eventually over 100,000 users. We then strategically marketed our app to those users that we had spent so much time acquiring on Instagram.
The problem was that because it was our first app, we didn't even bother thinking about monetization. It was a social networking app like Instagram and we thought, "If we can keep getting 2,000-10,000 downloads a day, we can eventually sell this off for millions—it doesn't matter that we're not making money now." It sounds pretty naïve, but back then, we really believed it would happen (just like it happened for Instagram) and that it was just a matter of time. But as retention dwindled and our marketing efforts slowed, we realized the truth: we should've been monetizing from the beginning.
To make matters worse, because it's a social networking app and requires a server, we were shelling out $600+ a month in server costs. So not only were we not monetizing our users, but we were paying some hefty monthly expenses in order to keep the app running.
We started putting the pieces together and realizing what works: while you need decent acquisition (downloads), you also need a solid monetization plan. Both are vital, and if executed well, you shouldn't lose money on your investment, unless your costs were too high to begin with. That's why we continue to recommend the reskinning model with apps, or with any business venture for that matter—it's a great money and time saver when implemented correctly.
Q: What were some of your biggest obstacles? How did you get through them?
Having a positive return on investment was always the biggest obstacle for us. There's an infinite number of ways to make an app, but a finite amount of ways to monetize it.
When we started running out money, the pressure was on, and that forced us to cut costs and only think about how we would make our money back. To cut costs, I learned how to reskin apps myself. We even cut corners with graphics by licensing stock photos and then resizing them to fit our apps. We took the developer and graphic designer completely out of the equation, which saved us hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, for each project. While I would rarely recommend that a beginner try to learn Objective C or Photoshop, getting down in the trenches saved us, and we might not have overcome that monetary obstacle if we hadn't taken that step. Studying and learning from experts, or others who have gone through similar experiences, gave us that boost we needed.
Q: Amazing! Yea, it's definitely a tricky situation because learning to code or design yourself has positives and negatives, but each person's story is so specific, there's no one size fits all in what one "should" do. Do you feel taking those core responsibilities over was the sole reason you guys bounced back? Or were there other steps you took which helped as well?
I totally agree. Some people just aren't built for writing code or manipulating graphics. I started dipping into computer programming back when I was in high school and when my family first got the internet hooked up, so a lot of that technical stuff is easy for me to pick up. But for others, like my partner, it's a foreign language. You have to understand what your strengths and weaknesses are and build off of that.
Taking on those core responsibilities was a big piece of our comeback, but I think we still would've been able to turn our business around if we outsourced the work. That being said, our margins would've been lower, so it would've been a steeper uphill battle. Really, the steps that Carter and App Empire advise and what we teach on our own blog (failing for as little money as possible, learning, tweaking) are what turned us around.
Q: Did you ever having a turning point or hallelujah moment that really cemented things for you?
As I mentioned, there was a major point when we pivoted and stumbled upon app reskinning. Our first positive-ROI app that came from his source code completely changed the game for us and how we looked at the App Store. We no longer saw it as a place where we needed to invent something awesome that doesn't exist. It became more about taking something that already exists and refining it.
Q: Exactly. No need to reinvent the wheel. A common mistake entrepreneurs tend to make. What's your favorite thing about this business? What drives you to keep going?
I love this question because sometimes I forget to think about it. I'll get caught up in the details and lose sight of what this is all about.
For me, the greatest thing about this business is entrepreneurship itself, and everything that comes with it. Well, not exactly everything, because every entrepreneur knows about the roller coaster of day-to-day operations, but the perks of being my own boss outweigh the occasional emotional valleys that come from the smaller revenue days.
I remember sitting in my cubicle, always looking at the clock. It's a terrible feeling. Now, I work when I feel like it, which tends to be from 9 p.m. – 6 a.m. Yeah, I'm one of those people. It's actually 5 a.m. right now, and I'll probably go to bed in an hour. That freedom—to work when I prefer—is amazing. Being the owner of a company is a dream come true. It gives me the option to have a better work-life balance. I'm also more productive because I'm doing something that I care about, and I see the impact of my hard work. Instead of working overtime to make money for a CEO that I've met only once or twice, I'm putting money in my own pocket. That feeling keeps me going.
Q: Yea, it's amazing how easy it is to forget why you're doing something, isn't it? I do it too! That's why mindset topics are so important to me to share with you guys, but I know some people have a hard time wrapping their head around the "fluffy, feeling" kind of advice. It sounds like you've always had a bit of that entrepreneurial drive, but what is some of the most helpful advice you've ever received about "mindset" or "work-life balance"? Is mindset something you actively work on?
Ha.. yeah, I totally understand what you mean about some people having a hard time wrapping their heads around the fluffy stuff. Even for me, personally, the fluffy stuff didn't seem to apply in the beginning because I wasn't yet feeling the pressure of, "Oh shit… if this doesn't work, we might run out of money." When we hit our low point, and any time after that (even to this day when we have small revenue days), the "mindset" and "work-life balance"-type advice became more relevant for me. For someone who's just starting out and hasn't really gone through the emotional roller coaster yet, I think it's harder to relate to the mindset topics because they're still trying to figure out what their business model is exactly. It's hard to read a post or listen to someone talking about not working yourself to death on an entrepreneurial venture when you haven't really even launched your own business yet.
I don't have one piece of advice relating to mindset or work-life balance that has stuck with me over the years, but I think that's because it's something that I constantly need to be reminded about… in a way, it's like every different piece of advice I get is helpful. So I have a few ways of working on that:
The first is to get a nice long call in with my business partner so I can remember why we're doing what we're doing, what the vision is, what our purpose is, and what our goals are. It's a pep talk, basically. That puts me in a better place and resets me, so to speak. Another is to keep up with posts and videos by other entrepreneurs who frequently remind me about these things. There are some good gems in the form of video that can be found through AppEmpire. The last method has to do with my own personality, and I'm sure many of your readers can relate. I'm a high-anxiety guy… not usually on the outside, since most people would say I appear laid-back and calm, but on the inside, if you catch me at the right time, I can be a complete mess. Anxiety has wrecked my stomach, and what works for me is practicing mindfulness and awareness (meditation). After losing about 20 pounds and coming to terms with this problem, there was a solid year or more when I meditated for 30 minutes or more every day—I even took it to the next level by volunteering at a meditation retreat in the Rocky Mountains, living in a tent with some dude I just met. That year of consistent meditation practice was eye-opening to say the least and "going back to the cushion" is something that helps me refocus, center myself, and remember what's most important. Unfortunately it's an incredibly difficult practice and in the beginning, feels like the most boring thing in the world… but I can tell you, it definitely changes your mindset, and in a good way. If you struggle with a negative inner monologue, it's something I highly recommend practicing, because even 10 minutes a day of meditation can be life-changing if done consistently.
Q: Wow! Incredible story and advice, Justin, thanks for sharing that! Glad you've found something that centers you. What is one of the most memorable pieces of advice you ever received?
I should probably quote Steve Jobs since we mostly develop for iOS, but Bill Gates once said, "It's fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure."
This small piece of advice is very powerful. Without our failures, we wouldn't be where we are today. It's also important to note that you can never fail if you don't take that first step. Our business as a whole has really followed his advice over and over: we try, we fail, we learn and we repeat.
Q: Yup! I've seen failure propel people more times than success. It really teaches you the important lessons you can't learn otherwise, as well as lights that fire under your ass!
It's one thing to get started (a huge struggle in itself!), but it's another thing to get over those first hurdles and become what we call a "success story." How do you feel others can get over these hurdles to really accelerate their growth and find their own success?
This really ties into the previous question in that you will never succeed without failures. To get over those first hurdles, I'd recommend preparing yourself for failure so that when things don't turn out as you expected (which will happen more often than not), you can fail fast and as cheaply as possible. As long as you learn from those experiences, you can increase your success rate. Through this process, we have been able to have a positive return on every new project we took on since late 2013.
Q: Great point. I see people often have a hard time assessing failure. For example, sometimes a person's app fails, and admirably they keep pushing to make it work because they won't accept "failure." However, it's not their drive that's the problem, it's the app or maybe the idea as a whole. How do you assess "failure" in the sense of when to move on from a project, or when to realign and keep pushing?
That's a great question. It's definitely not a black & white issue, and there's no "one-size-fits-all" answer. A good analogy to this is poker. So many people lose their stack quickly because they chase good money after bad. Once the money's in the pot, it's not yours anymore, and you need to reassess the situation. Throwing more money at it will often make you lose a lot more, when instead you could've cut your losses, learned a little about your opponent, and taken their money in the next hand. At the same time, you don't want to fold if the pot size is $1000 and it only costs you $2 to stay in.
So how do you figure out if it's time to ditch a project and work on something else (fold your cards)? A good poker player will say it comes down to skill: practice, practice, practice. When you're an entrepreneur, you will almost certainly have eggs in multiple baskets. If you don't, you should reconsider what you're doing and the risk you're taking. Now, I'm not saying you should open a restaurant, develop an app, and launch a podcast all at the same time, but you could try a few smaller apps or make a couple of podcasts to test the waters. By having multiple, diverse projects, you'll minimize risk and maximize the chance of success. When you create something successful, you then have a working model to repeat, scale, and/or improve upon. You'll also start to understand when something is failing, why it's failing, and how to revive it, or if you should cut your losses. I know, it's a bit of a wishy-washy answer, but I do think failure assessment is learned over time.
That said, analytics are your friend and will guide you. For the appreneurs out there, you can track when users are coming back, if at all, how much time they spend in the app, if they use your other apps, and more. That kind of information can help you understand what problems your app is having. We actually wrote a very extensive blog post about diagnosing an app failure and how to fix each problem, which you can read here.
Last, you can cheat. You can't do that in poker, unless you want to get your ass kicked and thrown out. So how do you cheat? Ask an expert. Be open with them and get their advice—see what they think is wrong. But if you go this route, try not to harass or expect a lot for nothing… otherwise you might get a sub-par response.
Q: Not wishy-washy at all, that's extremely solid advice. What do you see as the main reasons people do and do not succeed in this business?
Many aspiring appreneurs have come to us for help and/or outsourced their work to us, which is fine. But we see a problem when they release one app, it fails, and they give up, thinking that every app they will release will have the same end result. One app, marketed differently, can be a major winner for one person and a total failure for another. That's why I can't stress enough the importance of taking the initial risk, and then picking yourself up after you're down. That first time will always be the most risky; every time after that should give you better and better results if you continue to learn from your mistakes.
Our first 4 apps were failures. The fifth app made up for most of it. People that succeed keep trying, learning, and growing.
Q: Right on! When you look at the future of this business, what do you see? Are you planning to make some big changes? Are you sticking with your current model? What are your plans?
Great question… our current model is actually a model of evolution, so when I say we're sticking to our model, that really means we're sticking to changing! In the world of apps, things move very quickly, but the basics remain the same: the goal is to eventually produce a portfolio of higher-quality apps that work well together in order to secure a base of repeat customers over a wide range of platforms. Meanwhile, we'll be constantly evolving by testing, measuring, and analyzing in order to get a good feel for what's working and maximize our performance.
Q: Adapting fast is everything! I still see people using graphics like it's the 2011 App Store and they don't understand why their app isn't converting. So how do you test, measure, and analyze your apps? As in, what core aspects are you looking at when you do this?
Damn, you really like asking the tough questions! I could write a book about this, but I'll try my best to point out what I think is most important.
Mobile analytics companies like Flurry provide a ton of metrics for you to look at, but some of my favorite tools in the app world don't even require third-party SDKs. For example, one metric is ARPU—that's average revenue per user. In simpler terms, that's average revenue per download, which is very easy to calculate. Every appreneur should be tracking downloads and total revenue made from an app. Divide one by the other and you have this metric… simple as that. This number can range anywhere from $0 to a few dollars and is a quick way to measure how well your app monetizes. The goal is to produce apps that generate higher and higher ARPU, because if you're making $1 for every user that downloads your app, you're in a great position to buy installs of your app through ad networks.
Another uncomplicated tool at your disposal is simply app reviews. What are your customers saying? The ones that go out of their way to review your app usually do so because they feel that they have something important to say. Read those reviews!
Analytic tools (like Flurry) open more doors for you. A simple metric they have is average time spent in the app. If users only spend 30 seconds in your app, maybe it's not engaging enough, or maybe they tend to click on an ad and leave. Another metric that is helpful is the number of sessions (how many times your app was opened) per user. If this number is high you're probably in good shape, but it's also possible that a user opens your app 10 times in the first week, but then never uses it again. In that case, you have a retention problem, which is a separate metric that you can look at, too. As you can see, if you dive into analytics like Flurry, then you're opening up a big can of worms, and you could literally spend days trying to make sense out of all that data. I'm not saying that you should avoid detailed analytics, but instead, you should focus on metrics you understand and that can point you to what's working and what's not working. Once you figure out which metrics are important to you, track them consistently, and then learn by watching those metrics over time and as you make changes to your app. Change the color of the "buy" button? What happened then? Did your ARPU increase after that? Or compare one app versus another. Are you seeing that users spend more time in one app over another? Why is that? The metrics I've mentioned here are the ones we pay the most attention to.
You'll find that analytics often leave you with more questions than what you started with, but that can be a good thing… you'll transition from questions like "Which app is better?" to "Why do users spend twice the amount of time in App X than App Y?" If you can't figure out the answers yourself, you very well might need to resort to good ol' fashioned market research and talking to people.
The last thing I'll mention about analytics is that everything I've talked about so far is post-install; that is, I haven't even started talking about getting users to download your app in the first place, which mostly comes down to what's been coined as ASO—App Store Optimization. As of now, there aren't many tools to analyze this, but that'll change in the near future. If you're an appreneur struggling to get downloads, I'd recommend reading up on ASO and going through AppEmpire and our blog to learn more about it.
Q: Wonderful advice! Every one needs to take notes on that right now. So if an aspiring entrepreneur walked up to you asking for your advice and you only had a few minutes to give 'em your best tip, what would it be?
There are many dreamers out there, and that's great, but as an entrepreneur, you really need to understand the commitment you're making. You are committing yourself to one crazy lifestyle that has a fair amount of risk with lots of ups and downs, and that's something you should be prepared for. Be ready for failure and be sure to take it for what it is—try to see it objectively, learn from it, adjust, and get back out there!
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
I would like to emphasize the importance of community, not only in appreneurship, but entrepreneurship as a whole. While very rewarding in many ways, entrepreneurship can be very stressful, and having some kind of support network is invaluable. That can come in the form of mentors, blogs, forums, facebook groups, meet-ups, teachers, friends, family, and more… they're out there. Don't forget that people are your greatest resource, but also don't forget that they're just that—people, who should be respected and not taken advantage of. If you think someone can help you, try to help them out as well… showing your appreciation creatively can go a long way.
Q: Well said. Thanks Justin!
You can talk to Justin, read more about his story, and find tips & tricks at MoneyFromApps.com.
The post From Full-Time Employee to Appreneur in 7 Months appeared first on App Empire.]]>
The post iOS 8, the new iPhones, & Watch: Top features to get excited about appeared first on App Empire.]]>
With Apple's newest announcements yesterday, you can expect some exciting changes in the next couple months. Surprisingly for the first time the iPhone wasn't the center of the announcements. With Apple's release of the Watch (not iWatch as we all assumed and will continue to call it anyways), they delved into a new product category for the first time since the iPad release in 2010.
Remember as a developer it's crucial to stay informed and ahead on any feature or product changes – and Apple just released a ton! Below we've outlined some of the most exciting changes happening and how you should be looking at it:
The iPhone 6 will have a screen measuring 4.7 inches, while the iPhone 6 Plus will be 5.5 inches. At the same time they'll be the thinnest phones ever coming in at 6.9 mm and 7.1 mm, compared to 7.6 mm for the iPhone 5S. Both are boasting improved speed and longer-lasting battery life.
What you need to know: App developers will be able to design apps that can be viewed differently when the phone is held horizontally. The screen resolution on the Plus version will be sharper than previous iPhones, at 401 pixels per inch rather than 326.
But don't worry: Apple's X-code allows your apps to adjust to multiple screen sizes, but features such as horizontal viewing and the ability to add more tappable content will require some redesigning.
Plus – Fitness focused: The phones will have a new sensor, the barometer, to estimate vertical climb, such as stairs, not just how far you've walked or ran.
Release date: Sep 19
Finally they've added the "Tap to Talk" feature which allows you to send voice messages within the app instantly.
iOS 8 also features a smarter keyboard with QuickType, which allows predictive text. The more you use it, the better your iPhone will understand how you communicate.
What you need to know: For the first time Apple will allow third-party keyboards, meaning you'll be able to build apps that can be used right inside the current app. This is a common theme with the new iOS – allowing more third party apps.
Siri now works with Shazam, meaning Siri can now recognize music. You can also now wake her up simply by saying "Hey Siri."
Siri also will now display text as you say it and supports 22 languages.
Apple introduced Family Sharing at the WWDC, but it's finally coming into play.
What you need to know: It allows up to six people to share data as well as purchases from iTunes Store, iBookstore, and the App Store. This means users can now share the cost of apps and play them at the same time.
Family Sharing also includes security features to modify kids' spending, such as asking permission from one device to the next when a purchase is attempted.
The new Health app provides an easy‑to‑read dashboard of all your health and fitness data.
What you need to know: Apple's created a new tool for developers called HealthKit, which allows all health and fitness apps to work together. The Health app works with health & fitness apps to pull data into one place, however we can see how this would cause less usage of certain apps when you can see the data through Health instead.
You can take action on texts, email, calendar invitations, reminders, and even messages from apps like Facebook right from their notification banners without leaving the app you're in.
Touch ID is now accessible to all apps. Fingerprints can also approve purchases from iTunes, iBooks, and the App Store, as well as take advantage of Apple's new Apple Pay.
What you need to know: Your app can now use Touch ID to authenticate a user before accessing some or all content in your app.
Apple is now offering users the potential for their own 'Smart House.'
What you need to know: With Homekit, you can use a new framework for communicating with and controlling connected devices in a user's home. Your apps can enable users to discover devices in their home and configure them, or you can create actions to control those devices. Users can group actions together and trigger them using Siri. This opens doors for a whole new plethora of apps.
You can now store all your documents or files of any kind in iCloud and access them from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC.
What you need to know: CloudKit allows users to anonymously sign in to your apps with their iCloud Apple IDs without sharing their personal information, however from a developer standpoint their personal information provides valuable demographic and/or marketing data so that's not exactly a feature you'll most likely want to take advantage of. CloudKit also provides authentication, private and public databases, and structured and asset storage services — all for free.
The Watch is the first new product since 2010. With a variety of styles and colors, the Apple Watch claims to be something for everyone.
What you need to know: You'll need an iPhone to use the Watch. Think of the Watch as an arm attachment to your phone (sounds bad, but that's technology, folks!). The Watch displays texts and other notifications directly from your phone.
It's compatible with Siri, Apple Pay, and allows for animated emojis
It's fitness-focused. The Apple Watch will use an accelerometer and GPS technology to track the activities of users. The watch will also encourage users to meet basic fitness standards like standing up a bit during each hour and getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day.A user can also "send" someone else their heartbeat by pressing two fingers to the Apple Watch screen to allow it to measure a pulse. Users can share sketches, sound recordings and wrist-based love-taps – watch out Tinder!
Unlike most Apple products, you will not be pinching or pulling this screen as the side dial will allow you to zoom in and out. The Apple Watch's touch screen will also be able to differentiate between a tap and a press, which would should present more control options on the very small amount of available real estate.
Personally, we find a lot of these changes exciting and much-needed. Granted, Android has had many of these features, and still has advanced features (hello waterproof), but they have yet to beat Apple in developer revenue so we continue to see our iOS apps perform over our Android apps.
More importantly, there are a lot of new features in this product and iOS 8 roll-out that can be turned into new apps. This is exactly what you should be looking for everytime Apple, Google, or Microsoft release changes. However, if you're stressing out about being first to develop, while important at times, it also pays to wait once all the bugs have been worked out and you can see what other developers have been doing. Similar to a game, sometimes in business you want to see how others play their cards first. Regardless, tuning into these new features alone have earned people hundreds of thousands.
The post iOS 8, the new iPhones, & Watch: Top features to get excited about appeared first on App Empire.]]>
The post Inside My Inbox — Exclusive Email Walkthrough (+ Time-sensitive BONUS) appeared first on App Empire.]]>
Well, I just got an inbox OVERLOAD…in an amazing way!
Arman Assadi, who you may remember from our last video blog on how to build an effortless system, just showed me all the hacks and tips on how he organizes email by shooting a tutorial video just for the AE community using my own inbox. I had no idea (as you could see via my inbox!) all the ways you could make your life so much easier just by changing how you manage and check your email.
And no this isn't one of those "how to process your emails faster than the speed of light" tutorials. He actually shows you how to check your email less but with so much efficiency that no one will even notice.
I'm super excited about this one as I know you're going to get a ton of value from watching this video blog:
The BEST PART is that Arman has been super generous and offered you guys his Effortless Email Udemy course for free…Completely, 100% free, no lie!
The first of you to redeem the coupon code below will get his entire course (and guidance) that shows you everything you need to know about getting to inbox zero every day, but through checking your email waaaaay less.
Click here to redeem your code and free course.
expires Aug 5th at 11:59 PM PT. — NOTE: OFFER EXPIRED.
Can you do me a favor after taking Arman's course? I'd really appreciate if you could leave him some feedback on his Udemy page since he has given so many away to our group.
To find more about Arman and download free guides on email and productivity, check out his personal blog.
I'd also love to hear what you think about Arman's tutorial below. Have you tried any of his hacks yet?
The post Inside My Inbox — Exclusive Email Walkthrough (+ Time-sensitive BONUS) appeared first on App Empire.]]>
The post INTERVIEW: Why I Left Google (and how I created my own freedom) appeared first on App Empire.]]>
Have you ever known someone that worked all their lives to get to the top of their career…and then gave it all up?
There was a time I thought I knew what my end goal was. I had always wanted the freedom to live an abundant and exciting life, and I thought I knew exactly how to get there. I would own a huge real estate company! I put everything I had into this dream. I hired a large team, reinvested all my money into this company, and as soon as I got it..I realized it wasn't for me.
That can be crushing…or that can be the start of something much bigger.
Introducing Arman…
I want to introduce you to a friend of mine and incredible human being, Arman, who was at the top of his game working for one of the largest companies in the world, Google – and then left it all to start his own business.
Sound familiar to your own aspirations maybe? If you're here, I imagine you're striving for what we all desire: lifestyle freedom.
But how do we get there? How do we even get started?
I knew you guys would completely relate to Arman on this level so I invited him for a video interview to show you guys exactly how he built his business and life after (what some people thought) was the end of his successful career.
Arman's expertise is building businesses to run like well-oiled monster machines. And let me tell you, HE IS ON POINT. He has some incredible advice on how to systematize and manage your business – without going insane – that I wanted to share with you today.
"If you don't build your dreams, someone will hire you to help build theirs."
The post INTERVIEW: Why I Left Google (and how I created my own freedom) appeared first on App Empire.]]>
The post App Math — Simple methods to know market numbers appeared first on App Empire.]]>
While most App Store stats are transparent, this is one thing you aren't really able to see. You can see general reports on downloads for top chart apps (below), but if you're trying to emulate particular apps, you won't be able to see how many downloads they're getting. However, there is a little formula we learned from Apptopia that can provide a relatively good guess for downloads of an app:
Number of reviews X 55 = number of downloads
However, this number can be skewed so you have to look at a couple things:
Are they actively encouraging customers to rate the app once inside?
Is there some where inside the app that makes it easy for customers to review?
If leaving a review is too cumbersome for a customer, there's a 90% chance they won't. Keep this in mind when building your apps.
The best tools for determining where a particular app ranks (other than the App Store) would be to lookup apps via AppAnnie.com or TopAppCharts.com.
You can view how much an app has jumped up or down in the current week, overall ranking history, daily rankings per country, versions and release dates. This is great data to keep track of an trend or idea's sustainability in the marketplace.
App Annie Top Charts
This is another "market secret," however Distimo has released some interesting stats that shed light on the top apps download counts. It varies by country, but it takes the most downloads to be in the U.S. top charts so that's the best data to reference. These charts show the daily downloads needed in the thousands to hit the top charts:
Top 25 Free apps
Top 25 paid apps
They also separated games from the total stats, since Games are the most popular category with many subcategories, which is broken down below.
Top Paid games
So what do top downloads mean in terms of revenue? It depends on the system that particular app has in place (ads, IAPs, network, price), but a statistic from AdWhirl says that top 100 apps can make $400 to $5,000 per day on ads alone.
If it takes almost 40,000 to earn Top Overall free, then you compare to App Annie's "rank history" to establish how long a particular app took to get this many downloads. As you can see below, Draw Rider (currently ranked #3 free) took about 3 weeks to hit their current top 10 status. You can see that Saturday, April 13 was when their app jumped to the top. Why? It probably had something to do with their April 12 "new version" release (noted by the message bubble icon on the bottom line).
There are a couple different factors in determining a marketplace with less competition:
For one, you can look at categories. Automatically, you will see Games has a lot more competition by sheer numbers. However, this is where a lot of people are making their money right now. The app marketplace is a little different in that less competition, or "first-to-market" doesn't necessarily mean better chances – it could mean that there's less interest from customers.
You might also assume Android apps will make you more money due to less competition, but that's not necessarily true either. Research has shown that developers make the most money with iOS apps. But due to growing popularity, Android is starting to close that gap. Android has less guideline rules than Apple, so you are able to "get by" with more things than on the App Store. You may want to consider developing for both to test out your numbers and determine where you feel you are gaining the most advantage. However, right now that advantage is developing for iOS.
App SEO is something you can leverage to minimize the competition. This involves keyword, title, and description research. A site we like to use to determine app seo is Appcod.es. This site will determine the popularity of a keyword, competitors, and your chance that users are searching for it. This is similar to the "Google keyword search," but slightly less accurate since Apple doesn't disclose information quite as openly as Google. However, it's still extremely beneficial in analyzing your SEO data.
Even with Apple's transparent market (aka iTunes App charts), these are the "behind-the-scenes" numbers that appreneurs sometimes forget to consider upon developing and marketing their apps. Using these tools will help you best assess the market and gain a competitive advantage on the App Store.
The post App Math — Simple methods to know market numbers appeared first on App Empire.]]>
The post 3 Tips to Be a Hot Shot UI/UX Expert appeared first on App Empire.]]>
Which is why the User Interface (UI) and Experience (UX) are so critical.
What I mean by this is creating an experience that is pleasurable, easy and makes sense, and will have users coming back for more.
But I'm not a designer, I don't know anything about UI or UX!?"
The good news is you don't have to become a designer, but having a base understanding of what makes good UI will make you and your team move much faster and create better apps:
1. Find the best apps in your niche and 'model' their interface
What you are looking for is a clean, clear and engaging user experience & interface. Browse the store to see what stands out to you, and also what's already popular. Download these apps and have a play with them. Take notes on what parts of the Interface made sense to you, and what was difficult.
Trust your instincts. If you find yourself getting frustrated, bored or just don't understand the app, then note that! It's important to look at what you don't like as well as what you do. If you're feeling this way, chances are other customers do as well.
An early example for myself was my Task Management app I coded in 2010. To save me time, I looked around to see who was providing the most pleasurable experience in this niche – which at the time was 'Things.' And I then modeled the UI & UX on the parts of 'Things' that worked well!
It saved me so much time too! It was my first iPad app and 'borrowing' parts of the 'Things' UI made the process sooo much easier – and happened to get the app featured by Apple, which helped me earn a cool 30k for the month.
As you can see you don't need to be a UI expert to be a UI expert
2. Let your developers and designers know this is what you are looking for.
Give them examples of User Interfaces from these apps that you liked and you want them to be using.
For example, you might see an app that has a really cool layout for displaying and updating its information. You will want your developers to create a similar layout, style and implementation of what you are sharing with them.
This doesn't have to, but can also include fonts, positioning, colors and shading that the other app uses. Just don't make an exact copy! There are always improvements or personal touches you can add. Remember the goal of emulating is to improve and outdo your competition – not to copy.
To make this process even easier, grab a bunch of screenshots and draw circles and notes over the parts you like. You can either do this on your computer, or go old school and print them out, make your notes and then scan + send them to your devs.
It can even just be simple things, like sharing a screenshot of a popular well designed app and telling your designer to duplicate the style used for their screenshot captions or the 'pause + refresh' buttons for your own game.
3. Look for trends
Yep. Trends apply even here. Think about it, users get used to 'trends' amongst the apps they play with every day. It makes sense to bring across these trends into your own apps.
For example, right now iOS 7 flat minimalistic style is big so you definitely want to style your apps (not so much games) around iOS 7. The great news is that your developers can re-use a lot of the standard Apple UI here to create this effect for you automatically.
Some other current trends are –
For games, a current trend is having a small frame and then having the inner elements overlap the frame to make it look like they are jumping out of the icon.
A note here is not to allow too much overlap the frame, as you can potentially lose the 'jumping out' effect.
For other apps, it's much more of a clean, flat and minimalistic style that is big right now.
Main Button Positioning
Often, your app may have a button that is used extensively, such as for a Time Tracker app where the user is most often tapping the 'new time' button.
In the past, this was always placed at the top right on the navigation bar. But when you think about it, where is the users thumb?
It's at the bottom of the screen. So why put that button at the top right?
Which is why this new trend is taking off. You'll see below where adding a new time can clearly be seen and accessed by users at the bottom of the screen.
One final piece of advice is that the user interfaces are the simplest user interfaces – so always be looking at how you can minimize the amount of options, features, buttons, and workflows that you present to users.
Now take your apps to the next level!
Kerofrog is a small family of App craftsmen that have been making apps for both ourselves and clients since the App Store first opened in 2008. Our passion is in our craftsmanship and consistently looking into how we can take our Code Construction, UI, UX and Design to the next level.
What's your biggest UX or UI challenge? Do you do your own design or do you outsource?
The post 3 Tips to Be a Hot Shot UI/UX Expert appeared first on App Empire.]]>
The post Top 5 Legal Issues Facing App Developers appeared first on App Empire.]]>
Developing apps can be an exciting and rewarding business to jump into. It's also one of the easiest businesses to get up and running on a small budget.
The iOS App Store and Google Play are powerful platforms that developers can tap into, providing instant, seamless accessibility to a customer base of millions all over the world. However, even though the app business has fewer barriers to entry, it still comes with all the same legal issues and potential pitfalls as other businesses.
It's important to be aware of these things in order to structure your business properly and set yourself up for success. So, here is a list of the top 5 legal issues facing app developers, as well as some tips for how to handle them.
In any business, it's always a good idea to limit your personal liability by incorporating or setting up an LLC. There are unlimited potential problems that could arise, and you never know who might sue you or why.
If you have an LLC or corporation established, your personal assets like your home, car, and bank accounts are not at risk on behalf of your business. If you get sued, only your business assets could be seized in a judgment or settlement.
No matter how small your app business is when you start out, it's usually well worth the expense to form a limited liability entity and make sure you are protected financially. Here's more info on LLCs and corporations to help you start the process.
Confidentiality issues come up frequently in the tech world because of the innovative nature of the industry. People are reluctant to openly share their ideas or expose their intellectual property to possible competition.
The most common way of ensuring confidentiality is to use an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) when dealing with any outside parties that are likely to become aware of your confidential information. In app development, this usually comes up with outsourcing.
Before you begin negotiations with other developers, designers, copywriters, etc. that you are considering working with, ask them to sign an NDA and agree that they won't disclose any sensitive info about the project. Although an NDA can't actually prevent someone from stealing or sharing your idea, it serves as evidence that you took steps to protect your confidential information, and it will make the other person think twice before they do anything.
Intellectual property, normally just called IP, includes any and all work that is created in the process of developing, marketing, and selling something. As a business owner, it's important to ensure all IP that your business generates is owned by your company, and not the people generating it.
When it comes to app development, the source code, designs, graphics, app name, app icon, and any written content within the app would all be considered IP. If you are outsourcing one or more of these processes when creating an app, it is imperative that you set forth who owns what with a proper legal agreement.
You should make sure any agreement you enter with an outsourced worker contains an "IP Assignment" provision that clearly specifies that you (or even better, your limited liability entity) owns whatever work is created. When things like that are in writing, it's a lot harder to fight about ownership down the road when your app tops the charts and the revenue starts pouring in.
You should also consider taking further steps to protect your intellectual property against competitors. The 3 main ways of accomplishing this are by registering trademarks, copyrights, and patents.
All of these forms of IP protection are important and useful for different reasons, depending on the nature of your apps and your business goals. It's wise to consult a lawyer before getting too deep into any of these areas of the law, because it can get tricky.
Here is some more helpful information about protecting your intellectual property if you'd like to learn specifics about trademarks, copyrights, and patents.
Two of the least known legal issues confronting app developers deal with terms of use and privacy policies. However, despite the general lack of awareness, these issues are actually some of the most important ones, and if not properly addressed, they can have the most severe consequences on your business.
Terms of Use
Terms of Use is basically a legal agreement that you, the app developer, are entering with every user of your app. The agreement happens automatically when a user uses your app. It basically sets forth what the app is, how it should be used, what constitutes improper use, and what the consequences of improper use will be.
For some very basic apps that have no interactivity between users at all, it may not be necessary to have a Terms of Use agreement. However, if your users are interacting with each other, or with you or members of your company in some way, you should certainly think about having a Terms of Use agreement.
If you clearly lay out the rules for how your app can and cannot be used, you are lowering the possibility that someone can sue you if something bad happens as a result of their use of your app.
Privacy Policy
Privacy is also a major concern, especially for apps that are likely to attract children as users. Any time you are collecting "personally identifiable information" (or PII) from your users, you are at risk of violating privacy laws.
PII includes names, emails, phone numbers, addresses, birthdays, locations, and many other types of info. If your app collects this data in any way, you should have a privacy policy that discloses what data is collected and how it is used.
There are even stricter privacy requirements under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPPA. This law specifically deals with apps or websites that are likely to attract children under the age of 13 as users, and that collect PII from them.
It is a huge burden to meet the COPPA requirements, so if your app or game is likely to have children users, it is a good idea to avoid collecting any PII whatsoever. Some app companies have faced serious financial penalties for failing to meet the COPPA requirements. It's not worth the risk.
App development is a fun, fast-paced, and exciting business. But just like other businesses, it comes with serious legal issues that you must be aware of and deal with properly in order to minimize your liability and achieve success.
Taking steps to learn about these 5 major legal issues, and others, is a good way to start. You would be wise to consult a lawyer that deals with digital media and internet legal issues as well, just to be sure that you are covering your bases and setting things up to protect yourself.
Sometimes the hardest part is knowing where to look. If you need help finding a lawyer near you, LawKick is a free platform to connect you with qualified attorneys in your area.
Aaron George is an entrepreneur with a background in app development and law. He's also an active blogger and the co-founder of LawKick. LawKick is a platform enabling people to connect with lawyers online and get price quotes for free. Connect with Aaron here: http://about.me/aarongeorge
The post Top 5 Legal Issues Facing App Developers appeared first on App Empire.]]>
The post General, App Empire, and App Flipping FAQs appeared first on App Empire.]]>
Have a question not answered here? Post in the comment section below!
App Empire Course & General App Development
We've designed a step-by-step course to teach entrepreneurs how to make and market mobile apps led by app expert, Chad Mureta. You can find a detailed article here that will walk you through your 6 Week App Development Plan.
Interested in reskinning and flipping apps? Sign-up for our App Flipping course with industry expert, Carter Thomas.
You can also read Chad's bestselling book on Amazon: App Empire: Make Money, Have a Life, and Let Technology Work for You.
Plus, check out our blog for articles and advice: www.appempire.com/blog
Like us on Facebook to connect with a community of appreneurs: www.facebook.com/appempire
One of my goals in the course is to teach you how to quickly develop cheap apps (between
$500 and $5,000) that have a strong potential for a high ROI. My first app cost me $1,800 to develop and ended up making more than $700,000 (it generated about $80,000 in the first six months).
Yes, it can be costly to develop apps, but you need to remember: you are building an asset that's going to earn you money. And if you follow the steps I lay out in the program, that asset will continue to generate revenue for you, with very little "work" or maintenance in order to keep it running.
Building my app business allowed me to escape from working 80+ hours a week in a job I hated, freeing up my time to do the things I love. And now, I'm tremendously excited to guide you through the process of building your own App Empire
All you need to do is get quotes from programmers on your ideas. It won't cost you anything to do this. Just log onto oDesk.com (or Guru, or Freelancer) and post a job with a general description of the app you'd like to have developed. Ask the coders for a flat-fee quote and an estimated time to delivery.
You don't have to reveal specifics or even hire any of the people who send you quotes. All you're trying to do is get an idea of how much an idea will cost to develop.
You can do this for any and all of your ideas. It won't take long before you'll be able to look at an app and say, "This idea has a high ROI, and I can definitely get it developed for under $2,000." Or "This idea is going to be super expensive… Pass, it's too risky."
We see this as one of the most commons ways a developer might be overcharging you. Ad SDKs (depending on which one and if you also want testing involved) should take about 5 – 15 minutes (per SDK) to implement, with testing maybe 30 minutes. If they tell you more, they either don't know what they're doing or knowingly overcharging you.
We suggest using two services at a time at most. You can turn ad networks on and off in their platform dashboards. It will take some time before figuring out your ideal ad network so keep testing new networks. Find a list of top-performing ad networks here.
Each ad network has an SDK that your developer needs to install in your apps. Each ad network works a little differently. You can find helpful FAQs and tutorials on each ad network website.
For more ad strategy advice, check out our post here: http://www.appempire.com/increase-your-freemium-revenue-ad-strategy-in-games/
We suggest taking the App Empire course because it walks you through every step of app development and marketing, including how to hire great developers. You can read more about the process here. The information you'll find in our course will be invaluable to your success.
Also, read our blog post: Finding Developers and Speaking Their Language
Make sure you've invested enough time into understanding the app market and networking with fellow appreneurs to grow your network. Have you taken our App Empire course?
Here's a list of questions Chad uses when analyzing an underperforming app: How Can I Improve My App?
Yes, and we know this because we have new students becoming successful all the time. Since starting App Empire, we've had numerous members quit their day job, and we can't tell you how excited we get every time a new student posts about it in the Facebook Alumni group.
The app market is still extremely young. Tactics change with the market, but the opportunity is still alive and real.
Check out some of our successful students share their story:
Sophie & Steff's story: http://www.appempire.com/optimizing-apps-and-when-to-move-on-interview/
Aaron's story: http://www.appempire.com/app-hot-spot-aarons-top-10-split-pic/
Brooke's story: http://www.appempire.com/the-art-of-improved-emulation-brookes-sleepsmart-app/
At this time, we do not invest in app development companies or ideas. Since our community consists of a large group of app entrepreneurs working on their own companies, it is a conflict of interest to supply capital to some over others. Instead, we work with startups and entrepreneurs in other ways to help the community succeed, such ways include advice & business development, guest posts, features, networking, and promotions (where relevant).
There are a couple funding platforms available (and more popping up as the market grows) that could be possible options for you. Check out our blog post here: http://www.appempire.com/how-can-i-get-funding-for-my-app-3-platforms-you-should-know/
Another option is to partner with "investors" (whether that be friends and family, or business contacts).
What can I expect from this course?
First, Chad provides over 12 webinar training sessions. In each session, Chad covers course materials, action steps, and how to avoid common mistakes. These training sessions are critical to your success, and they will absolutely be worth your time.
In addition to webinar training, the seven DVDs, the work booklets, and lifetime access to our online materials, we're going to be giving all of our members two brand new software programs. This software cost us more than $250,000 to develop (no joke) and has already revolutionized how Chad runs his app business. It's very powerful stuff. We haven't released them yet because we want to make sure you are capable of utilizing them first (a tool is only as powerful as its craftsman).
There are a lot of other great things — 2 full-day seminars (which you'll be able to watch live from your computer), collaborating with members, and a extra bonuses we have up our sleeves.
We provide a lot of content in our member's portal (appempiresoftware.com), so take a look under the Worksheets, Videos, and Training sections. Most likely what you're looking for will be there. If you still can't find the document/video/question you're looking for, then email us at firstname.lastname@example.com and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
If you are an App Empire member, you can join the Alumni group here: www.facebook.com/groups/appempire
This group is exclusively for AE members.
The App Sniffer will show specific changes an app has made and their corresponding ranks due to this change. For example, I can see that an app suddenly shot up after a price decrease was made on [date]. The research tool is great for keyword analysis. The software will tell you what are the "hot" keywords the app uses. It also has the radar edge lists, which is great to keep an eye on apps that are moving fast or beginning to trend.
We like to use the Research software for keyword specific research and "inner" details that you can't always get by looking at the app, and the Sniffer for analyzing changes and rank history. We use both when I'm researching. Usually moving back and forth between the two, but that's just to get all the info for one app before moving on, rather than starting with one software and moving to the other.
We have mastering your mindset tutorials in the App Empire course, as well as on our blog. where you can find advice from guest speakers, such as Tim Ferriss.
Buying Source Codes
You will receive all the files for code, images, and SDKs. You will also receive documentation that shows you how to replace IDs and any other relevant information about replacing anything else. As well as follow up support via posting questions in the comment section of the code's blog and upon purchasing you are sent the developer's direct email access to ask questions.
You only pay the one-time fee for purchasing the code and then it is yours to use how you please depending on the license (except you can't sell the code to other people). However, in order to use the code you will need a programmer and designer, as well as an active iOS developer account. You can learn more about App Flipping here on our blog: App Flipping – The Cheapest and Fastest Way to Make Apps
And on Carter's blog on BlueCloud.
Want more information on how to reskin and flip apps? Take Carter's online course and get started right away.
App Flipping & Reskinning Code FAQs by Carter Thomas
It depends on the reason it got rejected. If it's a valid reason that's strictly enforced then you need to follow Apple Guidelines, however there are many rules of Apple that aren't followed during review (clue: you'll see other apps on the store doing something you were just rejected for).
Since there is no longer a delete app entry for first time submissions (you can only delete an app once it has been approved now) the best solution is to create an identical entry again using all the same information. Then before they upload the new app, go to the original app and change all the data to "Sample" data (like use Sample App 290 as title, etc) so they can't see what the original app was. This should take about 15 minutes. The reason being this will erase the history of the reviewer and they will be assigned someone new who probably won't care.
Nope, it's perfectly ok. Here's why: you're not buying code and uploading exactly as is, you're creating a new experience, which is yours to publish. You're not selling code, you're selling the new value you created. This process is all outlined step-by-step in our course as well as the license agreement you will use.
You can sell your portfolio to a buyer with no problem. You would just need to make sure the buyer understood that these apps were re-skinned apps and are not the original code. They're interested in the value you created for your portfolio, not where your code came from.
You probably won't make much money on crappy apps, which is why you should re-skin code that is good quality and turn them into equal quality apps. You'll see in the course how I took an ugly, boring app and made it super awesome with cool graphics and strategic monetization. But at the core, the code had good features and functioned well, which is why I chose it. All I needed to do was make it look better and be more exciting. Don't confuse the word reskin with "cheap" or "crappy." The quality still needs to be there.
Pocket Gems, a gaming company, has released countless "re-skins" to create new games. Those apps make $50,000 a day. Re-skinned apps don't mean they're not built on solid programming and great functionality.
In 2011, when Carter started, it was very difficult to get your hands on source code that was of high quality and still at a low price. Now it is very realistic to be able to find high quality apps and games that can re-designed easily (maybe too easy soon!) You'll have no problem getting these apps approved because they are built and designed so well.
The downloads and engagement metrics (including reviews) that we have received on our re-skinned apps is often better than other apps on the market because we already know that users will enjoy these apps. That's why they were chosen!
If you know how to create quality images in a program like Photoshop, you can do it yourself. If not, you want to hire a designer.
If you know nothing about coding or design, you will want to enlist the service of a programmer and/or designer to help you. Otherwise you will spend many hours trying to figure out something or add features that could be done very quickly by someone who does this professionally.
That depends. On one side, this is definitely a long-term business; on the other side, it's inexpensive to get started now, which creates 'first mover leverage.' This can change in time. Both Chad and Carter both still have plenty of passive income from apps flipped in the past two years with no signs of slowing down.
A really important point is to remember that there are millions of devices being activated every single day all over the world. In fact, only a very small percentage of the world's population actually have smartphones – that means there are BILLIONS of people still ready to buy apps. It also has a growth rate that is so massive it can be one of, if not the largest market in history of civilization.
The business of re-skinning apps is built on having extremely low costs that are easy to recoup. This means you don't need a ton of downloads to make your money back. When you publish an app to the store, you will get some natural momentum from being in the "New" section of the store, in addition to the keywords and title you chose. Over the next month or two, those downloads will add up quickly and convert into dollars using the monetization strategies our course teaches you.
It's more than possible to make your money back quickly, allowing you to repeat the process over time. The goal is to have an army of apps producing downloads for you.
There is definitely isn't too much competition, and here's why:
1. There are so many people downloading apps every day that there will be demand for new apps for years to come.
2. The majority of apps aren't all that great. All you need to do is be 1% better than them and you will beat them.
The party is not even close to being over. The mobile market is on track to be larger than gold, coffee, oil, everything.
Android is a big opportunity as well, and yes you can do this with Android. The difference is that Android's monetization has not caught up to Apple's yet and thus it is more difficult to make money right now. In the near future, that will change, but for now, Apple is where the dollars are.
This is not to say that Android is a bad market, just that it does not have the same money for developers as Apple, even if the size is comparable or even larger.
The typical cost is $50-$2,000. This depends on a variety of factors including quality, proven track records, and scarcity.
I recommend starting small if you are on a tight budget then scaling up from there. Pick good code based on the requirements taught in the course. When you are ready to make some big money, move to a larger code that can make you more money. (and make sure you check out our Flip Source Code offer, because you can actually get your first source code included with our course by taking a 30 day 100% free trial in our other business (see below.)
There is no "legal" advice we can give here, but you do not need to open an LLC. All you need is an Apple developer account which costs $99 a year. Company vs individual does not matter much with App Flipping. If you ever want to transfer this to a business (when you grow, etc) it's easy to do in Apple's interface.
So, to start, you just need to sign up with Apple as an individual.
Definitely not. In fact, some of Carter and Chad's best apps are in Entertainment, Photo, and Education categories. Games are typically the highest grossing apps because the ad networks pay out best for games, but non-games can also be used. In-app purchases and certain ad networks can work very well with non-game categories and can help you differentiate yourself in less crowded markets.
App Flipping Membership FAQs
1. What are the differences between the packages? I don't understand.
Option 1: The Platinum Package
1. Get App Flipping
2. Your first source code 100% FREE (with trial to Flip Source Code*)
3. Access to Carter's Q & A Coaching sessions.
*$97/month after 30 days; cancel anytime
Total: $497 today, then $97/month after 30 days; cancel anytime with no further billing.
Option 2: The Gold Package
1. Get App Flipping
2. No free source code or membership to Flip Source Code
Total: $497, once.
2. What is FlipSourceCode.com?
A membership site providing one code per month (worth $1000+) hand-picked by Carter Thomas and Chad Mureta. You can use this proven, successful code for reskins (aka to flip apps). This is for members-only and is available for $97/month. Cancel anytime.
2. I already have apps in the marketplace. Is this just for beginners?
Definitely not! It's for anyone who is interested in producing the best results, having access to premium codes, and being a part of the app flipping community. Members range from complete beginners all the way to veteran app moguls who are making millions of dollars a month.
3. What do the Coaching Calls entail?
The coaching calls will be members-only Q&A sessions where you get questions and advice answered by Carter Thomas. This alone will propel your business as you work with Carter to overcome obstacles, monetize your apps, and implement the top strategies. This is your chance to directly ask Carter your questions! Access links will be provided to members prior to the call, and recordings will be hosted on your App Flipping membership site.
4. What is the format of this product?
Digital only. Upon purchase, you will receive login access directly to your inbox and you can get started right away. If you have any trouble, please email firstname.lastname@example.com and they will gladly help you out.
If you have any other questions, email firstname.lastname@example.com and they'll help you out.
The post General, App Empire, and App Flipping FAQs appeared first on App Empire.]]>


text:
610 - The Violent Years
Comments (67) Best Riffs (159)
I feel proud--100th laugh
Now, to quote Htom Sirveaux:
"Butterflies are free to fly, Fly away, bye bye....Ooo OOOO Oooo!"
Are you watchin' me now?......watch CLOSELY NOW!
...And my life's been so convenient since I rocked down to Electric Avenue.
That short is probably my favorite thing they've ever done. I think it has the highest concentration of good riffs per second.
"I've never felt so comfortable around a woman, Mrs. Adams."
"I'm squishy and I need to move on it!"
and so many more
This movie reminds me of I Accuse My Parents, without the musical numbers and the upbeat tone.
Anyone else recognize that the 2 guys in the short were gay? The mother realizes it and tries to push the daughter to try for the brothers friend. The ending was pure fiction (in that it seemed to work). Growing up with behavior modification techniques (not straight forward discussion) being used on me makes me recognize it right away.
OMG this short makes my blood boil!!! As a top female scientist/engineer in my field I can hardly watch it.
I prefer the movie to the short, which puts me against the tide. The short is just so sitcom sexist that it makes me want to chew concrete because I know that was based on some form of how advertisers really thought of women back then. The movie is more absurd and thus a little more tolerable.
So the threat to white male hegemony is white girls who act like men?
This movie was ahead of its time.
"You are acceptable as a mate. Take me now."
"Ain't love sumthin'?"
The little Dr. who comes out at 39:00 was the photographer for the Dirty-Picture Racket in 'The Sinister Urge'......
No laugh for this one. This film was a chore, and even the host segments weren't all that funny. Ah well, not every film can be a Mitchell...
Another one some jerk decided to DCMA. Why would anybody *WANT* to buy the copyright over some old shlock like "The Violent Years"?
What is up with the girl in the short? As soon as the guy is "tall and good-looking" and drives a convertible, it means he couldn't possibly be top of his class, or a woman-hater (whatever that's supposed to mean in this context), or have no time for girls? Those are not mutually exclusive, at all.
This episode is incredibly underrated if only for the short and the host segments. The movie itself is okay, but the rest of the episode just has me rolling on the floor laughing until I explode. holy cow.
After they point out that one of the girls looks like Harpo, it's all I can see whenever she's on screen. Seriously, the likeness is uncanny!
Judy unplugs the blender and gets Alex in to "fix" it--this reminded me of a story my mother told me. When she was a teenager in the early 50s, she used to go out on the lake in a little boat with her girlfriends and then pretend to be stranded so the boys would come and help them. Apparently they did it one too many times and the boys stopped coming. Ah well. It was nice while it lasted.
"Did he say the kitchen is "set this way to save work, time, and unnecessary sex"?
I just for the first time heard crow say, "I have angoraphobia!" Clever lad.
I feel like the script for this film was written by someone who had just an enormous amount of dog crap burned on their doorstep by local kids.
What is this short about? Kitchen appliance ad?
Hahaha, 69 laughs....
TVs Frank just KILLS me in this episode! "What a HOOT!" "Mike-mike-mike-m-m-m-m-mike-mike-mike..." "I like Kramer!"
I'm going to go turn my crank to F.R.A.N.K.
Woooah wait a minute hold up...did she just say (1:03:05) that dude's name was 'Barney Stinson'?
Electricity! It gets your daughter laid!
Mike-Mike-Mike-Ma-Ma-Ma-Maaaaaa... Oh, Frank
Notice make-out guy 43:00. I didn't know Gary Sinese was making movies in the 1950's! I guess the chick-gang has a thing for Lieutenant Dan!
If I were the parents, I would file an immediate appeal and demand custody of the grandchild. No way in HELL would two rich grandparents lose custody. Add the fact that the judge was a friend of the parents, and you have judicial prejudice up the wazoo.
"He's quite a woman-hater in his way"...WHAT ABOUT THAT IS SUPPOSED TO RECOMMEND THIS GUY
Okay, I know it is a badly written short by in 'Young Man's Fancy', how is it that Alex(ander Phips) has no time for girls? I mean, the subtext we all read into it is that Alex and 20's-Boy are gay lovers ... fine, it makes sense in an ironic, funny way ... but this was not brilliant satire: this was a straight-up face-value short on 'time study'.
I get that Alex is busy ... but was 20s-boy just saying that because he knew his sister would slobber all over him? And, in the end, he seems to have a loooot of time for girls ('double bag it son) so I never knew where that whole concept came from.
So it's her parent's fault that Paula was a sociopath?
*Sigh*… New petition against tax…
Wait, electric sink? Their power bill must be tremendous.
I remember seeing this back in the mid 90's on late night television. I missed a portion of the intro skit because my friend and I just lost it at Crow's reaction to Tom's new head. We were in tears. And again when Mike pulled his head off after the commercials. Good times.
alex doesn't have any time for girls, he is too busy with boys is what i was thinking
Just like Tom said, the ENTIRE short felt like someone forgot to stop filming.
This one doesn't seem to get the love on here it deserves! One of the best shorts they ever did and the movie is a classic (in the MST3K sense).
That judge usually looks like his eyes are closed when he's talking. Did he write his lines on the inside of his eyelids or is he even putting himself to sleep?
Nothing like a message movie that sledgehammers home its moral right at the start via voice over narration. The 50's were so subtle.
Geez! Did Geppetto carve this dialogue?
Why would she be stupid enough to allow a reporter from her Dad's office to walk into her co-ed slumber party? What a maroon! What an ignoranimous!!
And then she gets even stupider!!!
What could possibly be worse than being a "thrill seeker" and being forced to listen to that judge's stilted, slower than continental drift sentencing speech?
Mike mike mike mamama mike mike mike mamama mike mamama mike mamama mike mike mike!
Am I out of Reba? Do I need more Reba? Or any Wynnona??
Best opening ever!
wth is this short about?! is it an ad for electric appliances? it reminds me of that short with the angel and the couple trying to leave on their honeymoon but the hubby has to write a song first and its an ad about phones....
....I am in love with Tom's theme song... it's the kinda self-aggrandizing egotism that I can get behind!
Mike wears Chuck Taylor's with a jumpsuit. Who knew?
Wow, this was a spicy one. So I guess Paula Accused Her Parents, but didn't have the same luck as that other guy.
i did a c-secton..i was unable to find anything
That Esther Hoffman Howard bit is pure gold. Makes the horror of 'A Star Is Born' almost worthwhile.
I love this show, but this episode is seriously disturbing. They've always been kind of playfully sexist, but this really crosses the line. Two lovers in a car get held up. One of them gets dragged off into the woods, stripped, and gang raped at gunpoint. And Mike and the bots not only cheer it on but keep going back to how so many other people must be lining up, hoping it'll happen to them.
So wait, in the short, if that iron isn't electric then why is it plugged into the wall?
Huh. Ever since Mike came, these episodes have been having more sexual jokes...makes me a bit uncomfortable...
47:57-Kevin lifts Servo until his arm shows. They're just puppets? Who knew? My life is a sham! I'm going back to what's real: National elections, NBA Officiating, Federal Reserve currency, Patriots Super Bowl wins, the WWF...
Turn your crank to FRANK! Gets be every time because here in Maine we have a 107.5 FRANK FM. But it's Classic Rock, lol not Country.
lol Crow's reaction at the start, to servo's head, just kills me.
I will never sleep again.
i could be mistaken, but isn't that scally(sp?) from Racket Girls at around 39:40?
Servo LOST IT
HOLY SHIT PEOPLE. This is the origin of one of the songs I loved as a teenager. The speech the judge gives at her sentencing at the end of the film is excerpted in the song "So What" by Ministry from their awesome album "The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste." Go on iTunes and listen to it. When I got to this part of the film I just couldn't believe my ears. I never knew where they got the clip for the song, so it was a huge wonderful surprise.
Only one segment was dated. You do realize this episode came out in 1994. The other host segments where topical
It's like they were trying to make the host segments as dated as possible. Some good riffs, though.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Last semester of the RN progam and doing Great but exhausted!!
- 0Oct 16, '12 by snbonbonHi everyone,
I just wanted to take a minute to pat myself on my back about my accomplisments so far!! So I graduate on december 15th with my RN I work 3 days on a medical rehab unit for the last 4 years, I am a single mom and I'm doing quite ok as of now!! I finished all my pre reqs before this last semester I am mantaing a 3.4 gpa and I got 97.5 on my first test, 80 on the second, 95 on my care plan, 100 on my math test and just ACED my skills testing!!! Im exhuasted yes but im pushing foward and I am proud of myself for it!!!!
- 810 Visits
- 0Oct 16, '12 by Nurse2b7337Wow!!! Congrats to you. How did you keep yr job go to school and still take on the role of Mom??? Amazing!!! You deserve it!!
- 0Oct 17, '12 by classicdame GuideYIPPY!!!! THe light is at the end of the tunnel.
I so appreciate the exhaustion. On graduation night I was at a restaurant having dinner (early evening) with friends and family. I fell asleep during the meal. Embarrassing but true.
- 1Oct 17, '12 by OB-nurse2013Yahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Congrats! I can't wait to post this! I graduate next semester Keep at it!!!