How do I get started with freeAppCalendar.com?
Getting started is easy. Just register as a developer, and we will send you your initial login information. Then you can login to your Developer Dashboard, change your password, and then begin adding your apps to the system directly. Each app you add will need to be briefly reviewed and approved by a site administrator, but that is usually done within a few hours.
If I show my apps to visitors in the voting pool, won`t they be less likely to buy my app?
This is certainly a possible concern in some cases. For apps that are still in the Top 100, being added to the voting pool could have some negative impact. In that case, we recommend our FlexFeature service (see below). However, apps that are already out of the Top 100 need all the exposure they can get. In that case, being in the voting pool shows your app to users that have never seen it before, so it can only be beneficial for more eyes to see it.
What restrictions are there on which apps can participate?
We aim to include as many different types of apps as possible, however, certain types of apps such as "bikini" apps, "fart" apps, and other apps deemed of limited use will be rejected. Also, apps related to sex, religion, politics and other potentially controversial topics will be rejected.
How much does it cost to participate in freeAppCalendar.com?
If you are an indie developer, and you meet all of the following criteria, then there is no charge to submit your app to the voting pool and get featured on the main app calendar.
- You are an individual developer or your company/group has 4 or fewer members
- You or your company`s annual app-related gross revenues are under US $50,000/year
- You haven`t had an app featured on freeAppCalendar.com in the past 3 months
- You are willing to submit your app to the voting pool where it will be publicly displayed for voting
- You are very flexible on feature dates, since the public voting decides when your app will be featured
What if I am not an indie developer?
What if I don`t meet all of the above criteria?
What if I don`t want to put my app in the voting pool?
What if I want to pick a specific date for my feature?
We offer our FlexFeature service to cover exactly the above situations. FlexFeature gives you the following major benefits:
- The flexibility to pick a specific feature date (Friday, Saturday & Sunday are often better performers)
- No need to expose your app to the public in the voting pool before setting it free
- A low, one-time price of only $195 per feature
- No ongoing 30% royalty like other "free app" sites charge
If you are ready to sign-up or if you have further questions, please email info@freeAppCalendar.com.
What are the most important points for achieving success in the App Store?
As some iPhone developers have learned, there are three main keys to achieving financial success on the App Store.
1. Create a High Quality App - This is, of course, a subjective area, but your app should be of high quality for its associated category, and it should be free of bugs. Be honest with yourself about your app, and compare it with its competition. If you feel it is lacking, consider making some improvements.
2. Create Engaging Marketing Materials - The first things potential buyers see are your app`s icon, it`s name, its first screenshot, and the first one to two sentences of your app`s description. Let`s tackle these in order of importance:
a. Icon - Your app`s icon is like a mini banner ad. It should be attractive and unique, and should stand out from the crowd in some way. This is your first chance to attract a customer, so don`t miss out on it.
b. App Name - App names that are descriptive tend to sell better than names that are perhaps, too creative. Some developers have renamed their apps and have achieved much greater success with more descriptive names. Along with your icon, this is one of the first things a potential customer will see.
c. Screenshot - Your app`s first screenshot is the third thing a potential customer is likely to see, assuming they liked your icon and/or app name enough to bother clicking on it. Make sure to select a screenshot that shows the real flavour of your app. Don`t show a menu screen or a high score screen!
d. Sales Pitch - With recent changes to the App Store`s visual presentation, the complete description of your app is no longer shown by default. Visitors must click on a link to expand a shortened version of your description into the full description. Many developers found this annoying at first, however, it is actually in your best interests to take advantage of it to increase your sales.
While some of the above points may seem obvious, a quick check through the App Store will show you many, many developers that completely ignore one or all of them, but you`re not likely to find those apps in the Top 100 anywhere. Make sure to spend some time fine tuning each of the above items.
3. Exposure, Exposure Exposure! - Exposure is, by far, the most critical component of success on the App Store. Developers who have been fortunate enough to have their apps featured by Apple in the New & Noteworthy, What We`re Playing, or other categories, know that the exposure received during those few weeks can make or break an app.
Unfortunately, not every app is blessed by Apple to receive that exposure, and even the ones that are chosen often fade back into obscurity once their time in the spotlight has passed. Developers cannot simply create apps in hopes of "winning the lottery" and getting featured by Apple, and then being one of the lucky apps that maintains its chart position after the feature is over. It is just not a sustainable business model, and a new approach is required. That is where freeAppCalendar.com comes in.
How can I make more money by giving my app away for free?
Strange as it may seem at first, if you take the right approach, you can make far more money from your apps by giving them away for free than if you just try to sell them directly. The key is to change your business model to take advantage of the massive increase in downloads that you will receive by giving your app away for free. Below are a few of the methods you can use. Not all of these methods will be appropriate for every application, but usually one or will be possible for any given app.
- Promote a Sequel - If you are releasing (or have already released) a sequel to your first game, giving away the first version can be a powerful way to promote sales of the sequel. You will need to update your original game to include a prominent page or ad that users can easily find and click on to take them to iTunes or another promotional page for your app so that they can buy it. We recommend a full-page ad directly in your app that shows the user the important points about your sequel, and then provides a direct link to iTunes to purchase the sequel app.
- Promote Your Entire Catalog - Taking the previous idea a step further, you can include a link in your main menu that says something like "More Fun Games". That link will take the user to a view where you can show them your latest apps and games in detail, and provide direct iTunes links to convert browsing users into paying customers. Some developers have taken this a step further so that they can update the apps, links and descriptions over the Internet whenever the user happens to be online when the app is running.
- Communication Platform - Sometimes you might not have another app to promote right now, but you want to build up a user base for an upcoming title. As many developers have learned, getting to top of the charts immediately after an app`s release is critical to its overall success. By converting one of your current paid apps to free, and leaving it free, you can build up a user base of literally hundreds of thousands of people very quickly. Imagine the difference it will make when you release your next app, and you can send a message to over 100,000 people instantly to let them know why it is so great!
You can either roll your own push notification mechanisms for this using the Apple SDK or take advantage of existing systems like OpenFeint, which provides some developer-to-user messaging features.
- Ad Platform - There are several ad networks such as AdMob and Quattro among others. Normally with a paid app, these are not viable options, but with the amount of exposure that can be generated with freeAppCalendar.com, they become very attractive.
- TapJoy SDK - While registering with one ad provider can be profitable, registering with TapJoy can be even better. TapJoy provides optimized ad fills to ensure that you are always showing the most profitable ads, and provides failover ads for 100% fill rate. In addition, they also now provide the ability to sell virtual goods, and the ability to pay users in virtual currency for installing your app, among other features.
- In-App Purchases - By including the ability to purchase extra levels, additional maps, new weapons, playable characters, new vehicles, clothing, etc., you can make money even if you give your game away. The Apple SDK provides all you need to implement these features today.
- Sell Virtual Goods - More information coming soon.
- iComplishments SDK - Check out www.iComplishments.com for a really innovative way to engage your customers and earn income from them every time they play.
How can I best take advantage of the exposure that I receive from freeAppCalendar.com?
We strongly recommend that you consider incorporating one or more of the above ideas into your app if you have not already done so. In addition, we recommend that you leave your app as a paid app until the day that you are first featured on freeAppCalendar.com.
After your feature, we recommend that you leave your app free for some time, possibly even permanently. Also, we suggest that you purchase a promotional banner on freeAppCalendar.com to keep your app in front of the eyes of as many potential customers as possible. This will ensure that your app continues to get exposure long after it has been featured on the main calendar, and will help it remain at the top of the charts so that you maintain a steady stream of new customers and ongoing income.
Angry Birds! Monster Dash
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Fragger Fruit Ninja
