My new iPhone app is not getting more than 20 downloads. Why?

I just released my first iOS app to the App Store the other day, and so far its only generated 18 downloads. I tried to advertise my app the best I can ($0 budget), by posting links on Facebook and reddit and telling friends, but that doesn't really seem to help much. Is there something I'm missing?

Heres the link for the game: https://itunes.apple.com/US/app/id741521982?mt=8

Comments

  • DanielDoeDanielDoe Member Posts: 307
    There are more than 200 apps released every day. If you app isn't unique (and looking on the screenshots it isn't unique) you should be happy about 20 downloads.
  • Gamelover456Gamelover456 Member Posts: 378
    it's probably the keywords you chose, or it got buried by 199 other apps when you released it.
  • xGrandxxGrandx Member Posts: 16
    Okay thankyou for the replies!
  • zweg25zweg25 Member Posts: 738
    @xGrandx I will download your app and spread the word to everyone I know, I'll review it and everything if you could just give me the same courtesy. I have a few apps called boggle my mind and light up mazes, if you could spread the word, write a review and maybe tap on like 5 ads I would love to return the favor.
    Let me know
    Zweg25

    Boggle: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/boggle-my-mind/id668449908?mt=8

    Light up mazes:
    https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/light-up-mazes/id717752933?mt=8
  • xGrandxxGrandx Member Posts: 16
    @zweg25 Yeah sure! Thanks a lot!
  • zweg25zweg25 Member Posts: 738
    edited November 2013
    @xGrandx great app I have been playing for 20 minutes and i am stuck on level 20! I left a review and got 2 others to download the app! Hope that helps maybe you can help me out too.
    The game reminds me of the worlds hardest game, which i loved!
    Also did you make the art on photoshop because I really like it. Where did you get the music?
  • gyroscopegyroscope I am here.Member, Sous Chef, PRO Posts: 6,598
    edited November 2013

    @xGrandx Hi, your question: "My new iPhone app is not getting more than 20 downloads. Why?"

    My answer: (the stat I can't remember where I read it from, and probably paraphrased): "iTunes connect has an average of 1,000 apps submitted every day." That's it, 1,000 every day, day in, day out, so that's approx. getting on for half a million submitted every year, and it'll probably meet that target in a year's time, then progress day on day beyond that.

    Another statistic: that's on top of over 1,000,000 apps already in the app store.

    So your (our) app is almost a drop in the ocean. You're correct in understanding about some sort of marketing, zero $/£ upwards, it surely is the only thing to differentiate your app fromm the thousand others a day. If no one knows your app is published, how do you expect people to consider buying it?

    "Consider buying it" is important: out of, let's say, 10,000 people who've become aware of your app who'll look at it, you'll be lucky if 0. 2% will buy it (20 people), unless there's some real buzz/cult following/ tipping poinT where everyone's gotta have it (rare).

    So marketing is all, really, no matter how good or bad your app is, no mater how much your budget is you've got to spend spreading the word… (as well: are youlistening, me? ;-)

    A positive move to generating some traffic to your app on the iTunes store is to send ouch each and every one of your promo codes to review sites, with the hope they'll review it on their website, and give you a positive review and so generate some sales.

    Press Releases are pretty much dead in the water…. some other member on here told me as much before I went ahead on sending out a Press Release about my my last album of music (dark ambient, experimental, sound montage) called Between the Lines of Time and Space… I spent over £100 with a PR company and might as well have burned the notes in front of my face… they sent to hundreds of places….. 99.999% who wouldn't be interested in an esoteric album of weird, experimental music (mainly local newspapers who aren't in the main, even interested in their local creative stuff, let alone stuff outside of their particular bubble)…. that's not to say PR doesn't help, just that to get proper targeting, in the main, you have to pay proper money…

    although there are lots of free PR companies out there, but don't expect miracles ,because everyone else and their aunt is using it as well… PRMac comes to mind…

    All in all, everyone's best bet, in my mind, is to give away (wisely) the promo codes Apple gives us, to review sites.

    The bottom line: "Keep It Real"

    ""You are in a maze of twisty passages, all alike." - Zork        temp domain http://spidergriffin.wix.com/alphaghostapps

  • xGrandxxGrandx Member Posts: 16
    @zweg25 Thanks a lot!! I got the idea from playing "the worlds hardest game". And I made all the art in Adobe Illustrator. And I get the music from http://www.nosoapradio.us/. Its free to use and of the songs on there.

    I also downloaded and reviewed both you apps!
  • xGrandxxGrandx Member Posts: 16
    @gyroscope Thank you so much for the response! It really helped clear up a few things.
  • zweg25zweg25 Member Posts: 738
    That is really interesting info @gyroscope! I will have to keep that in mind as well
    @xGrandx I am not very good with any of the art programs but I will give Illustrator a try. Also thanks for downloading
  • aitor010aitor010 Member Posts: 282
    in my opinion pesonal think the logo is somewhat bland. not show the full potential of the game!. You should modify it in my opinion. I think that even if you have a good marketing can have many downloads, tiens to do positioning ASO. Screenshots describing the game, good logo, and above all a powerful description, keywords also are critical since 62% of iOS users use the search engine to find games. What keywords did you use? Maybe that's the problem. :)
  • BigDaveBigDave Member Posts: 2,239
    edited November 2013
    Yeah also doing this right now.

    -Facebook Site with all store links and updates, nice screenshots, maybe also consider run the paid ads of Facebook just to create a base of like so you appear like reasonable player.
    -Twitter same content (shortened), follow all essentials like pocket gamer, App Store, touch arcade, extra credit….. They will check sometimes who follows and if your lucky they follow you too a re-tweet of them would be big push.
    -Wordpress create a Blog start writing about all your games.
    -Youtubers the most cooperative people I found so far. There are plenty of people doing lets plays. Just give them a promo code an let them put gameplay of your game into the web.
    -Have your own youtube videos about your game
    -Post into forums give them like 1-5 promo codes if you think its an active forum.
    -Write to game sides to review you (press), 1 out of 10 will respond. And some even review you. But just spam them all.

    Right now is an extreme hard time, its close christmas you can already see on the amount of projects here in game salad by how much the game release frequency has rised.
    To get overlooked as independent around christmas is pretty likely.

    Just keep it up and make the next title, If you land a successful title there is a potential that they will also check what you made back then. Synergy of your Portfolio.

    Keep it up!
  • aitor010aitor010 Member Posts: 282
    promote on youtube is a good idea, perhaps from 1 to 10% of users visit the video want download the game or more!!
  • allc1865allc1865 Member, PRO Posts: 777
    It's going to take time. Keep making more apps. Don't give up after one. Keep making more interesting app that get people's attention that's fun and makes them want to keep coming back to play the game.
    Keep advertising! :) ;)
  • gyroscopegyroscope I am here.Member, Sous Chef, PRO Posts: 6,598
    ...

    I also downloaded and reviewed both you apps!
    @xGrandx Very nice of you and much appreciated, thanks! :-)

    ""You are in a maze of twisty passages, all alike." - Zork        temp domain http://spidergriffin.wix.com/alphaghostapps

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