book

The Business of iPhone App Development: Making and Marketing Apps that Succeed

Name: The Business of iPhone App Development: Making and Marketing Apps that Succeed
ISBN: 9781430227335

by Dave Wooldridge, Michael Schneider

March 2010

Intermediate to advanced

408 pages

12h 17m

English

Apress

Read now

Unlock full access

Copyright
Foreword
About the Authors
About the Technical Reviewer
Acknowledgments
1. Seeing the Big Picture in a Crowded App Store Marketplace
1.1. Why a Business Book for iPhone Developers?1.1.1. Tackling the New World of Mobile Marketing1.1.2. Rest Easy—This Is Not Your Typical Business Book1.2. Planning Your Own Success Story1.3. How to Use This Book1.3.1.1.3.1.1. Chapter 2—Doing Your Homework: Analyzing iPhone App Ideas and Performing Competitive Research1.3.1.2. Chapter 3—Protecting Your Intellectual Property1.3.1.3. Chapter 4—Your iPhone App Is Your Most Powerful Marketing Tool1.3.1.4. Chapter 5—Money for Nothing: When It Pays to Be Free1.3.1.5. Chapter 6—Exploring New Business Models with In-App Purchase and Affiliate Programs1.3.1.6. Chapter 7—Testing and Usability: Putting Your Best Foot Forward1.3.1.7. Chapter 8—Get the Party Started! Creating Prerelease Buzz1.3.1.8. Chapter 9—Keys to the Kingdom: The App Store Submission Process1.3.1.9. Chapter 10—Increasing Awareness for Your iPhone App1.4. Getting Started with Your First iPhone App1.5. Already in the App Store? It's Never Too Late to Boost Sales1.6. Developing iPhone Apps for Clients1.7. Ready to Dive In?
2. Doing Your Homework: Analyzing iPhone App Ideas and Performing Competitive Research
2.1. Fulfilling a Need2.1.1. Discovering Untapped Markets2.1.2. Enhancing the Mobile Experience2.1.3. Competing with Similar Apps2.2. When to Avoid Over-Saturated Categories2.3. Assessing the Competition2.3.1. Alternative App Directories for Competitive Research2.3.2. Analyzing App Ranking Statistics2.3.2.1. Mobclix2.3.2.2. MajicRank2.3.2.3. APPlyzer2.3.2.4. App Store Metrics by 148Apps.biz2.3.2.5. Top App Charts2.3.2.6. Yappler's App Store Stats2.3.2.7. Other Resources for App Ranking Statistics2.4. Finding Inspiration in Your Competitors' Customer Reviews2.4.1. Learning from the Mistakes of Others2.4.2. Going Beyond the App Store's Customer Reviews2.4.3. Taking Your Competition for a Test-Drive2.5. Defining Your Differentiator2.6. What's in an App Name?2.7. Registering Web Site Domain Names2.8. Building a Unique Identity for Your iPhone App2.9. Making Progress
3. Protecting Your Intellectual Property
3.1. What Is Intellectual Property?3.2. Determining Your Intellectual Property Strategy3.2.1. iPhone Apps Are Different3.2.2. Developing an iPhone Specific Game Plan3.2.3. Copyrighting Your App3.2.3.1. How to Obtain a Copyright3.2.3.2. Limitations of Copyright Protection3.2.4. Filing Trademarks for App Icons and Logos3.2.4.1. How to Get a Trademark3.2.4.2. Picking a Protectable Trademark3.2.5. Trade Secrets3.2.5.1. How Do You Establish a Trade Secret?3.2.5.2. Nondisclosure Agreements3.2.5.3. Limitations of Trade Secret Protection3.2.6. Patents3.2.6.1. Is Your Invention Patentable?3.2.6.2. Avoiding the On Sale Bar3.2.6.3. How to File a Patent3.2.6.4. Filing a Provisional Patent Application Yourself3.3. Addressing Intellectual Property in Contractor and Employee Agreements3.3.1. Hiring Contractors3.3.2. Hiring Employees3.4. Inbound Licensing of Third-Party Intellectual Property3.4.1. Document Your Inbound Licenses3.4.2. Know What You Are Getting3.4.3. Avoid Viral Licenses3.4.4. Don't Use Apple's Trademarks3.5. Creating a Custom End User License Agreement3.5.1. The Purpose of a EULA3.5.1.1. Warranty Disclaimers3.5.1.2. Limitations of Liability3.5.2. Apple's Default EULA?3.5.2.1. Apple's End User License Agreement3.5.2.2. Reasons to Use Your Own Agreement3.6. How and When to Pursue Legal Action3.6.1. First Steps Toward Dispute Resolution3.6.2. Prelitigation3.6.3. Litigation3.7. Summary
4. Your iPhone App Is Your Most Powerful Marketing Tool
4.1. Getting Your Foot in the Door: First Impressions Are Everything4.2. Playing by the Rules in Apple's Sandbox4.2.1.4.2.1.1. Apple's iPhone Human Interface Guidelines4.2.1.2. Application Submission Feedback4.3. Creating an Effective App Icon and Logo4.3.1. Designing a Custom App Icon4.3.2. Don't Forget About a Logo4.3.3. Maintaining a Consistent Brand Identity4.4. Interface Design: Think Like a User, Not a Developer4.4.1. The Immense Value of Prototyping4.4.1.1. Drawing Your Ideas on Paper4.4.1.2. Beautiful Mock-ups in Illustrator and Photoshop4.4.1.3. Other Software Tools for Designing Mock-Ups4.4.1.4. Paper Prototyping4.4.1.5. Moving to Interface Builder4.4.2. Pushing the Envelope with a Custom Interface4.4.3. The Comfortable Familiarity of UIKit4.4.3.1. Icons and Images Within Your App4.4.3.2. Toolbar Colors4.4.3.3. Background Colors and Images4.4.3.4. Toolbar Button Icons4.4.4. Designing for Accessibility4.4.4.1. Vischeck4.4.4.2. Sim Daltonism for Mac OS X4.5. Tips for the Artistically Challenged4.5.1.4.5.1.1. Graphics and Icons4.5.1.2. Fonts4.5.1.3. Audio and Music4.5.1.4. Professional Design Services4.6. How You Like Me Now? Encouraging User Reviews Within Your App4.7. Check Out This Cool App! Tell a Friend with In-App Email and Social Networking4.7.1.4.7.1.1. In-App Email4.7.1.2. Twitter and Facebook Connect4.8. Earning Your Stripes
5. Money for Nothing: When It Pays to Be Free
5.1. The Benefits of Free to Promote Paid Versions5.1.1. Choosing a Path: Lite Version vs. In-App Purchase5.1.2. Playing It Safe: Lite Version Restrictions5.1.2.1. Lite Version Must Be a Fully Functional App5.1.2.2. Lite Version Cannot Contain Crippled Features5.1.2.3. Lite Version Cannot Remind User to Buy Paid Version5.1.2.4. Lite Version Cannot Time Out or Disable Features5.1.2.5. Lite Version Cannot Be Referenced As a Demo5.1.3. Can a Free Lite Version Really Boost Paid App Sales?5.1.4. They Won't Buy the Cow If the Milk Is Free5.1.5. Perfecting Your In-App Sales Pitch5.1.6. Bulletproofing Your Lite Version5.1.7. Migrating Data from the Lite Version to the Paid Version5.1.7.1. Syncing with the "Cloud"5.1.7.2. Transferring Data via URL5.2. Securing Market Share: Give It Away Now, Up-Sell Later5.3. Monetizing Free with In-App Advertising5.3.1. Taking a Hard Look at the Numbers5.3.2. When to Use In-App Advertising5.3.3. Which Ad Network Is Right for You?5.3.3.1. AdMob5.3.3.2. AdWhirl5.3.3.3. Google AdSense for Mobile Applications5.3.3.4. Greystripe5.3.3.5. Medialets5.3.3.6. Mobclix Mobile Ad Exchange5.3.3.7. Quattro Wireless5.3.3.8. Tapjoy5.3.3.9. iVdopia5.3.3.10. VideoEgg5.3.4. Building a Business with Ad-Supported iPhone Apps5.4. Strength in Numbers: Building Synergy with In-App Cross-Promotion5.4.1. Setting Up Shop5.4.2. United We Prosper5.4.3. Rolling Your Own Solution5.5. Enthusiasm Is Contagious: Get Your Users Talking with Third-Party Social Platforms5.6. Shifting Gears

6. Exploring New Business Models with In-App Purchase and Affiliate Programs
6.1. Loyalty Pays: Existing Users Make the Best Customers6.1.1. Supporting the Long Tail: Monetizing Continued Development6.1.2. The Challenge of Changing User Perception6.2. When and How to Use In-App Purchase6.2.1. The Power of Simplicity6.2.2. Presentation Is the Key to Success6.2.3. Finding the Sweet Spot6.3. Configuring In-App Purchase in iTunes Connect6.3.1. Setting Up an In-App Purchase Test User Account6.3.2. Creating In-App Purchase Items6.3.2.1. Reference Name6.3.2.2. Product ID6.3.2.3. Type6.3.2.4. Price Tier6.3.2.5. Cleared for Sale6.3.2.6. Language6.3.2.7. Screenshot6.3.3. Managing Your In-App Purchase Items6.4. Preparing Your Test Device6.5. Tapping into the Store Kit Framework6.5.1. Setting Up the Basics6.5.2. Step 1: Does the Consumer Allow In-App Purchase?6.5.3. Step 2: Fetch Available In-App Purchase Items6.5.4. Step 3: Requesting a Purchase6.5.5. Step 4: Receiving Payment Status6.5.6. Step 5: Providing Access to the Purchased Content6.5.7. Restoring Paid Content6.6. Delivering and Managing In-App Purchases6.6.1. Unlocking Built-in Content6.6.2. Downloading Content from Your Server6.6.3. Finding Help in the Cloud6.7. Mining Additional Revenue with Affiliate Programs6.8. Digging for Gold
7. Testing and Usability: Putting Your Best Foot Forward
7.1. Preventing the Majority of One-Star Reviews7.1.1. Avoiding Common Pitfalls7.1.2. Soliciting Direct Feedback7.2. Preventing User Frustration with In-App Help7.2.1. Planting Knowledge Seeds with On-Screen Tips7.2.2. Instructional Videos: The Double-Edged Sword7.2.3. Show, Don't Tell, with Integrated Demos7.2.4. In-App Web Help: A Little HTML Goes a Long Way7.3. Provisioning: Setting Up a Development Device7.3.1. Step 1: Establishing Your Test Device in Xcode Organizer7.3.2. Step 2: Verify That Apple's WWDR Certificate Is Installed7.3.3. Step 3: Launch the Online Development Provisioning Assistant7.3.4. Step 4: Request a Development Certificate7.3.5. Step 5: Generate and Install Your Provisioning Profile7.3.6. Step 6: Download and Install Your Development Certificate7.3.7. Step 7: Run Your Xcode Project on Your Test Device7.3.8. The Limitations of Wildcard App IDs7.3.9. Managing Multiple Provisioning Profiles7.4. Beta Testing: Navigating the Complexities of Ad Hoc Distribution7.4.1. Step 1: Acquire the Device IDs of Your Beta Testers7.4.2. Step 2: Request a Distribution Certificate7.4.3. Step 3: Install and Backup Your Distribution Certificate7.4.4. Step 4: Generate and Install an Ad Hoc Distribution Provisioning Profile7.4.5. Step 5: Configure Your App for Ad Hoc Distribution7.4.6. Step 6: Create the Entitlements File7.4.7. Step 7: Compile Your iPhone App7.4.8. Step 8: Distribute Your App to the Beta Testers7.5. Knowledge Is Power: Tracking App Usage Through Analytics7.5.1. Answers from the Source7.5.2. Evaluating the Players7.6. Sitting Pretty
8. Get the Party Started! Creating a Prerelease Buzz
8.1. The Final Countdown: Preparing for Lift-Off8.1.1. Marketing Requires an Audience, So Invest the Time to Find Yours8.1.2. Crafting Your Elevator Pitch8.1.3. Additional Prerelease Marketing Materials8.1.3.1. Company Logo (High-Resolution)8.1.3.2. App Icon and Logo (High-Resolution)8.1.3.3. Screenshots8.1.3.4. Optional Video Trailer8.1.3.5. Dedicated Web Presence8.2. Your iPhone App Deserves a Well-Designed Web Site8.2.1. Establishing a Web Site Infrastructure8.2.1.1. Format Wars: Blogs vs. Custom Sites8.2.1.2. Domain Name Benefits8.2.1.3. SEO Tactics8.2.1.3.1. <title> Tag8.2.1.3.2. description and keywords <meta> Tags8.2.1.3.3. Keyword-Rich Text8.2.1.3.4. Keyword-Friendly URLs8.2.1.3.5. Maintaining Valid Links8.2.1.3.6. XML Sitemap8.2.1.4. Tracking Web Site Traffic8.2.2. Anatomy of an iPhone App Web Site8.2.2.1. App Brand Identity8.2.2.2. The Quick Pitch: What Is It and Why Should I Care?8.2.2.3. App Store Identity Badge8.2.2.4. Buy Button8.2.2.5. Pricing8.2.2.6. Screenshots and Video8.2.2.7. Additional Details8.2.2.8. Social Media8.2.2.9. Your Blog, RSS Feed, and Email Mailing List8.2.2.10. Customer Support and Contact Information8.2.2.11. Company Identity8.2.2.12. Cross-Promote Your Other Products8.2.2.13. Downloadable Extras8.2.3. Before Selling, Start Collecting8.3. Why Site Compatibility with Mobile Safari Is So Important8.3.1. "I'm Ready for My Close-up, Mr. Viewport"8.3.2. Using Browser Detection to Deliver Targeted Content8.3.2.1. JavaScript8.3.2.2. PHP8.3.3. Dynamically Replacing Flash with iPhone-Compatible Content8.3.3.1. JavaScript8.3.3.2. PHP8.3.4. Home Screen Bookmarking Made Beautiful8.4. Let's Make Some Noise: The Power of Blogs, Twitter, and Social Networks8.4.1. Blogging8.4.1.1. Syndicating Your Blog Content8.4.1.2. Inviting Comments8.4.1.3. Host Your Own Blog or Use a Third-Party Blog Service?8.4.2. Twitter8.4.2.1. Gaining Followers8.4.2.2. Customizing Your Profile8.4.2.3. Keywords and Hash Tags8.4.2.4. Retweet Appeal8.4.2.5. Twitter Lists8.4.2.6. Managing the Pipeline8.4.3. Facebook8.4.3.1. Creating a Facebook Page8.4.3.2. Connecting with Fans8.4.3.3. Import Blog, Output Twitter8.4.4. Other Social Networks and Bookmarking Sites8.4.5. Commenting on Forums, Groups, and Blogs8.5. But Not Too Much Noise: Maintaining a Professional Reputation8.6. Everyone Loves a Winner: Collecting Prerelease Press and Testimonials8.6.1.8.6.1.1. Preparing a Hit List8.6.1.2. Establishing Relationships8.6.1.3. Offering Exclusives and Advance Ad Hoc Builds to Secure Coverage8.7. Passing the Baton
9. Keys to the Kingdom: The App Store Submission Process
9.1. The Politics of Pricing9.1.1. Analyzing Similar Apps9.1.2. Room to Maneuver9.1.3. Sustaining a Long-Term Business9.1.4. Perceived Value and Consumer Resistance9.2. Improving App Discovery: The Art of Keywords and Names9.2.1. Assigning Keywords9.2.2. The Name Game9.3. Perfecting the Sales Pitch of Your App Description9.3.1. What Is It?9.3.2. Awards and Testimonials9.3.3. Features and Benefits9.4. A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words: The Importance of Screenshots9.4.1. Choosing the Primary Screenshot9.4.2. When a Screenshot Is More Than a Screenshot9.5. Preparing Your Application Binary for the App Store9.5.1. Step 1: Verify Your Distribution Certificate Is Still Installed9.5.2. Step 2: Generate and Install an App Store Distribution Provisioning Profile9.5.3. Step 3: Configure Your Xcode Project for App Store Distribution9.5.4. Step 4: Compile Your iPhone Application9.6. Are We There Yet? Submitting Your App in iTunes Connect9.6.1. Ensure Your Contracts and Payment Settings Have Been Processed by Apple9.6.2. Step 1: Add a New Application in iTunes Connect9.6.3. Step 2: Submit Your App's Metadata9.6.3.1. Application Name9.6.3.2. Application Description9.6.3.3. Device Requirements9.6.3.4. Category9.6.3.5. Copyright9.6.3.6. Version Number9.6.3.7. SKU Number9.6.3.8. Keywords9.6.3.9. Application URL, Support URL, and Support Email Address9.6.3.10. Demo Account9.6.3.11. End User License Agreement9.6.4. Step 3: Assign a Rating to Your App9.6.5. Step 4: Upload Your App Binary, Large Icon, and Screenshots9.6.6. Step 5: Set the Availability Date and Price9.6.7. Step 6: Supporting Multiple Languages9.6.8. Step 7: Confirm and Submit Your App for Review9.6.9. Submitting App Updates9.6.10. Managing Your Own Expectations9.7. Try, Try Again: Dealing with App Store Rejections9.8. Approved! Making It to the Promised Land9.8.1. Analyzing Your App Store Sales Statistics9.8.1.1. AppFigures9.8.1.2. AppSales Mobile9.8.1.3. AppStore Clerk9.8.1.4. AppStore Sales9.8.1.5. AppViz9.8.1.6. Heartbeat9.8.1.7. My App Sales9.8.1.8. TapMini from TapMetrics9.8.1.9. Other Resources for App Store Statistics9.9. Rev Your Engines
10. Increasing Awareness for Your iPhone App
10.1. Dedicating As Much Effort to Marketing Your App As You Put into Developing It10.2. The Art of Crafting Effective Press Releases10.2.1. The Essential Ingredients of a Press Release10.2.2. The Virtual 24/7 Press Room10.2.3. Who to Notify and How?10.3. Issuing Promo Codes: Soliciting App Reviews on Influential Blogs and Review Sites10.3.1. Providing Review Materials10.3.2. Obtaining Promo Codes10.3.3. Publicity Requires Planning and Patience10.4. Using Promotions and Giveaways to Improve App Discovery10.5. Timing a Good Sale to Rejuvenate App Downloads10.6. Contemplating Sponsorships and Product Placement Deals10.7. Connecting with Customers: Delivering App Updates and Quality Support10.8. Additional Tips for Sustaining Momentum in the App Store10.8.1. Banking on the Prestige of Awards and Endorsements10.8.2. Share Your Knowledge10.8.3. Participating in Interviews and Podcasts10.8.4. Can Advertising Sell Apps?10.9. Looking Toward the Horizon

Overview

This book will show you how to incorporate marketing and business savvy into every aspect of the iPhone app design and development process.

Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.

Read now

Unlock full access

More than 5,000 organizations count on O’Reilly

O’Reilly covers everything we've got, with content to help us build a world-class technology community, upgrade the capabilities and competencies of our teams, and improve overall team performance as well as their engagement.

Julian F.

Head of Cybersecurity

I wanted to learn C and C++, but it didn't click for me until I picked up an O'Reilly book. When I went on the O’Reilly platform, I was astonished to find all the books there, plus live events and sandboxes so you could play around with the technology.

Addison B.

Field Engineer

I’ve been on the O’Reilly platform for more than eight years. I use a couple of learning platforms, but I'm on O'Reilly more than anybody else. When you're there, you start learning. I'm never disappointed.

Amir M.

Data Platform Tech Lead

I'm always learning. So when I got on to O'Reilly, I was like a kid in a candy store. There are playlists. There are answers. There's on-demand training. It's worth its weight in gold, in terms of what it allows me to do.

Mark W.

Embedded Software Engineer

The Business of Android Apps Development: Making and Marketing Apps That Succeed

Mark Rollins

The Business of iPhone and iPad App Development: Making and Marketing Apps That Succeed, Second Edition

Dave Wooldridge, Gary Mazo

The Business of Android Apps Development: Making and Marketing Apps that Succeed on Google Play, Amazon Appstore and More, Second Edition

Roy Sandberg, Mark Rollins

Appreneur: Secrets to Success in the App Store

Taylor Pierce

Publisher Resources

ISBN: 9781430227335Purchase book

Cloud Computing

Data Engineering

Data Science

AI & ML

Programming Languages

Software Architecture

IT/Ops

Security

Design

Business

Soft Skills