Coming up, you’re going to hear how we helped a client get an Apple App Store feature, and the secret double up strategy we used to maximize his downloads. Stay tuned.
The exact strategy we used to get an Apple Feature.
Transcript:
What is up App Nation? It is Steve P Young, founder of appmasters.com. And in this video, I want to share a strategy that we used to help a client get featured by Apple, and then maximize his downloads.
But let me tell you before, we were ecstatic. We actually helped a client get featured by Apple. And it was very humbling for me, because a client came to me and said he’s looking for publishers. He didn’t know what to do exactly. And I said, “Look, this is a really good App, Austin, I think you should just publish it. And then I’m going to help you try to get featured by Apple. And then we’re going to do the PR and all that stuff. But I think this is a really good game. Let’s move forward. And if it doesn’t work out, if we don’t get featured by Apple – it becomes a dud – then at least the next App that you make, you can then pursue a publisher.
Because I said, “This is not going to be the last game that you ever make, right? But if it hits, then it’s going to be beautiful. And you can use the downloads that you have for Bumper Jump, to cross promote your new Apps. And so, we did it, we actually helped him get featured using the exact strategy that I’ve shared in the past. And you can access that strategy in the links below.
But, I wanted more. Because the App Store refreshes every Thursday. So that Thursday, we saw the App on there. We’re like, “What?” And we were extremely thrilled. But I knew we’d only have one week – one week. And the following Thursday, when the new app – when the app store refreshes. We knew we were going to see a big dip in downloads. So I came up with a clever idea. And I’m going to share that idea with you in this Screen Cast.
Here it is, Bumper Jump. It was featured in the App Store early March of 2016. And it’s the same strategy that we used, that we’ve shared in the past to help this client get featured. So if you want to check out that strategy, make sure you click on the link below and you read that strategy. ‘Cause I know it’s a strategy that has been used multiple, multiple times to get readers – to get my audience featured by Apple.
I know a reader – actually reached out to me. Ended up hiring us as well for the PR side of things. But he said he got featured by Apple for 4 of his Apps. And I’ve heard from many others, they’ve used the same exact strategy to get featured as well. But we here helped our client. They hired us for PR and App Store feature. And we actually got them the feature – right on the coveted home page of the iTunes App Store.
So just to give you some numbers. The App was featured 115 times. 115 times in various countries in the Best New Games category, right on the iTunes home page. So this is the most coveted spot that you want when your new app launches. And we were able to achieve that success. But I didn’t want to stop there. Because I knew, I knew you have a week to really maximize the downloads.
So for those who don’t know, the App Store refreshes every Thursday, right? And I knew on that Thursday when the App Store refreshes, you’re going to dip. As you see right here. You see that big old dip, right? And that happens for all the new games that are featured. That’s just the – that’s just how it works.
But I wanted to try something different. I wanted to hack the App Store in a way, where I said, “You know what? Before the dip, let’s do something that I know will actually bump downloads.” And you’re going to see this little bump right here. And I’ll share how we were able to achieve this little bump. May not seem a lot, but I’m going to compare it with some of the other Apps that were featured. And you’re going to see that it was actually a decent sized bump.
So, what I want to tell you this – is that we have a bag of tricks, right? I’ve come up with a lot of bag of tricks, and now in this serious of double up strategies, I’m starting to double up all the tricks that I have in my bag. So I use them multiple times, at the same time. So multiple tricks at the same time. And here’s what we did to double up your App Store feature.
So first, let’s compare, right? You saw the little bump, but let’s compare some of the other Apps that were featured. So I’ve got Jelly Squares, Brick Rage. Now I want to pick, Push the Arrow. Which is right by Bumper Jump, okay? So let’s compare what they were able to achieve. They didn’t have us, so they didn’t really maximize their feature. But let’s see what they were able to achieve during that week of the App Store feature.
So here’s the App Annie chart for Jelly Squares. As you can see, really, really consistent. Right when they got featured, which is March 3rd is the day – on Thursday, the App Store refreshes. You start to see their climbing, right? And as you can see on Wednesday when we had our little bump, they remained consistent with the overall days. It was around, hovering around 100, 106 – okay? Brick Rage, another App that was very – that was featured at the same time. And as you can see, again, very consistent. No little bump anywhere. Really consistent around the 100 overall US games.
So now I wanted to compare something. Now Brick Rage and Jelly Square, they’re a little bit closer to the left of the App Store feature. Now with Bumper Jump, they’re right there. So I wanted to really compare what pushed the arrow. Which was a very casual game as well. And right next to the Bumper Jump game. So really great comparison, right? In terms of casual games, both casual games and really close together in terms of the App Store feature location on the home page.
So here’s Push the Arrow. Just like the other 2 Apps, very consistent in their rankings. Very stable, almost straight line around the 90 mark for them. The US games mark. So – but for Bumper Jump, we went from around 90 to 77 on Wednesday March 9th. So what did we do? What did we do that was different than the other 3 Apps that I shared with you? And why we didn’t remain consistent. ‘Cause we knew that there was going to be that dip. You see the dip, and I wanted it to end with a bang.
So I said, “Austin, why don’t we run a paid to free campaign right before you’re about to dip? That will increase downloads, it’ll get you the users that you want before your dip happens, okay? And we did it. And that’s exactly what happens. We’re able to maintain – we’re even able to bump up a little bit more to 77. You saw the other Apps, they were around 90, around 100. But we bumped the 77 to end with a bang. It’s a strategy that I love to use. It’s a strategy that I know clients have gotten hundreds of thousands of downloads, just using this strategy alone.
So it’s a paid to free strategy. It’s a free app. Again, to reiterate – for those who aren’t aware. The paid to free strategy is where you make a paid App for free. Or you have a free App, and you make one of the in App purchases for free. And the in App purchase has to be a non-consumable type. Which just means that you buy once and you get it forever. So things like characters or remove ads are great non consumable in App purchases.
So again, this is the double up strategy. The strategies that I’ve been sharing on a one off basis, they work when you start coupling them together. That’s why I’m calling it the double up strategy, right? We got the – we got Bumper Jump the App featured by Apple, and we doubled up on the App Store feature by running a paid to free campaign near the end of the feature week – to then boost more downloads and hit higher in the top ranks. It’s a great strategy. I think it was very successful. We hit over – I’m not going to share the exact numbers. But it was over 6 figures. Multiple 6 figures in downloads, just with the App Store feature alone.
So I want to thank Austin, who allowed us to try these little different strategies. And then I hope that when you featured, you get that coveted App Store feature, and you’ll start thinking about different ways where you can really maximize it before you hit that big dip.
Alright guys, hope you enjoyed this video. If you did, hit the plus sign on YouTube. I’m being the normal YouTube star. Hit the plus sign, like it. And if you want awesome, awesome App marketing content, join the email list by going to appmasters.com/newsletter. Alright, I’ll see you on the next video.
