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My app failed: lessons learned

rithm.app

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Re: My app failed: lessons learned

#41

Post by handrous »

smoldesu wrote: post #16

The first red flag I see is that the app isn't multiplatform. I know there's plenty of iPhone/Android exclusive apps, but I will very rarely use (much less spend money on) something that is locked-in to one app. Also, does anyone else find it ironic that a habit tracking app has a monthly subscription? Feels darkly ironic looking at the IAP block towards the bottom.

> The first red flag I see is that the app isn't multiplatform.

This doesn't matter to most users (of a given target platform), and if you're charging money for an app—rather than making money with ads, or providing a service that needs maximum reach or user base, or relying on network effects to somehow make money as e.g. a messenger or social network might—then you only need/want iOS until you are seeing enough traction to be confident that the lower sales rate on Android will nonetheless be high enough to make it worth it.

Re: My app failed: lessons learned

#42

Post by albeebe1 »

allenu wrote: post #33

I think the biggest myth with apps today is "if you build it, they will come". I think it was true 10 years ago when the iPhone App Store was getting started, but not today. The thing is, having a ton of competitors in the space means you will have to work extra hard for your app to be seen and then picked. "Lesson 4: Distribution" in the post is probably the most important thing here. Marketing and SEO are huge in t…

> I think it was true 10 years ago when the iPhone App Store was getting started, but not today

In 2008 before the App Store when Cydia and Installer where the only way to install apps on your iPhone, my app was getting 10,000 installs per day with 0 marketing. I refer to that period as the gold rush days.

Re: My app failed: lessons learned

#43

Post by mrweasel »

smoldesu wrote: post #16

The first red flag I see is that the app isn't multiplatform. I know there's plenty of iPhone/Android exclusive apps, but I will very rarely use (much less spend money on) something that is locked-in to one app. Also, does anyone else find it ironic that a habit tracking app has a monthly subscription? Feels darkly ironic looking at the IAP block towards the bottom.

A few months ago I looked for a habit tracker, I don't recall if this was one of those I looked at. As with all apps, for the phone, I skip everything that has a subscription model or "in app purchases" and I suspect many will do the same. To me subscriptions and "in app purchases" has become synonymous with "low quality".

Personally I don't care much if apps exclusive to iPhone, it's not going to stop me from buying an app. It's not like I'd be able to transfer the purchase to Android anyway.

Re: My app failed: lessons learned

#47

Post by rexreed »

jfengel wrote: post #34
rexreed wrote: post #15

Good lessons. But so many common mistakes To summarize: 1) Build something people really need, not a nice-to-have 2) Keeping customers is more important than just acquiring them 3) If you're not keeping your customers that means they don't want or need what you have 4) Changing people's behavior is really hard. Unless you have a significant amount of marketing budget, don't try to change people 5) "Distribution" is k…

Is it really realistic to build something people "need"? Humanity survived millions of years without a single piece of software; it's unlikely that anything you write is ever going to be a "need". People buy stuff they don't need all the time. Games and other entertainment are the very definition of "nice to have", and they're vast markets. Even business tools are usually not "needs" if all they do is improve an exis…

If you're trying to run a business, then yes, it needs to be something people need, because you're asking people to give up something of value to them. Money and/or time. If you ask for something of value you have to provide something of value in return.

Of course, the need can be anything that people find valuable. It could be a product or a service or just a way to stay connected or entertainment. Whatever it is, it has to be something people "need" from a value perspective, if you are planning to make a business out of it.

Of course, you don't have to run a business. Many people do things out of their own interests that are never turned into businesses, and certainly humanity has been doing that for millenia. You don't have to turn it into a business. The points above are relevant to running a successful business.

Re: My app failed: lessons learned

#48

Post by mettamage »

dcolkitt wrote: post #32
JoeAltmaier wrote: post #21

Here's my take on selling: 1) Sell to people who can write the check, and have a budget to spend That's my entire advice. It seems obvious. If you're selling to an individual, choose a demographic with money to spend. And charge a price to fit into their budget. If you're selling to a team, don't. Sell to the person buying products/tools for the team, the one with signing authority. They make the ultimate decision. A…

This reminds me of the quote: "When a great team and product meets a lousy market, market usually wins. When a mediocre team and product meets a great market, market usually wins"

I have experienced this directly.

Re: My app failed: lessons learned

#49

Post by kylebolt »

syshum wrote: post #10
mcraiha wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the only question that needs to be asked nowadays. You need user acquisition money. Sad fact is that otherwise it is almost impossible to do anything.

So the field of dreams of dead?

Well we will see have version 2 goes!

Re: My app failed: lessons learned

#50

Post by kylebolt »

kranner wrote: post #4

Nice writeup! I see that the app is available only in English. In my experience with indie apps (admittedly not recent), localisation in at least Spanish and Portuguese can help drive a lot of sales. It can also be easier to rank higher with localised keywords, and it's easier to get featured in country-specific App Stores in non-English languages as well.

Good point! I'm working on localizing for Spanish, German and Portuguese in next version.
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