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AppGratis Is Nothing More Than A Black Hat Marketing Company

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Re: AppGratis Is Nothing More Than A Black Hat Marketing Company

#51

Post by lnanek2 »

AJ007 wrote: post #37
Irregardless wrote: post #25

This story isn't adding up so far. > But sources close to [Apple] say it was more than a little troubled that AppGratis was pushing a business model that appeared to favor developers with the financial means to pay for exposure. http://allthingsd.com/20130408/confirmed-apple-kicks-appgrat... That's the closest thing I can find to a "confirmation" that AppGratis was accepting cash in exchange for a higher rank in thei…

One of my friends in the mobile space told me about some app doing this, but I don't know if AppGratis. At least one mobile app was offering a free app of the day and charging thousands of dollars for the placement. Not my strong area, but I will point out that the rest of the blogger's post is fantasy . If you are correct, then nothing he wrote is right. - Paid links is not blackhat SEO. Blackhat SEO involves buildi…

> - Paid results absolutely do not take in to account a user's satisfaction.

I think he was referring to how the clicks on your ads are tracked and you have to pay more to get an ad in if it doesn't attract many clicks (and it doesn't place as high, and you may not even be eligible). This is a feature of AdWords advertisements.

E.g. You can say that if someone searches for cheese, then sees your ad you setup for that keyword, then doesn't click, then that ad was not good for them.

Google's write up is here: http://support.google.com/adwords/answer/2454010?hl=en > Having a high Quality Score means that our systems think your ad, keyword, and landing page are all relevant and useful to someone looking at your ad. ... > Higher Quality Scores lead to lower CPCs. That means you pay less per click when your keyword has a higher Quality Score. ... > Higher Quality Scores lead to higher ad positions. That means your ad can show up higher on the page when your keyword has a higher Quality Score.

Re: AppGratis Is Nothing More Than A Black Hat Marketing Company

#52

Post by kunai »

I was a bit disappointed in HN when the original post skyrocketed to the top of the front page.

It was disheartening to see knee-jerk reactions by the HN community. We've built such an intellectually sound and interesting community; one that bases its opinion on fact itself, and not emotion.

Let's keep it that way.

Re: AppGratis Is Nothing More Than A Black Hat Marketing Company

#53

Post by tudorconstantin »

This is the most biased article that I ever read on HN.

Did someone forced the millions of users to use appgratis? It's not like you create a recommendation app that promotes shitty apps and 10 million users suddenly use it. No, that app has to bring some value. I'd never use such an app, but there are many more others who are. Let the economy speak for itself and as long as the app is not doing illegal things let it be supported or killed by the market.

It is like saying that google should be closed because it shows shitty pages for some searches.

Re: AppGratis Is Nothing More Than A Black Hat Marketing Company

#54

Post by lnanek2 »

Irregardless wrote: post #25

This story isn't adding up so far. > But sources close to [Apple] say it was more than a little troubled that AppGratis was pushing a business model that appeared to favor developers with the financial means to pay for exposure. http://allthingsd.com/20130408/confirmed-apple-kicks-appgrat... That's the closest thing I can find to a "confirmation" that AppGratis was accepting cash in exchange for a higher rank in thei…

What makes you think AppGratis offered to remove the push feature? It would drastically cut down their marketing power from everyone who has the app installed and accepted push to only people who happen to open the app each day.

Re: AppGratis Is Nothing More Than A Black Hat Marketing Company

#55

Post by anoncow »

jacquesm wrote: post #8

AppGratis simply served a need, both on the consumer side (App discovery) as well as on the corporate side (app promotion). What ratio paid apps to free apps they were running is guesswork but I'd imagine if they would fail at the mix they would fail in the marketplace. The bigger problem is that they were simply too good at what they were doing and were competing with Apple on Apple's turf. Apple would like to contr…

>AppGratis simply served a need, both on the consumer side (App discovery) as well as on the corporate side (app promotion)

This exactly. I am sorry to say this but the submission appears lopsided.

The submission accuses appgratis of being "black hat", but doesn't explain how.

Does AppGratis run botnets which download apps?

If it is genuine users downloading apps - the business is white hat. It doesn't matter if the users get points, dollars or karma for downloading stuff.(I haven't used appgratis)

If instead of hurling accusations at appgratis, the author should have just said that

1. Apple runs the appstore. 2. It says you cannot have an app which mimics the appstore and 3. appgratis has no business taking over apple's territory.

Because that is what the post ultimately boils down to. For me at least.

I am sorry if the author of the submitted post feels offended. But it hurts to see people kick someone in the nuts when they are down.

Re: AppGratis Is Nothing More Than A Black Hat Marketing Company

#56

Post by anoncow »

lnanek2 wrote: post #54
Irregardless wrote: post #25

This story isn't adding up so far. > But sources close to [Apple] say it was more than a little troubled that AppGratis was pushing a business model that appeared to favor developers with the financial means to pay for exposure. http://allthingsd.com/20130408/confirmed-apple-kicks-appgrat... That's the closest thing I can find to a "confirmation" that AppGratis was accepting cash in exchange for a higher rank in thei…

What makes you think AppGratis offered to remove the push feature? It would drastically cut down their marketing power from everyone who has the app installed and accepted push to only people who happen to open the app each day.

But that would at least make it appear that Apple was trying.

Re: AppGratis Is Nothing More Than A Black Hat Marketing Company

#57

Post by unreal37 »

This blog post makes a ridiculous argument to defend its point.

To paraphrase the author, "Apple should control the rankings of an app in the app store, and it should not be influenced by illicit methods".

Now, suddenly, paying a third-party to advertise your app inside their app is an "illicit method" of getting it discovered.

It's called advertising. Developers can choose (or choose not) to pay money to promote there app in dozens of places and the app will increase in ranking in the App Store because advertising works.

It's like saying you want people to discover movies by going to the theater and choosing them by only by name, and NOT by watching trailers, TV commercials or viewing the posters. It's just a ridiculous argument that all advertising is by definition bad.

Re: AppGratis Is Nothing More Than A Black Hat Marketing Company

#60

Post by jacquesm »

jarsj wrote: post #59

As a small app developer, I am gonna up-vote this thousand times (I wish). We small developers need to unite and throw companies like these (paid promotions, paid reviews) out.

Small app developers were a bigger beneficiary of AppGratis than paid app developers ever were if I understand the ratio of free apps to paid placements mentioned elsewhere in this thread correctly. By a factor of 7:1 or so.
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