May the best apps win. Amen.
Search Ads
81–90 of 126 posts
Re: Search Ads
#82Earlier quoted context omitted.
I wouldn't think so, not if they're saying a percentage of all downloads come from search, as opposed to a percentage of all searches lead to a download.
But searching is the only way (sane) people find anything on the App Store. When was the last time you browsed the store until you found the cool new app you just read about? Whenever I use the App store, I'm on a mission. But it's also a mission to get free stuff, so maybe I'm not even part of the equation.
I agree. Whenever I download an app it's because I read or heard about it somewhere else. Open the app store, head to search, type name, tap install.
I don't think I've casually browsed around the app store since I got my first iPhone (first smartphone), around 2009 or 10.
Re: Search Ads
#83For many many years, the number one reason people told me why they used apple products was privacy and that with apple I'm not a product. It's how they could justify paying the high premium for apple products. It would be very interesting if they get into the advertising business. Harvesting data about my usage it and using that data to charge more for ads that are well targeted. It would mean that in addition to app…
I had the same feeling about Microsoft and I'm currently moving away from that platform. Most users seem OK with being tracked and identified so I doubt they will lose business because of it. At least until the new third reich comes by and exterminate those they don't like.
Re: Search Ads
#84Earlier quoted context omitted.
>Ahh yes, more fees for developers. Developers (including myself) are already paying these fees to Google, Facebook and Bing in the form of app install ads. We'll likely get more more bang for the buck directly on the App Store though, so IMO it's a win for developers.
Your media mix will likely shift, but you'll still be paying Facebook, Google etc. as well. Btw take a look at Twitter if you aren't already. I've had good results there.
Thanks, I will. I had always heard that Twitter sucked for most stuff...glad to hear someone is having a good experience.
Re: Search Ads
#85For many many years, the number one reason people told me why they used apple products was privacy and that with apple I'm not a product. It's how they could justify paying the high premium for apple products. It would be very interesting if they get into the advertising business. Harvesting data about my usage it and using that data to charge more for ads that are well targeted. It would mean that in addition to app…
Common mistake.
If the service is free, you could be the product (on not, like Linux), but you could be the product even if you paid.
Many physical newspapers cost money and had ads (even the reputable newspapers such as the NYT), and likely sold your information (whatever they had, that is) to the highest bidder.
If they had a way to track you, they would in a heartbeat.
Re: Search Ads
#86Earlier quoted context omitted.
I suspect they're doing it now because they realize they're the last company to _not_ abuse their users' privacy. Now that users have absolutely nowhere else to turn, Apple has no reason not to play that game. Edit: how do i italics
(a) This matches Searches to Apps, not users. (b) The situations you're describing hasn't really changed since Facebook added ads, so they could've had that "realization" much earlier. (c) Apple is positioning itself as a privacy-focused company with (for example) their lawsuit regarding iPhone unlocking and their implementation of differential privacy for their machine learning algorithms. It'd be stupid to give tha…
> It'd be stupid to give that up and risk a triple-digit-billion-business (iPhone) for what's bound to be a small fraction of that (ads in the App Store).
You don't have to outrun the bear, just your friend.
Re: Search Ads
#87Earlier quoted context omitted.
> The whole point of the App Store is to help in discovery and I already pay a 30% cut for my app. Actually, the point of the app store was distribution. That's what the 30% cut was for IIRC. And that's how they sold it, by comparing it to the 50% and more cut that older, traditional channels took at the time of introduction. I don't think they ever even thought about discovery, which would explain why the app store…
What distributor of software ever charged 50%? Retailers of CD-ROM games (when they were a thing) and video games do not charge that kind of markup. You are crazy if you think this is a way for Apple to do anything other than capture some of the existing market of app ads, which has been incredibly lucrative for Facebook. They have so many ways to get more information about how useful an app is likely to be for you t…
The old "app stores" run by carriers before the iPhone charged way more than 50%. From memory the best deal I ever heard anyone getting was when they charged 70%.
Re: Search Ads
#88Earlier quoted context omitted.
Your media mix will likely shift, but you'll still be paying Facebook, Google etc. as well. Btw take a look at Twitter if you aren't already. I've had good results there.
Thanks, I will. I had always heard that Twitter sucked for most stuff...glad to hear someone is having a good experience.
Absolutely. Feel free to reach out if you want any in depth advice. (Email is in my profile.)
Re: Search Ads
#89Earlier quoted context omitted.
> The whole point of the App Store is to help in discovery and I already pay a 30% cut for my app. Actually, the point of the app store was distribution. That's what the 30% cut was for IIRC. And that's how they sold it, by comparing it to the 50% and more cut that older, traditional channels took at the time of introduction. I don't think they ever even thought about discovery, which would explain why the app store…
> Actually, the point of the app store was distribution. That's what the 30% cut was for IIRC. Nobody was paying Apple 30% because that was cheaper than distributing yourself. They paid 30% because without paying that their app wouldn't get discovered, by design. Now Apple has decided 30% only buys you the privilege of being able to pay more to be discovered.
I suppose you can't discover that which doesn't exist, but it sounds more like you're shorhorning an argument that doesn't fit. The App Store is a piece of shit for finding apps and this will only help that experience. You're free to advertise anywhere; users can still search for you exact app name, same as they always could.
Re: Search Ads
#90For many many years, the number one reason people told me why they used apple products was privacy and that with apple I'm not a product. It's how they could justify paying the high premium for apple products. It would be very interesting if they get into the advertising business. Harvesting data about my usage it and using that data to charge more for ads that are well targeted. It would mean that in addition to app…
This isn't general advertising. It's only on the App Store and is based on the keywords you enter into a search in the store. They rolled this out because it's basically impossible for an unknown developer to get noticed anymore on there. Apple haters will use any new product to criticize the company, but this seems fairly benign and fills a need among developers.
>> They rolled this out because it's basically impossible for an unknown developer to get noticed anymore on there.
Lol This is what will happen in reality an unknown developer starts trending with the next Meerkat, only for a Twitter to push 10M$ worth of Ads for its Periscope (Development cost 5M$ ~ half the marketing budget) on App Store and bury the "unknown developer"
Think about it this way, All app installs must go through the app store, and by introducing ads at the second last stage, the entire "word of mouth" funnel is now under threat. So unless the the user has a "direct deep link" (E.g. via the app website, or ahem FB Ads) to the app store page, That user is much more likely to be lost to a competitor.
To expand my example: Earlier someone would have their friend mention "Meerkat", leading them to search for Meerkat and they would be guaranteed to find Meerkat un-distracted by any other well funded competitor. Now Apple has essentially exploited its "Walled garden" monopoly on installs, by introducing Ads in the second last steps used in 65% of cases.
If you think this is a "good thing" for developers you are gravely mistaken and iOS devs are being taken for a ride.