Apps for Digital Publishing: There are only 5 rules (Part 1)

RULE ONE: Choose wisely
Choose the right content, title and author. If you haven’t selected the right content to develop in the first place, then the number books you sold in print is irrelevant. Don’t expect your most successful title to automatically translate to an app best-seller. If your existing audience doesn’t own a mobile device for download or the content just doesn’t need enhancing or re-imagining – then you won’t sell any. You’ll need to focus on your new app-savvy audience instead. They may not have picked up a book for years but a niche title may resonate with a mobile market in a way it never could in print. Your new ‘readers’ also want more for less so don’t just price for print, be flexible and reactive but have a strict pricing plan that doesn’t involve erratic reduction as you’ll struggle to regain profitability with a knee-jerk 59p/99c drop.RULE TWO: Promote it
We hear a lot about how bad the App Store is for visibility. Use this to your advantage – lay claim to the 5% tip of the iceberg. If your app disappears without trace, it’s because you (and your developer) haven’t promoted it in the right places, had the right contacts or used the correct channels.- Think digital and think social.
- You need a unique permanent online presence to house all the information that sits outside the App Store, preview the app before launch and post launch for those without a device or unwilling to commit to an immediate download. This can live on a section of your main website or a separate microsite with a unique url
- Your YouTube channel should house a promotional video to demonstrate the app in action then stream to your website
- Each app needs an active Twitter account for promotion, conversation and technical help
- Online reviews and features are essential for credibility and a vital conduit to a wider relevant audience – their existing social networks are invaluable.
App development, Apps for Digital Publishing, Brandwidth, Dean Johnson, digital publishing