Ask HN: How to make paid (non-game) iPhone/iPad apps more viral

1 pointmaco0222 comments

What are some ways to make a paid business / education app more viral and create a network effect?

Some of the things I can think of - Referrals - Twitter and Facebook integration

Would it make any difference if it was free?

Great question.

One thing to keep in mind regarding Facebook/Twitter integration is you must keep it optional. A lot of users hate giving away that info and will instantly 1 star/delete your app if you force them to login. I've seen this over and over again (most recently with the Gourmet Live iPad app).

You could target bloggers with audiences that might want to use the app. For instance, if the app was to help people take the SAT, find bloggers that write about SAT test taking skills and ask them to feature it.

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