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Ask HN: Marketing with minimal hours? (small desktop app)

8 pointsdivtxt11 comments

I'm working on a desktop utility for sale via the Mac App Store. (category is graphics/design, price $5 or less)

I have a day job so I'd like to avoid channels that require lots of attention - Twitter, Facebook, topical blogging, etc.

My question: How should I market the app with minimal time input?

- Is AdWords worth it? What should be my minimal spend?

- Should I suck it up and write some sort of blog? Even if the reader segment won't be the same as the app segment? (I can do a build a mac app tutorial)

- What other options do I have?

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Marketing does not just involve promotions.

Marketing should always be on your mind when running on the company. Marketing is involved when you choose your target market, when you tailor your product towards your target market, whether you have one product or a whole line of products for a similar function, how to price your line of products to get maximum profits... Advertising to your target market is only one aspect of "marketing". // guy who studied first year marketing.

AdWords could work if you can cheaply own the exact niche. The blog will take quite a while to draw any significant amount of traffic.

The best bang for the buck might be to get noticed by some high-profile blogger. Make a funny demo video like Dropbox and in-jokes for the Reddit crowd. Can your app do something like make Guy Kawasaki's or Scoble's face morph into a LOLCAT? Find a funny / interesting use and target some tech celebs like that. Or tell the story of how reading The Four Hour Work Week made you a success and Tim might pick up your blog post and link to it. Those are all somewhat long shots but I've seen them work and draw a burst of attention.

Thanks. Will try AdWords to see how it costs.

Unfortunately, my app functionality doesn't lend itself to funny pics/videos. Will think about it.

Doesn't have to be funny pics/videos. This is where creative brainstorming comes in - what is YOUR creative "in" to popular bloggers or other media sources.

Adwords works great, except when it doesn't. For a $5 app, it's almost certain to fail.

Local events are good, if that's an option. present it at a users group, entrepreneurship event, and the like.

But, really, the truth is there is no quick marketing. It's just hard work.

Define your target market and advertise on graphic/design sites that they regularly visit.

Least then you know you're hitting a more qualified audience straight away.

Have a look at how other similar apps have marketed themselves, where have they shown up?

What about writing e-mail to graphic/design bloggers to see if they want to check out your app and give it a write up.

I guess try to use the networks that are already in place out there to get the message to the community you are aiming at.

AdWords is rarely going to be worth it for a <$5 app. As for the blog, if you have to "suck it up" to do it, I wouldn't do it. I think it has a slim chance of success if it doesn't interest you and your heart isn't in it.

Two thoughts:

1. Run a targeted e-mail/direct-message campaign Can you creatively find some e-mail addresses/other accounts of potential customers in the target market? You can check blogs, forums, Twitter, etc. Draft up a well-written (and designed, if e-mail) pitch and send it to them directly and you may have more success getting those first customers who will help you spread the word. I think it's all about getting it in front of some customers.

2. Create a pretty infographic with some interesting information about the space you're app is in. They may be close to cliche, but I think they're still all the rage now, and bloggers and more traditional media sources may run your infographic with a small pitch about your app (+ your logo's in the image).

Have you considered handing out free review copies to bloggers in the graphics/design space?

Thanks! I was planning free copies for friends in the space, but somehow didn't think of the bloggers. Probably because I don't know any in that space, but I'm sure my graphics/design friends will. :P

Have you tried hootsuite (there are alternatives, but that's not the point)? You can schedule your tweets and FB updates with it, very handy if you don't want to be on Twitter and FaceBook during your day job.

The reason I want to avoid Twitter & Facebook is that meaningful use requires constant attention to check for incoming messages and respond.

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