Simple, valuable business I want to use. . .
Sales are underwhelming 2 days in but that just means it’s time to market!
As I’ve begun researching marketing opportunities I ran into a surefire business opportunity.
The best business opportunities are voids to be filled. The void we’re going to fill here is helping iPhone developers MARKET their applications.
I’ve worked in the world of web advertising for 10 years and have seen this model work time and time again: consolidated, SPECIFIC ad networks.
Example: http://decknetwork.net/ - exclusive network that is serving 35,000,000 impressions a month for advertisers interested in marketing to “creative, web, and design culture”.
Great, simple business.
Here’s how it works:
a)TheDeck places ads on several premium websites that produce content specific to this category.
b)TheDeck sells the ad-units as a “co-op”. Meaning you pay “TheDeck” but the ads run on all sites in their network.
c)TheDeck pays the host-sites, or publishers, a portion of what they collect on a campaign based on how many impressions that publisher drives.
d)Because TheDeck has such a narrow and valuable audience focus, they receive premium advertising rates.
I love this model. Why?
1)Advertisers win because they reach a super-segmented audience.
2)Host websites win because they’re paid a premium rate that they wouldn’t otherwise receive because they do not independently have sales staff / traffic to support large brand / corporate ad budgets.
So, nothing like this exists specific to promoting iPhone applications.
There are several dozen blogs / websites you can find under keywords like “iphone applications” / “iphone games” / “iphone software” / etc.
Many of them offer “self serve” placement for “featured application” spots etc.
The CPM rates they are receiving are solid, premium $$$.
They are having success on re-buys which makes sense, they are super-narrow in focus (eg attracting visitors interested in reviews / news / updates on iPhone games / apps) and this is clearly working for advertisers.
So here’s as simple as the business plan is: build “TheDeck” for iPhone app websites.
More details:
Negotiate Placement On:
• iPhone app-specific blogs. As mentioned above, lots and lots of iPhone application review sites are springing up. They all need ad dollars. • iPhone developer sites. For instance RainbowNinja.com would be HAPPY to carry paying advertisements cross-promoting other applications. What’s the sum-of-all-traffic across the thousands and thousands of iPhone application developers? Lots and growing. • iPhone specific forums. As with everything online, forums are in abundance to discuss iPhone apps / games / etc.
Raise Awareness By: • Creating cross-promotional deals with iPhone software development houses. • Bid on Google keywords like “iphone application marketing” / “iphone game marketing” / etc. • Hitting up all the tech-central blogs like TechCrunch / GigaOM / etc. This is a unique, fun idea and EVERYBODY that’s developing iPhone applications gets it, right now. • DIGG / REDDIT / HACKER NEWS!
Why You Should Do This: • There is clear, clear demand for it. • Corporate iPhone developers have marketing budgets that they love spending in ad networks like this. It makes them look smart. • It doesn’t exist in any consolidated format. • This is a proven model in other verticals. • Estimations on iPhone sales say we’re at the tip of the iceberg. Start this business idea TODAY, be first & best, and three years from now you are rich. • Specific-ad networks are fast and easy acquisition targets. • The software supporting this model is available as example or to purchase. • Because I personally want this service to exist so I can use it today, dammit!
I am happy to help you get the ball rolling if you have any questions or comments.
I’m on my 3rd start-up, the first two were great fun, launched with revenue models, and sold. Mentioning that to add some kind of weight to this, I am 100% serious that somebody should hit this now.
iPhone application development is a hobby, I’d be happy to work in a very limited advisory role helping somebody execute the above. I know how to build it, how to market it, etc.