How To Make Your Own iPhone App - then sell it!

Selling iphone apps is big business!

Games are very popular, and there are the quirky ones like the pint of beer... Apps are becoming more and more creative turning the iphone into a multi purpose device boasting a range of business and entertainment functions.

Alongside the iphone, the increasing popularity of the iPad 2 has resulted in a spate of app development for the ipad too..

Many people still see the ipad as a bigger iphone but actually the apps are showing a different user experience exists. The apps though leave an open question on whether they can co-exist on both devices and before you think about development, you should be analysing the market to decide which device suits your interests and target market.

Despite this, many apps are porting from the iphone to the ipad. There has never been a better time to make your own iphone app.

Pretty soon, not having a mobile app for your business will be as damaging as not having a web site...

If you look back 10 years, did your boss, or your colleagues, or clients, say - We do not need a web site...

Oops to that one, as you can see how important it was to be first at the door on those top level domains in any niche.

Those that command niches are those with the most reach, that is the most presence..

Lets first consider why app development is so popular and a worthwhile venture. 

10 years ago did you say - "We don't need a website"?

Its becoming a widespread need for businesses more and more each day. In fact, in the next few years to follow, it could reflect badly on a business if they dont have an app to port their products to the iphone or ipad.

To answer the question on How To Make Your Own iPhone App, its best to look at some leading developers.

App Creatives in the UK best answered this question by offering a step by step process. If you plan to develop your own app then here is a quick guide:

1. Don't just replicate what worked on iPhone - you're already competing with those apps, since they run on the iPad, too. Instead, think about using iPad's larger screen and other features, and also its living room credentials.
2. Think about your content - whilst its exciting to think you can fill every pixel on the iPad's 1024-768 pixel screen, actually its more important that users can see the content. We've found that our removing the toolbar and window frames from our iPad apps tend to work better as it feels like wasted space otherwise.
3. Don't get carried away with the multitouch functionality - the iPad's multitouch capabilities expand on those of the iPhone. But having a whole host of new gestures means more cognitive work for the user who might have trouble remembering what gesture did what, so stick with the actions iPhone users are familiar with at the moment; pinching, double tapping etc.
4. Remember the social aspect of the iPad - you may need to make the default sizes of your app more readable and larger than what you would for a single user so it can be used easily in a group to show things off. The iPad is a more collaborative device.
5. Forget high price points for your app - premium pricing for iPad apps is going to drop off as quickly as it did for the iPhone. So instead concentrate on creating an app with a potential audience that's big enough to support your product and make a decent profit at a very low price point, unless the product is very niche.

Its a big challenge for developers to compete and successfully sell each and every app developed. Assuming you have done your market research, have you established that an interest in your app exists? This is crucial before you submit it to the Apple store; here are a list of points to consider implementing to avoid dismal app sales down the road.

• Pre-launch promotion. Tweet and and post to blogs on your app to spread awareness of the new app. When you launch the app, this should help increase the downloads during the first week.
• Lite or Demo Version.Employ the puppy dog approach... If you gave a puppy to a kid for free so the kid could cuddle it for a few days before Dad pays for it... do you think the kid will give up the pooch when you wish to give the puppy back? Not if you want to be a Dad... same applies to any product. Give a limited version away for free first or develop a Lite version where certain functions are not available but not so extreme that the app cant be tested. The Free To Play model works well for games, iphone and PC. Apple has an in-app payment mechanism that allows you to charge for additional content while the free app is in use. IDEA - if a game, allow the user to play a level then they have to pay for the whole game.
• In application advertising. Feature ads can run at the start of an app while it loads or in a menu or when a game ends for example. Its a revenue sharing model that has worked for both the advertiser and the developer as it does for Google Ads for example on web sites.
• Blog-IT! Talk about the app in blogs where your target audience exists e.g. if a game, look on Google for 'iphone games' blogs and find some high PR sites. Then create a discussion on the forum, if the site allows articles, submit one about your app. Also look at the blog comments and see if any are relevant to your app where you could mention your app.
• Press Release. When live, go to PRWeb and submit a press release. Costs a bit but for exposure, there is no PR newswire like PRWeb for getting tons of interest. By this point, you should have your own blog and/or site developed where you will sell the app(s). I will talk about setting up stores for apps in another hub.
• Tweet about the forthcoming app, and spread the social media reach on Buzz, Stumbledupon, Facebook, LinkedIn and Foursquare. If your app has a B2B function for businesses, set up a linkedin account and create a group there for discussions, then invite app developers and other app users to the thread. Linkedin has a huge reach, any app type should have an audience there. Its important to gather feedback on your app through blogs and social media in pre-sale stage first, then continue during the initial live quarter.
  

In a nutshell, just because it’s free doesn't mean you can’t make money from it.

Plan for multiple releases. Plan out which features will be included in the app for the first quarter of the year, then which features should roll out the next quarter. Dont roll out all your well researched features in the first sale.

Write Hubs On Apps

This tip is from App Creatives, a mobile app developer for all mobile platforms and can help you make your own iphone app:

'Timing Is Everything. A high volume of downloads occur over the weekend, starting Friday afternoon, so by releasing in the middle of the week, you kick start the download process.'

You need to ask the iTunes store to include your app. Its a shame that you cant just register and upload to include your app on their store lists. Apps are chosen by the app store so its best to ask them.

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