Web and WebWorks Development

[peardox]

I thought this may be of interest to forum members simply to show how a little bit of imagination can turn an average app into a desirable property

I helped one of our fellow forum members tidy his code up for release (he's showing my tidy, not the original)

Tonight he sent me his little advert for it

It's a good viral piece for a rather normal app

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GczgywrB-Dw

He's going to do one for my release tomorrow to pay me back

[TheMarco]

Nice app idea but it would probably do better with a nicer looking UI.

Maybe the buttons I just posted in this thread can be of some help?

[peardox]

I note that you didn't comment on the YouTube - this is where the marketing of such a dumb app as my friend owns ticks all the boxes

He's taken time to do some video work an release it onto YouTube with a (sounds to me) remix of Star Trek as backing)

Give creative people the lease to explode and they do exactly that - I watched the vid about four times before I hit the sack last night and again several times today

The vid is super marketing - people will download it as a result

I bet (can guarantee) that my friend didn't have an idea about how an experienced Web Developer would to the plugging (prob for his schoolmates)

The point of my post is that, given a little imagination, perople will download your app

My own app is far superior to his but his ad strategy means his will be downloaded more than mine (even though I wrote most of it for him <g>)

[TheMarco]

Ah yes you're totally right. In fact in that respect it has inspired me to maybe do a promo video for my upcoming Calculator app. An earlier screencast is approaching 1200 views by now so YouTube definitely helps garnering interest.

I'll leave your friend an encouraging comment now

[peardox]

[The following is a response but also to be treated as general advice]

I dunno about you but I know for a fact that my talents are coding, and only that

The background on the vid you see took me 40 mins to wrap up, My friend could have done it in a minute or two

The thing that is most important to any developer (unless you have every single skill going - hardly eve happens) is creating the right contacts and friendships. Armed with your little army of friends you, together, create a better end-user experience than a single developer could hope for

I pick my contacts carefully, and suggest you do the same. I was lucky with my most recent (the one who authored the YouTube) as he has some rather nice ideas

Sadly the bloke (above) can't writer the code to turn his idea into a product. In the same was I have sod all skills when it comes to creating video, my graphic skills are .. well, best left out of this (astonishingly bad)

HOWEVER

I have friends who can cover all these bases

Together we are stronger than alone - find good partners so you can concentrate on what you're good at

[peardox]

I posted the original message to help our community friends

I imaginned that it would just be read and forgotten

Knowing that you have had a significant pageview is superb (I saw it on daily before talking to you) lifts my soul

My friend promises a silly little ad for me next

[greenback]

Its great to hear that PlayBook developers in the forums are helping each other with apps.It's comradery!

You deserve a big THUMBS UP!

[peardox]

All you have to do is click that little star icon next to the reply button

That is reward enough

The same can be said of your kind comments

[TheMarco]

Inspired by your example I whipped up a promo for my new app as well!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1lu6bAlWiQ

[peardox]

I've been thinking - which is always dangerous

I'll need to talk to marketing but the basic idea would be a special publication with a cover-mount DVD of the best stuff going so the end user can bypass the download when the Playbook is launched in my country (UK)

The last time I did one of these it sold out the day of release

While I don't work for that publisher any more I have superb contacts there

I'll get on this idea immediately

Authors will be required to mail a release agreement for publication (sorry - I know how publishing works) granting rights for inclusion on the DVD provided with the magazine

Once I firm things up with marketing and the publisher I'll start a new thread asking for contributions

If your app is a paid-for you should ignore this possibility, a try/buy or freebie is fine, however

Right - lets see what I can arrange