When it comes to promoting your application and reaching a large number of customers quickly, everyone seems to have their own ideas and strategies. One strategy that was proven to work in many instances was distribution of a limited number of promotional codes that allow certain number of users to get the app for free under certain conditions.
Whenever a developer submits an application to the App Store, Apple grants him 50 promo codes to use as he sees fit. This option used to be reserved for US-based App Store only, but Apple recently announced that the offer is now available in app stores worldwide. This means that everyone can utilize the advantages of app promo code distribution to get an app off the ground and running in just minutes. By giving a small group of users an opportunity to test an app for free, the developer can get some buzz and exposure about the app free-of-charge and, if the application is really good, stimulate the sales through this method.
The catch is that these Apple app promo codes are not just given away randomly. Rather than that, they are distributed through specialized websites, such as appGiveaway, which have strict policies regarding who can get the promo codes and what the user needs to do in return. Typically, users who claim free app promo codes (and get a paid app for free) are expected to test the application and provide reviews and feedback, as well as links on social networking platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Users who fail to fulfill their end of the bargain reduce their chances of getting promo codes in the future, thus ensuring that the app developer actually gets something in exchange for free access to a paid app. However, there are no guarantees that the reviews will be positive – that depends exclusively on the quality of the app.
So, without any real initial investment, an app developer has a chance to interact with the app user community and make his product known in the industry circles. Of course, this method only works for paid apps – free apps are better suited using different promotion techniques. It is also important to keep in mind that not all websites which distribute promo codes can ensure user feedback, so it is always good to do a little research before submitting codes. With proper preparation and high-quality apps, however, Apple App Store ranking can be increased very quickly in this way, leading to tangible differences on the bottom line.
