Apps are disposable– embrace it

How often do you use an app for? Days or weeks at most for the majority, some may make it a few months, but there are probably few we use for longer than that. Disney Chief Michael Eisner this week said that the thing he likes most about his smartphone was the flashlight (or words to that effect).

I would like to challenge you all to consider apps as disposable items, and when you accept this you can build a more sustainable business model for yourself and your company.

Let’s start by looking at the music industry. A radio station can only play 300-400 songs per day, let’s call that 2100 songs per week. Each week they will play maybe 4 new songs – that’s 208 new songs per year. Many of those are from known artists with a smattering of breakthrough artists. Compare this to the millions of tracks recorded by musicians in their bedrooms and small studios right through to the major studios.

The odds are really shit.

What makes a hit? First, it needs to get played on the radio or Spotify or whatever your favourite streaming service is. Then people have to like it. Some songs are instant hits, everybody likes them; they somehow tap into the zeitgeist at that moment. Very few of them become classics. How many hits do you actually want to listen to again and again… not many I’ll bet.

It’s interesting listening to bands talk about this process. Most of the time they have no idea which song will take off, it’s the public’s reaction that makes it take off.

So, to all of those of you in app development, I’d say that this makes a good analogy for what you should be striving for.

1. Accept that people will consume and then delete your app.
2. Find ways to make sure people know your app exists. Hit up your local newspaper for an advertorial; most local papers are keen to promote local innovation. Get creative, use word of mouth, tv /youtube interviews, Google adwords campaigns, submit your app for review with respected reviewers. Marketing is essential.
3. Make sure your app is simple and easy to use. Don’t make a Swiss Army Knife – make a carving knife or a pair of scissors. Think like a user – anything that is frustrating, complicated or requires a learning curve to use will not work well. Could your grandmother pick up how to use it in a couple of minutes?
4. Don’t try to put out a killer app – put out the whole album. Do a portfolio of apps, hopefully one of them can be a hit.
5. Release the same app for different market segments under different titles and branding. There are a lot of products on the supermarket shelves that are identical but are branded for different users. Think of shampoo – you can get the same brand for 8 different hair types – even though it is all the same product. A lot of things are branded differently for men, women and teenagers even though they are the same. How about you release a rebranded version of your product (different name, different look) every couple of months. After all, your initial app listings will have sunk by then, so when someone is looking for the functionality you offer a newer listing should come closer to the top. If one of them becomes a hit then ride that tiger for all its worth.
6. Games designers in particular should be looking at a portfolio approach. Put out a bunch of games, and then further develop and refresh those that are most popular. The guy in Vietnam who put together Flappy Bird was more surprised than anyone at how popular it became. You should be so lucky.
7. Just like people buy albums of music from movies (Frozen anyone?) how about making your app work with a product or service to make people want to buy it. For just a couple of bucks people can unlock the potential of their product or service with your app. That might have a bit of lasting power.
8. Price your app like a cup of coffee – another consumable item; used and discarded. Don’t expect to get rich. You want as many sales as you can, and given that the odds of success are staggeringly small, don’t make price a barrier to sales.
9. You need to be lucky. And yes, you can make luck, to a degree. Meet the right people. Create a buzz and follow up on any momentum. Keep up the PR and marketing. Accept that you are running a business and don’t just rely on a ‘build it and they will come’ mentality.

The advantage of understanding this approach is that you will get product out faster and go through the learning curve of product development, release, marketing, maintenance etc. You’ll also develop the skills to be better next time. The odds of making it big the first time you try are lower than winning the lotto. It’s great if you can do it, but can’t plan on it. Plan on being disposable instead.