Selling iOS Apps vs Selling Web Content

As some of you may know I live in two separate but overlapping business worlds: the iOS app world and the online information marketing world.  Information marketing is all about building your own website and brand around a topic that people want help in (like making iPhone apps).  The app world is all about building a product and then selling it to the masses (like a wine note taking app).

My story began in WWDC 2008 when I decided to leave my cushy day job and try to live off of iOS apps.  I did this for a year while at the same time pivoting a bit to include training new developers and selling an ebook.  Both of these approaches worked for me but they were both radically different.

Websites vs iOS Apps As Businesses

So, this puts me in a position to talk about the differences that I’ve found between being an app developer and being an information marketer.

Here Is What Selling Apps Is Like

What is remarkable about selling apps is that you have very little control over actually selling anything.  As much as having a website, customer support and press releases are great, your main source of sales is the app store.

Essentially, nothing has helped me more in the app world more than improving my app.  Really, the best thing that you can do for yourself is make your app seem as “magical” as possible.  This includes everything around your app as well including: the app icon, your screenshots, your app description and your branded web address (coffeeaddledzombiecoders.com).

I’ve tried advertising and my apps have been reviewed on websites and even paper magazines.  These things never seemed to have the kind of impact they would have on an information marketing product.

The Only Thing That Has Ever Helped Sales

In fact, only one thing has ever helped my app sales and this is something that is totally out of my control: getting featured by Apple.  Two of my apps have been featured by Apple and both times sales jumped up 1000ish % (sorry no exact numbers but it was big and unexpected) .  BTW: These apps were both honestly not my best and I’m convinced that Apple picked them because of the icons and catchy names.

What Is Nice About This

For those of us who want an “passive income” iOS apps will give that to you.  Really, once your app is done you can leave it up there and it will get sales.  After two and half years Tasting Notes still makes around $20 a day – I know that’s not huge but still I sell things every single day no matter what I’m doing.

Of course, your customers will demand updates so realistically you may end up submitting updates periodically if you choose.  But, that is nothing compared to the time investment in creating an information marketing type website like Mobile App Mastery Institute (my other business).

Here Is What Information Marketing Is Like

For those of you who don’t know, information marketing is what you are doing when you write a book or provide any kind of how-to information.  This is something that is good to do if you have an “inner teacher”.  In my business I do information marketing through this website (all free content), my mailing list (all free content too), the Mobile App Mastery Institute (exclusive, detailed how-to content) and I teach classes (in the regular face to face way).

The key difference between this and selling apps is control, for better or worse.  This means that I personally need to focus on “making it rain” and thay means giving away very high value and free content.  Basically, running this kind of website means that you have to hustle.  All those things that Apple promises to take care of for you (credit cards, advertising, marketing and on and on) are pretty much up to you and it’s a lot of work.

As hard as this is, it’s also cool to create and own the system – no matter how successful your app is Apple really owns the backend and the system (and of course the headaches).

Finally, instead of waiting to be featured by Apple I can create the same effect by doing a promotional or a joint venture.

The Nice Part About Websites

The best part of an information marketing type website is that you get to choose your customers and develop a good business relationship with them.  When I get a customer contact for my app it is usually through a review and unless the issue is obvious there is not much I can do to help and no way to follow up.  Basically, Apple owns this relationship.

Dealing with customers for Mobile App Mastery is a huge difference.  First thing is that they are people that I like to deal with (software developers & techies) and since the’ve invested more significant time and money with me and I can follow up I have much more leaveway to make sure they have a great experience.

Bottom Line

Well really I just wanted to compare and contrast these two types of business experiences that I’ve had over the past three years.  The key difference is how much control you want to have over the selling and marketing of your product.  That is what makes the app store great – you can make it there by being a great “product guy” including the marketing-related stuff like icons and screenshots that go with this.

I also like the information marketing part of all this because I get to work with all the smart new developers who are doing to be driving the action in the mobile world over the next few years – that is really existing even if running a website is mostly like standing in a boxing ring and getting punched in the face all month (I’m looking at you Google search update!).

What Has Your Online Business Experiences Been Like So Far?

Please comment me up!