The Dirty Little Secret About App Review Sites
I began my life with apps as a bystander in the app development process as my husband created his first Android and then iOS apps. But soon I was drawn into the process, helping with ideas, marketing and more. Then I began my own review site, as I realized how important (and influential) the reviewer could be in the whole world ‘o apps. This post represents some of my own discoveries about app reviewing, reviewers and review sites now that my own site, Digital-Storytime.com, is approaching its one year birthday.
I have learned a lot about review sites by being on ‘the other side’ of review requests. Initially, as part of an app development team, I found review sites to be a bit mysterious. The more professional the site looked (and the more popular it seemed) the more I thought they were either making money doing reviews or run by a big organization. It seemed like giving a free copy of our app in exchange for a review was a reasonable offer – we worked hard on the app, so why wouldn’t they work hard on their review? But it’s just not that simple. Here are a few things I’ve learned about the world of app reviewing:
1. The first ‘not so secret’ discovery I made was that app review sites are businesses … and like all businesses, they vary a lot. A surprising number of people seem to be under the impression that app reviewing is a ‘public service’. I come from the world of non-profit work, and while app review sites do provide a useful service, they are by no means ‘public servants’.
App reviewers vary from those being paid (on salary at big tech sites or per review at smaller sites) to independent entrepreneurs, small bloggers and those who write reviews as more of a hobby. Some sites have simple ads on their sidebars, some charge a fee for ‘expedited’ reviews, some look more favorably on apps that advertise on their sites while others sponsor products to monetize their business or take on ads that are disguised as content.
And all review sites that bring in more than just a few reads from their friends are in the business of promoting themselves and their reviews. They want to capture the attention of all the players in their market. But capturing the attention of app developers is easy … getting readers and consumers of apps to pay attention is much harder. Sites run contests, build social media followings and try to build as much buzz around the apps they review as part of this process.
2. But the ‘dirty little secret’? Most review sites are small enterprises run by individuals who don’t make much (if any) money on their sites/blogs. Even sites that seem to be very big and popular are likely only sustaining their sites, not making ‘big money’. In fact, the biggest myth around apps in general is that there are lots of people making big money. Yes, apps are a big business, but a very small percentage of developers and others make it ‘big’. Most reviewers, developers and app content creators are part of the ’99%’.
[And the idea that reviewers are in it for the 'free apps' is just crazy-talk. Once in awhile a reviewer gets access to a desirable app, but for the most part, reviewers have to review a lot of apps they are not personally interested in. And as reviewers, chances are they get the opportunity to download so much free content (simply by being aware of sales) that they are actually as tempted by a free app as the worker at McDonald's is tempted by free fries.]
3. And the really big myth? That reviewing is easy. It isn’t; it is very hard work. It takes a lot of time, a lot more than one would think. Before I started reviewing professionally, I assumed that writing up my opinions of the apps I shared with my child would be relatively easy (and painless). But the reality is that keeping up with a review site takes a lot of work and perseverance.
I have seen many sites start up over the past couple years while I’ve been watching this industry. Often they start out with a review every day, but then it drops to one every few weeks and soon almost nothing at all before the URL is dead. There is a lot of work behind the scenes too, like answering email, running contests, keeping promo codes straight and maintaining adequate promotion of a site’s traffic. Plus there are technical issues associated with setting up a site that is user friendly, even if the blogging tools seem relatively well-developed. All of these things take up truck-loads of time for the average review site.
So, what should you know as a reader of review sites …
1. Reviews represent opinions and like the people behind the reviews, they vary a lot. Find a site with lots of reviews of apps you already have and see if their opinions fit yours most of the time. Once you’ve found a good fit for your own perspective, you can be more assured that the reviews will be a good guide for your own purchasing decisions. With kids apps, it can also help to find someone who has a child the same age or gender as the child you are shopping for …
2. Any good review site should have some constructive criticism for the apps they review, even if they like most apps. Find an app you’ve downloaded and didn’t like … then read a variety of reviews until you find someone who has spotted the flaw you’ve found in the app. Now you know you’ve got a good site to fit your views!
3. App review sites, just like app developers, depend on your business as readers and consumers of apps. Let them know what you think of their reviews. If you don’t agree with a review or see something the reviewer missed, let them know. Reviewers often hope to drive discussion, even if it is critical in nature.
And if they’re doing a great job, tell them! It means the world to me to hear that people find my site useful and keeps me going on those days when the process of app reviewing becomes tedious. Bloggers, reviewers and writers of all types depend on their readers more than you will ever know … you are not a number on our google analytics but a real person we are writing for and most (if not all) of us writing reviews really care about what you think.
4. Review sites depend on ads to support their basic costs not just to ‘make money’ off your eyeballs. For a popular site, the out-of-pocket costs for server bandwidth alone can eat up a lot of the so-called profits from these ads. If you see something interesting advertised on the side-bar of a site you like, click on it and find out more about an advertiser – they are supporting the work of the site you enjoy.
If a site has annoying ads, tell them about it. Getting good advertising set up is a delicate balance and most site-operators cannot watch their sites constantly. If you see something inappropriate or a big turn-off to you as a reader, before you stop visiting, drop them a quick note, especially if they are a small blogger or independently run site. You’d be surprised how much influence you can have.
And as an app developer, what are some useful things to keep in mind …
1. Reviewing apps is hard work and reviewers are real people, and very busy real people at that …
When I was new to the marketing of apps, I also didn’t have any idea just how hectic handling correspondence for a review site could be. Most reviewers receive dozens (if not hundreds) of emails a day. These include long-winded marketing pitches as well as personal pleas from developers.
I try to respond as a real person to everything, but the more popular a site gets (and everyone wants a review on a popular site, right?) the more email requests you can assume they receive. It may seem like reviewers are being rude or are ‘short’ with developers in a response (if they respond at all), but imagine getting hundreds of emails a day that have to be dealt with before you can begin to write the reviews everyone is requesting in the first place.
Reviewers of kids apps are usually people who really enjoy technology and include parents, teachers and aspiring app developers. Share industry resources you like with them, engage them about technology or apps they’ve reviewed recently to begin to build more of a relationship. Like their Facebook page, follow them on Twitter and spend some time on their site if you are truly interested in understanding more about how they approach marketing apps.
2. Reviewers are also under a lot of pressure to write ‘good’ reviews for developers, but consumers want fair, accurate reviews, so understand that any truly useful review from a trusted reviewer may not be glowing.
If they are critical, politely ask what you can do to improve your app. If you are willing to fix the things they’ve criticized, ask them if they are willing to re-review an app that has been substantially updated. Real people often respond warmly when treated with appreciation for their hard work and the difficult line they have to walk in their industry.
And if you catch an outright error, something the reviewer missed or even a typo? Let the reviewer know in a polite email. There are two people who want a review to be as perfect as possible, the app developer and the writer of the review. Very few prolific reviewers can afford professional editors or other staff, so help them (and yourselves) out by letting them know about any inaccuracies, especially those than can be easily fixed.
3. Review sites are very dependent on web traffic, so anything you can do to help promote sites you like shows a real interest in the reviewer and what they do.
Review sites aren’t ‘free’ marketing for your app – someone is doing the work or footing the bill for this marketing. If the reviewer is willing to spend hours with your app to review it, the least you can do is spend some time on their site to get an idea of how their review process works and what they’ve liked or disliked among comparable apps.
Requests that show that you’ve never so much as gone to their website are not going to be received very warmly. If I get a review request for an iPhone ‘math learning app’ I can be pretty certain the person asking for the review wasn’t willing to spend a few moments on my site, since I only review book apps for iPad. I do try to respond politely to these requests, but they waste time I could be spending on reviews or other promotion of my site. However, a request to be on my ‘deal page‘ from the same app shows an understanding of how my site is set up.
Anything you can do with your own audience of social media followers and friends to promote a review of your app that you like goes a long way to ‘thank’ the reviewer for their time. Or offer a few promo codes to help promote the review or even give the reviewer a ‘scoop’ on your next sale. There can be a lot of ways to naturally collaborate with a review site once you get to know how they run their business.
4. Some review sites are scams.
They may ask for money, just let you to upload your own review or other questionable practices. Others generate reviews by charging developers by asking them to buy ads on the site to ‘improve’ the chances that their app will be reviewed. Some greatly exaggerate their web traffic or make other unrealistic claims about their sites. Some are even developers promoting their own apps while giving low reviews to competitors to make their apps look better. Some review sites even lift and re-work writing from your publicity materials and pass it off as original content. Be wary of these sites and realize that even if they seem popular now, consumers won’t trust their advice for long if it’s bought and paid for by developers or otherwise biased.
And finally, a note for everyone …
App reviewing has taken off for a reason … the world of apps is enormous and impossible for any one person to manage. There may be an ‘app for that’ out there, but the real mystery now is how to find it! And even more challenging is how to find something well-made and well-suited to your needs. Developers of good apps want to be found and consumers want to find them. App reviewers are just trying to fill the space in between, where good curation of apps is an evolving and important field. But it is a field in its infancy …
What do you think about review sites? Are you a developer? Consumer? Reviewer? I’d love to know what you think!
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Carisa Kluver is the sole reviewer for the iPad picture book app review site, Digital-Storytime.com. She co-founded this site with her husband, Marc, an app developer and programmer. She tries to run her site with the following three “A’s” in mind – to be Approachable, Accountable & Accurate.
Category: 100+ Reviews ... What I've Learned So Far, All About Apps, Marketing Apps
Brilliant Article Carisa! Enjoyed reading it. It is so important to ensure reviewing is not a mechanical process. That way the reader keeps coming back for more and the developer waits with crossed fingers before the review goes live! The love to write and the urge to be genuine would separate the best from the rest!
I only review apps I’ve used and usually bought. As a developer i want to pay for Apps! If it doesn’t suit me I get a friend to review it as I’m all about personal experience as opposed to professional evaluation. I think consumer tech has created a Market controlled by users rather than sellers, and I like that xx
As an app developer, It is very interesting to see the other side of the business. It looks like a very challenging mission and I personally think that it will only get more complex. So Many apps out there, and they are not getting fewer.
Carisa, Keep up with the good work! We all appreciate it; your contribution to the industry is very significant.
Quite helpful, Carisa … very reasonable and makes a lot of sense. Particularly, noting that thoughtful reviews take TIME and attention, plus good writing skills! And the various responsibilities reviewers, developers, and even readers have…
What a great post Carisa! I think this will really be helpful to anyone who wants to get a better idea of how review sites work, whether they be reviewers (like me), developers, or readers.
It does take a vast amount of time to run a successful review site (thankfully it is often enjoyable time); thank you for celebrating the work that goes into writing reviews
.
2. But the ‘dirty little secret’? Most review sites are small enterprises run by individuals who don’t make much (if any) money on their sites/blogs.
How is that a “dirty secret”, this whole article stinks of, “reviewers are the bad guys” while it’s obvious the article is about how reviewers aren’t making big bucks and put in a lot of time into reviewing, the article still has that negative tinge of “ooh reviewers”, for no good reason.
“Yes, apps are a big business, but a very small piece of this pie is going to developers and others who make it ‘big’. Most reviewers, developers and app content creators are part of the ’99%’.”
This is confusing, a small piece is going to dev’s and other who make it big? So those who’re making bank are getting a small piece of the pie? What?!
…Developers and other’s who make it big only make up a small piece of the pie.
sorry to rant, I just wanted to splurge this out in comment form
Emmanuel,
Thanks for catching that confusing passage in the article. I’ve updated it to read, “Yes, apps are a big business, but a very small percentage of developers and others make it ‘big’. Most reviewers, developers and app content creators are part of the ’99%’.” Of course this isn’t a very ‘dirty secret’ … true enough, but it does make for a great blog title. Glad you commented and gave me a chance to improve the post.
Hi Carisa!
Love your post and your dedication to the app ecosystem. I am a co-founder of kids app developer Happi Papi. I have actually been on your site while looking for review sites to submit to but did not email you for the very reason you point out in your post.
Anyway, that’s not why I decided to comment here… About a week ago I wrote a blog post on our own blog (www.happipapi.com/blog) called “Review Buyers Beware”. It was about how some review sites are asking you to pay for an expedited review. Unfortunately, review sites utilizing this practice seem to increase with every app review request we send out.
Since this is the case (at least from a small indie developer’s standpoint), I wanted to comment here and just say that I wish every reviewer would show the same level of commitment and professionalism as you do. Refreshing! Makes me want to continue in this business a little more.
Best Regards
/patrick
Thank you for sharing your secrets with us!
Your post really helps to see the full picture.
As a developer I always appreciate reviewers responses and feedback. I can only imagine how much time and effort it takes to create a successful review site.
Interesting article Carisa! Great to hear your perspective.
Great piece, Carisa.
I would add that developers need to understand that reviewers are people just like they are and, just as they do with their apps, we spend a TON of time developing our sites. Just to properly, politely answer all the emails that come in during an average day (60 for me yesterday) takes hours.
We have families and financial responsibilities as they do and if we can provide a service, such as an expedited review, that can help monetize our site beyond that of a barely-cover-our costs situation then many of us are going to do that.
In my experience and discussions,, to tell a small review site that they need to restrict their income stream to, essentially, Google Ads, developer ads and iTunes commissions is to say “I think you need to operate at a loss or, at best, be paid well below minimum wage.” How many developers would agree to such a situation?
Excellent points, Ron! While I don’t do expedited reviews on my site, I think they are one of many ways small sites can mange their workload and costs. I commend you for being able to handle all of it and still write very honest and useful reviews.
Excellent Article! Thanks for sharing it….
Thanks for your insights Carisa. It helps that you have been on both sides of the fence, so to speak. At one point I considered setting up a review site in a bid to help promote my own app! I was finding it difficult to get reviewed, and still find it difficult now, so was trying to think ways around it. On checking through my iPad for apps to review I found it incredibly hard to put together anything that was coherent and talk about time consuming! Needless to say I gave up on that idea very quickly. I take my hat off to you and other reviewers, I don’t know how you do it. I would, also, worry too much, that I may not be objective enough or that I may hurt someone unintentionally.
Thank you so much for sharing this important article. I think it’s so helpful to be able to understand each concept from all perspectives and ultimately integral to success. I love your site. Keep up the hard work – and thank you again for all that you do.
I love your article, Carisa. Since you were one of the first reviewers to write about our app, I think you spoiled us… we had expectations that all reviewers would be as meticulously thorough in their reviews and were disappointed several times to see excerpts from our press release or app description rather than actual feedback.
Next, we need a review site that reviews review sites… where someone’s willing to give those great sites (like yours) 5 stars, and the ones that charge for reviews -1 star! Anybody interested in taking it on? Maybe MomsWithApps?
I agree with David! Digital-Storytime is a rare beast – informative, relevant articles, thoughtful and considered reviews, in a well-designed site. I rate it 5 stars! Especially for that personal touch. Thanks Carisa, a great article.
Great article, Carisa! Thanks for the insight. Helps to look at this process from all angles-the reviewer, developer, and consumer. Look forward to getting in touch with you about our recently released iPad book app.
Thank you so much, Carisa. As one who is about to take the plunge with my first app I have been lurking on your site for a while now. I particularly appreciate your focus on picture book apps and how much information you put into your posts. This post is a good reminder to speak up and tell you so. Great work!
Thanks for this article, Carisa. As someone who has gone through the process of marketing an app, I can add my experience that the best response rate has been achieved first through having a quality app, and then reaching out to fewer blogs and reviewers, but taking care to write only after looking through their sites. I don’t really believe in the email blast philosophy of app marketing, and it would be better for everyone if people were more thoughtful and reasoned when reaching out to reviewers.
Excellent post, Carisa! Thanks so much for taking the time to share these insights. As a newbie developer, I need all the help I can get with all this marketing jazz. I gave no thought to marketing back when I was happily re-designing my former book for digital formats. Now here I am, my first app in the App Store, and WOW! Every day is a challenge. Very helpful and refreshing to view the same issue from another perspective.
Thanks, too, for the validation – I had a feeling some of the folks I’ve been talking to weren’t acting in anyone’s best interest but their own. Thanks for giving me permission to tell them “no”. All the best!
Great article…and as a reviewer, I totally agree.
Hi Carisa!
Great article! You are one of the few people I know that really “gets it.” you do because you do it yourself.
Reviewing apps is truly very time consuming! If only all we had to do is sit down and write! Sifting through sometimes hundreds of emails a day, deciding which apps show promise, thoroughly testing those apps to find those few that our readers will benefit from, and then, and only then getting to actually write about it.
At that point our job is still not through because promotion has just begun. We have to share that review with our social networks, outside eZines and whatever else we have set in place to help spread the word about the great apps we find. Couple that with giving away the occasional promo codes, and staying on op of other offers that will interest our fans and you’ve got a very full day. That is why, at 1:45am I am catching up on your article, since I follow you via RSS and Google Reader, along with Twitter are he last things I check at the end of each day.
Thank you so much for shining a light, good and bad, on our industry. I value your input and often share it with my own readers… which reminds me…drat, I thought I was done for the day!
Thanks again,
Maggie
Great post Carisa! Very insightful.
I am a big fan of your review site! I am a dabbler in the app business but more so I am a dad with a very eager child and I have to say I always check your site before I get a story book for her (even the free ones!).
The strength of your site is in the rating system that you have developed. It provides consistency and transparency.
Thanks for the great work!
HI Carisa,
It’s Lisa (fellow reviewer and friend) and I just had to tell you how much I love this post. You explain everything so well I work for big review sites and have my own small ones and I have been lucky to work with very ethical people, but I too have seen all the scams, and get 85 emails an hour know for all those review sites – I just wanted to commend you and thank you for speaking for so many of us who do work hard to bring honest fair reviews and wish people did spend at least a moment or two actually reading
Lisa
apptudes / sahgeekmom / 148apps / theportablegamer
This is a terrific article, and I find this blog to be incredibly useful and informative. There are so many app review sites out there that it’s often very difficult to determine which are the best, but even a year ago when I first began researching app review sites, Digital Storytime stood out as an exceptionally smart, sincere, ethical, and professional site. I laughed out loud when you mentioned that some people think app reviewers are in it for the free apps. It would be a pretty bad deal to surrender all of one’s time in exchange for free apps!
Great article! I subscribe all you say. I only would like to emphasize that feedback is truly important. It can be a small donation, but what most encourages to continue working on a review site is to receive feedback from other people telling you anything. It can be that they like the content or that they disagree with it. This makes you feel that you are doing something important, and gives ideas for improving it.
An excellent post! I like your point about letting the reviewer know what you think of what they’ve written. I know I have quite a few (not a lot) of visitors, but no one leaves any feedback
Carisa,
Great post! As an occasional reviewer who reviews mainly to assist individuals looking at app from a special ed perspective (and usually payment is the app itself), I totally agree with what you said! Reviewing an app is hard work, developing is hard work. Your comment about giving the reviews feedback is HUGE. I had one post that had over 100 views (which is big for my classroom/technology blog) and not one comment about the review or the app. Keep up the great work!!
~ An Intervention Specialist working with students with multiple disabilities
A really enlightening article, Carisa – thank you for taking the time to write it.
For developers app reviews are a great help to get the app noticed. And app reviews help us developers to improve the app we put on the market. Thanks for giving us more inside information.
Wow! What a great articulation of why folks should use their peripheral bright lights rather than dim lights when traveling through the wide, wonderful but wild world of apps. I wrote a post not too long ago that sort of addressed the multi-faceted dirty little secret of app review sites — suggesting the proper mindset to have as one plods through them as well as some alternatives/antidotes. You’ll find my article here: http://groovinonapps.com/tips-and-tools-for-finding-the-best-ipad-and-iphone-apps/. I hope you and your readers will find it as helpful and enlightening as your insight on this matter has been for me. Many thanks, Carisa.
Thank you for this very insightful and comprehensive post. I can almost feel how tough a reviewer’s job must be. That said, I’ve submitted my apps to several app review sites that were free only for them to reply and say that their ‘free’ review service has ceased.
(Btw, your recapcha thingy is really annoying. I spent like 6 times re-doing it because of the capcha)
Loved the article. Reality is still different here (in Brazil), and we don’t have a lot of apps reviews sites. I’m trying to keep up the pace and publish well thought/written reviews of children’s apps for the iPad. Still struggling with putting ads on the blog, but think it will be necessary. As a plus for the hard work list you built on your post, it is really hard to find interesting, educational and well produced apps for kids in Brazil… Tks for sharing!
An important article, thanks for writing it. Personally, reviewing apps is not my business, not for the iPads for Autism apps spreadsheet I help maintain at http://www.Squidalicious.com, anyhow (I do give workshops on apps, iPads, & autism, but those tend to focus on why & how iPads & apps can benefit the special needs & autism communities, who they do & don’t work for, fundraising, etc.).
Since I do reviews as a service for families like mine and people like my son (and those who work with him) rather than to turn a profit, I’m in the fortunate position of only writing about apps my kids and I truly like and find worthy. I’ve been doubly fortunate to have developed relationships with many developers, but from my perspective this is to keep them informed as to help the apps work best for people with special needs of all age ranges. And … I will admit to being horribly behind on my reviews, there are about 50 apps I need to add to our spreadsheet!
Thanks again.
Great article!!! I feel that someone understands me THANKS!! im gonna published at http://www.shineapp.com mine review site
Got to agree with your statement that Most review sites are small enterprises run by individuals who don’t make much (if any) money on their sites/blogs.. Personally, I run one on the side (I have a day job as well) and it takes so much time to review the app. However, the satisfaction after reviewing the app is present which keeps me from still continuing on with the site.
Suggest you check Tapscape as well if you want your app to be reviewed: http://www.tapscape.com/submit-app-review/ They offer a free one and an expedited review.
Hope it helps!
Thank you for your article. I have recently started my own app review site and am just beginning to get requests from developers. It was great to read your article and get some insight into how to handle these request and what to watch out for. Thank you.
Really wonderful post, Being a review team member of Apps review site, I realize the importance of my work. We do more effort to unveil the real plus and minus of the apps to the readers, We are doing our best to start up app developers and independent devs.
Thanks Carisa, this post is spot on! I like what you’re trying to do, and your integrity in the way you’re doing it. Trevor
Great post! We at Apps On Tapp (appsontapp.com) take this very seriously. We don’t charge developers for reviews strictly because it isn’t ethical when it comes to writing honest, fair and accurate reviews. The reader should know this up front, so those website that do charge extra should mention this in their reviews. There are many that do inform their readers, but there are some who aren’t so honest. This is an issue that needs more attention.
I agree, Angela. When I wrote this post last year, we had not yet implemented an expedited review process but we do have this service now. It’s a delicate balance, trying to keep a site alive without a number of ‘services’ that involve fees, including advertising services, but I think it matters a lot that these things be as transparent as possible to everyone involved.
Many websites blur advertising or ‘advertorial’ content with their regular content, which we avoid carefully. I also draw the line with this blog, refusing any payment for anything published here (beyond the ads on the sidebar). But in reality, it is nearly impossible to maintain a useful website for years without some sort of income stream to pay for the time it takes to create so much quality content. I write in this blog a few times a month at most, but have published over 500 detailed app reviews on my other site, in less than two years time – a pace that requires a full time reviewer.
I stress to developers that speeding up their review’s publication will not improve the content of the review or rating of their app and also limit these reviews to no more than 20% of our total content. It can be challenging for many reviewers to provide honest and thorough information, even when mixing in advertising fees, so the process is something I’m always working to make as fair as possible.
It’s not an aspect of the business I enjoy, any more than I enjoy dealing with my web host, SEO or other aspects of running a website. However, a good reviewer’s job is to be as impartial as possible in a world where everyone wants to influence you, in one way or another.
Thanks for this article. We just launched Parkour Free Running onto the iOS app store and I have been doing lots of research as to which app review sites we should start submitting. My team is grateful for these sites like the one you run and thankful for all the time that goes into them.
One strategy that we have done which has been very time consuming, but very effective is reaching out to the review site owners over the phone. I know they are busy but we have noticed an increase in accepted applications.
Good luck to all the programmers out there!
Jonathan Tanner
http://www.proappdevelopers.com
Thanks for this insightful article. As an owner of an app review site I am here to tell you that you are right one with your point about most sites not making much money. My site’s been up for about year and the most money I’ve made in one month is a few hundred dollars. While that’s nothing to sneeze at it’s not the type of money one can use to replace a full time job. I got into it because I love my iPhone and I was always telling other people about my favorite apps. I figured I would start a review site and tell more people. It was only later that I realized that I could actually help smaller app developers by helping them get the word out about their apps. I review them fairly and give constructive criticism when i can. Sometimes the amount of free review requests gets overwhelming so I tell people they could take a couple months to get to their review on my list which is true. I offer express reviews (1 to 5 day turn around time) where people get the same review they would get if it was free but they are paying me to get their review done quickly. I even warn app developers that if their app is not good I will say so make sure your app is ready before you ask me to review it. I make a little money on affiliate links like under $5 per month. I think if my traffic was better I would make more money but it fluctuates between 2000-3000 uniques per month.
John McNamara
iPhoneAppReviewGuy.com
Re: ipad app review/ promotion.
Hi there,
iStoryTree is an educational picture book app that develops a child’s cognitive skills, motor skills, and language skills in a very simple way. With loads of surprises and fun activities at the turn of each page, it teaches and entertains a child at the same time. Designed to keep children’s curiosity ignited, starting with the story Crab and the Crane, iStoryTree makes sure every parent’s demands are met.
Highlights:
Eloquent narration, delightful animations, and marvelous sound effects will mercilessly pull you into the story.
Listen to the story read aloud as each word is highlighted and carefully enunciated. Pronunciation and listening skills are automatically developed.
Or read by yourself, spelling out each word at a slow and a steady pace.
Tap the characters and other objects to bring them to life.
Tap on a particular word to know its meaning and its usage in a proper sentence.
With a fun activity like finger-painting, children will be able to discover the artist inside.
Send out e-cards made by your child, thereby officiating his/her role as an artist.
Highly engaging games such as Catch Them All and Fill Me Up are sure to make children more alacritous than ever.
Record the story in your voice and see the surprise in your child’s eyes!
Hold the iPad and dance as the magic colors magically start filling up the outlined artworks in a rhythmic fashion
It’s a given that cognitive skills and motor skills are very important for a growing-up child. With several such activities mentioned above, a child is sure to develop those important life skills – in an easy and an interesting way.
Special Feature:
Unlike most apps out there, what sets iStoryTree apart is the Avatar Jennie! Listen to Jennie as she narrates the story with her unique expressions and hand-gestures. A child, no doubt, will acquire impressive elocution skills!
Art of expression is as important as academic proficiency. Avatar Jennie makes sure a child learns to tell a story, or to be specific learns to express more clearly.
http://www.istorytree.com/web
We humbly request you to review iStoryTree and let the world know about it. We will be happy to provide you a promo code, if you wish to download and experience the app firsthand.
Contact details follow:
Email id: contact@istorytree.com
iTunes Store: http://itunes.apple.com/ph/app/istorytree/id541557506?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D2
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/istorytree
Twitter ID: https://twitter.com/iStoryTree
Blog ID: http://istorytree.blogspot.in/
Website: http://www.istorytree.com/web
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Voy6fzPNxSw
—–
Regards,
Vivek adhikari
Your articel is really awesome, but i want to know how review sites work, in other words suppose that i send a app to your website for review, after that that procedure you follow. N plz tell me some benifits and disadvantage of review sites
Once apps are submitted to most sites, they then preview the app to decide if it fits into their content (each site has different types of apps they review). We pick about 10-15% of the apps that are submitted. Reviews can get you app more exposure and also give you important feedback about changes you may want to make in the next update. I suppose if the review is negative, that would be a disadvantage …
I am really very thank full to you, that you have share your experience with me.