

Ask HN: What's the best marketing effort for $1000? - doktorn

Let&#x27;s say you have $1000 to spend on marketing in the US for an iPhone&#x2F;iPad puzzle game. What would you spend it on?
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bkrull
Google and Facebook have good app install ad formats:
[http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2013/03/01/mobile-app-
adve...](http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2013/03/01/mobile-app-advertising)
[https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2012/10/17/drive-i...](https://developers.facebook.com/blog/post/2012/10/17/drive-
installs-and-discovery-with-mobile-app-install-ads/)

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f3r3nc
As others have said, make it free. If it's paid now try to approach appgratis
and pay them back with cross promotion.

While your game is free make sure they spread the word on any of the social
sites and also get the players who like your game rate it in the AppStore.

Also try to get in contact with other indie game devs and cross promote with
them.

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31reasons
\- Make it free. Seriously there is no other way to enter the market unless
you have ton of money to burn.

\- Have in app purchases.

\- Facebook Ads. First test out multiple versions of ads for Facebook and see
which one gives you best results and then spend more money on it.

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mansigandhi
Facebook ads can get you great installs, and very targetted too...but can go
upto $1.50 CPA. If you want lower costs look at Millenial Media or Tapjoy.

I would put the $1000 purely into getting direct downloads as opposed to any
brand/awareness building campaigns.

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amac
I don't think Marketers should work with a fixed budget like you have
described. Check out some of the applications on octopus.org, most of them
have free trials and free functionality. See what works before you spend any
serious money.

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tagabek
Save that money and market for 'free'.

Embrace online communities that might like your app. Market to them.

Use Twitter to spread the word. Tumblr is also a great place to help something
go viral.

~~~
rfergie
Really you are saying "spend $1000 worth of time on this".

Which might be a really great deal or not depending on how OP values their
time.

Out of interest, how many hours would you expect to spend on this kind of
project?

