Month: June 2011

Don’t think of non-paying users as a burden, but as an advertising expense.

June 20, 2011 1 Comment

When you are trying to earn revenue from your freemium product, the non-paying users can often seem like an unnecessary expense – you end up paying more for hosting and support for the free users than the paying users, and that is a frustrating predicament to be in. To make the experience that much more bearable, thinking of those users as an advertising expense rather than a pointless burden will be very helpful.

Try out the Windows 8 tile interface right now on Windows 7

June 20, 2011 9 Comments

Windows 8 was recently unveiled with what many consider to be the greatest leap in Windows UI design since the operating system first launched in 1985. While the official release of the OS isn’t expected to be until sometime in 2012, software developers are already trying their hand at creating a similar interface for Windows 7, and you can test it out right now, for free.

Why online video advertising desperately needs an overhaul.

June 18, 2011 8 Comments

Online video advertising has been a growing source of frustration for a number of years, and the problem isn’t going away anytime soon, with the industry forecast to be worth $5 billion by 2014. Despite this rapid growth, both advertisers and content producers have failed to create a model which is both effective in terms of revenue and in generating customer interest, while at the same time allowing viewers to enjoy the content without repeated interruptions or annoyance.

How changing the name of my webapp quadrupled signups.

June 15, 2011 16 Comments

The name of a product often means a lot more than many people realize: it plays a major role in determining both the quantity of media coverage that the product receives, and in shaping how potential customers view the application. This is the story of how a developer, by simply removing the vowels from the name of his web app, literally quadrupled monthly signups instantaneously.

Is it impossible to succeed in a crowded software market?

June 12, 2011 4 Comments

With the emergence of low-cost publishing solutions in mobile app stores the software market has become crowded in a number of niche areas. The concept of ‘first in wins’ in regards to launching a product has meant that skilled software developers are choosing not to enter niche markets poised for reform simply because the market is crowded – and that is detrimental for both the industry and for consumers.

How my startup launched to 50,000 daily pageviews with just a few emails.

June 11, 2011 6 Comments

The launch of any startup is often the most important factor in determining the success of the product in the short-term, and consequently it’s vital that it is done successfully. Today we are sharing the story of a Windows software developer who launched his bootstrapped application to 50,000 daily pageviews with just a few emails to a number of select technology websites.

Why your startup shouldn’t focus on growth OR profitability.

June 11, 2011 4 Comments

Within the world of startups today, there are two distinct opinions on the importance of growth and profitability in a business: those who believe that profitability should always be secondary to rapidly expanding the user base of the product (Facebook-style, if you will), and the alternate view that founders should focus on turning a profit before gaining millions of users. In reality, neither is perfect.

How I doubled the price of my software product – and sold ten times as many copies.

June 10, 2011 46 Comments

Decreasing the price of your software product doesn’t necessarily mean you will sell more copies, and increasing the price certainly doesn’t mean you will sell less: today we are sharing the story of a Windows software developer who, by increasing the price of his software, managed to significantly increase the number of licenses he sold.

iCloud lets you pirate all the music you wish – for $24.99 a year.

June 7, 2011 8 Comments

Apple today announced iCloud, their new online storage system which links together iOS and Mac devices, syncing documents, photos, books, apps – and most interestingly, music. The announced ‘iTunes Match’ functionality does what just about everyone expected that Apple wouldn’t do – it allows the use of non-iTunes purchased music with the iCloud system. It essentially permits, even welcomes piracy – for a price.

Fantastical Mac Calendar Giveaway

June 5, 2011 4 Comments

Fantastical is an all new calendar for Mac, which works as a (beautiful) front end for iCal, Outlook or Entourage. It joins applications like Twitter for Mac and Wunderlist atop the pile of beautifully designed Mac software – but it offers a lot more than just good looks. The team behind Fantastical has supplied two licenses of the application to giveaway, read more to find out how to win!

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