Like all iOS developers, the programmers who created an app for Britain’s The Guardian newspaper faced a challenge: how to get their app noticed in an incredibly crowded marketplace. The Guardian Eyewitness app had the good fortune to be featured as a demo during a Steve Jobs’ keynote. That attracted a lot of one-time attention, but the team wanted to get the word out about some new features they added to the app.
What was the strategy that worked? Doing nothing.
In this case, the developers found success by waiting around until they were featured on some App Store lists. The article concludes, “In a sea of apps, users are looking for filters and highlights. These lists that Apple generates are a primary means of discovery and should be courted by every developer.”
