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Ask HN: Any ideas about increasing traction for a socially-oriented app?

4 points by hbansal 15y ago

I have developed an Android app facilitating Augmented Reality to ease the users. But I dont know how to market it? Any ideas?

pbreit 15y ago
For starters, consider an iPhone app since that's where much of the traction-generating action is. It's hard to say though given how little we know about the app. What does that mean "facilitating Augmented Reality to ease the users"?
- hbansal 15y ago
  It means that it uses a Layer (not literally) to show AirTags (or GeoLocations) to show religious places augmented on the camera... It's just one implementation, we are planning to add onto it, on the social theme (like initiating causes, and getting following in real time) So, how should we go with answering tough marketing questions like: How are you gonna earn, revenue model? How will you generate traction? How will you tackle with your competitors? ...stuff like that... I hope it's clear now...
revorad 15y ago
For starters, tell us what it is unless you want to keep it under wraps for now.
- hbansal 15y ago
  Basically, it removes the need of Donation (money) boxes completely. Those (boxes) are geolocated and viewed as an air tag in the Augmented view, so that, there is no room for thefts, and people get instant proximity alerts (if they want to), to give charity through PayPal, instantly, and from anywhere. There is even no need to be at that place, just from your home, open your camera and see all donation boxes. It will be a huge hit in India, since people give charity for religious purposes here, on a large scale. Any more clarity, please ask me...please help us with critical marketing issues...not a broad help, just some ideas...
  - revorad 15y ago
    Sounds interesting for sure, but still hard to imagine without seeing a demo or illustration. Do you have a website? How many people in India use Paypal? My immediate and extended family gives a lot to charity but I don't think any of them have heard of Paypal. Have you tested your product with some people in India? Don't assume it will be a big hit. I'm still not clear what problem you're solving though.
    - hbansal 15y ago
      It's still in infancy, pitching in a competition here for $5k seed money (it's on Friday), with the first prototype. Not launched a website now, but it's in the pipeline, will be out soon. How many ppl in India have PayPal? Good ques, had let a survey out, will show you the results soon. We r planning to channelize it through established trusts, distribute to their followers (QR codes on their sites) Any other feedback or marketing idea???
      - revorad 15y ago
        Sorry, I'm not able to give concrete feedback or marketing ideas because I'm not clear about your product. What problem are you solving?
        hbansal 15y ago
        Actually, we have 5-6 ideas, this was one of them, we r launching as a prototype, other ideas are big and harder to be sought out, in terms of marketing etc. They are basically related to creating social communities instantly for solving a local/global problem, and provides suggested measures for solving that. Eg: There is a trash zone near your house, what will you do? Just fire in our app, and immediately, you will get a following of people, who think the same as you. So, our such ideas will be good for solving problems...basically we want to brand ourselves as a community (company) that actively creates products that initializes social changes and helps people solve them, using latest mobile technologies. How does this brand sound to you? Good/Bad/Depens If Bad/Depends, what changes/value should we pitch on Friday, to our brand image, to get $5k seed money, to start a startup, and (maybe) bring a revolution.
hiddenemail7 15y ago
Have a read of this person's experience marketing an iPad app: http://www.shindigital.com/blogpost/74 http://www.shindigital.com/blogpost/74 Check out the other posts on his blog, too. They might be helpful.
aorshan 15y ago
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-noob-guide-to-online-marketing-with-giant-infographic-11928 http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-noob-guide-to-online-marketin... is an amazing resource

4 points by hbansal 15y ago

I have developed an Android app facilitating Augmented Reality to ease the users. But I dont know how to market it? Any ideas?

pbreit 15y ago

For starters, consider an iPhone app since that's where much of the traction-generating action is. It's hard to say though given how little we know about the app. What does that mean "facilitating Augmented Reality to ease the users"?

hbansal 15y ago
It means that it uses a Layer (not literally) to show AirTags (or GeoLocations) to show religious places augmented on the camera... It's just one implementation, we are planning to add onto it, on the social theme (like initiating causes, and getting following in real time) So, how should we go with answering tough marketing questions like: How are you gonna earn, revenue model? How will you generate traction? How will you tackle with your competitors? ...stuff like that... I hope it's clear now...

revorad 15y ago

For starters, tell us what it is unless you want to keep it under wraps for now.

hbansal 15y ago
Basically, it removes the need of Donation (money) boxes completely. Those (boxes) are geolocated and viewed as an air tag in the Augmented view, so that, there is no room for thefts, and people get instant proximity alerts (if they want to), to give charity through PayPal, instantly, and from anywhere. There is even no need to be at that place, just from your home, open your camera and see all donation boxes. It will be a huge hit in India, since people give charity for religious purposes here, on a large scale. Any more clarity, please ask me...please help us with critical marketing issues...not a broad help, just some ideas...
- revorad 15y ago
  Sounds interesting for sure, but still hard to imagine without seeing a demo or illustration. Do you have a website? How many people in India use Paypal? My immediate and extended family gives a lot to charity but I don't think any of them have heard of Paypal. Have you tested your product with some people in India? Don't assume it will be a big hit. I'm still not clear what problem you're solving though.
  - hbansal 15y ago
    It's still in infancy, pitching in a competition here for $5k seed money (it's on Friday), with the first prototype. Not launched a website now, but it's in the pipeline, will be out soon. How many ppl in India have PayPal? Good ques, had let a survey out, will show you the results soon. We r planning to channelize it through established trusts, distribute to their followers (QR codes on their sites) Any other feedback or marketing idea???
    - revorad 15y ago
      Sorry, I'm not able to give concrete feedback or marketing ideas because I'm not clear about your product. What problem are you solving?
      - hbansal 15y ago
        Actually, we have 5-6 ideas, this was one of them, we r launching as a prototype, other ideas are big and harder to be sought out, in terms of marketing etc. They are basically related to creating social communities instantly for solving a local/global problem, and provides suggested measures for solving that. Eg: There is a trash zone near your house, what will you do? Just fire in our app, and immediately, you will get a following of people, who think the same as you. So, our such ideas will be good for solving problems...basically we want to brand ourselves as a community (company) that actively creates products that initializes social changes and helps people solve them, using latest mobile technologies. How does this brand sound to you? Good/Bad/Depens If Bad/Depends, what changes/value should we pitch on Friday, to our brand image, to get $5k seed money, to start a startup, and (maybe) bring a revolution.

hiddenemail7 15y ago

Have a read of this person's experience marketing an iPad app: http://www.shindigital.com/blogpost/74 http://www.shindigital.com/blogpost/74 Check out the other posts on his blog, too. They might be helpful.

aorshan 15y ago

http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-noob-guide-to-online-marketing-with-giant-infographic-11928 http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-noob-guide-to-online-marketin... is an amazing resource