Perhaps it’s a testimony to my poor screencasting skills but I pretty much took a whole day out of my life to plan and produce the video embedded below. Maybe it was stupid. I will have to do another whole screencast for the final app (because of all the changes I will make from now to launch).
So why did I do it? Simple. Appsfire is running a contest: the App Star Awards, awarding cool upcoming apps (based on short video demos). The prize? $1500 and a free ad campaign. I don’t really care about that.
Here is what I do care about:
The people judging this contest are the influencers in the tech community. I don’t even need to win; I just need to get noticed by one or two of these fine folks to build tremendous buzz and produce a snowball marketing effect.
Maybe I’m stupid to promote this contest (more competition for me) but we’ve been asking for ways to market our apps outside the app store. This is an opportunity to do just that. Don’t miss it.
At any rate, here is the draft video (would appreciate your input). One thing I need to know is if it clearly conveys what the app does and why it is useful. I am thinking maybe to add the tagline in there somewhere (”Find the easiest path to the grade you want”) but I’m wondering if it is necessary:
cool! congrats! I think it’s cool, fun and takes it to the point.
wish you good luck for the contest!
I think it looks good; gets to the point without worrying about too much fluff.
Sandro and Joe: thanks.
I think you should have a little more focus on what the end result of your app is. It went a little quick and users may miss it.
On another note, what did you use to make your video? I am just starting development of my app and have no idea how to get good video of a running app.
(Love the blog by the way.)
Mike, that is what I was worried about. The problem is trying to scrunch it into a very short clip. I’ll think about it some more, though.
I used:
SimFinger: http://blog.atebits.com/2009/03/not-your-average-iphone-screencast/
My built in iSight…
Photoshop…
and ScreenFlow: http://www.telestream.net/screen-flow/overview.htm
Thanks.
Hi, congratz!
I follow your site since a day or 3 but just wanted to let you know that the link to appsfire is not working because of only a double “w”.
Better fix it…
Kind regrads,
Florian.
Regards, that is. Damn keyboards…
Thanks Florian, I just fixed it.
You’re welcome and i wish you all the best with this project. I’ll keep following as i’m also on the way to releasing my first iPhone app.
Good luck!