Factors affecting Google Search position

I thought it was strange when I noticed that the search result position of a customer’s site, Eureka Financial, varies depending on whether the customer was logged in or not to their Google account.  It should be noted the customer is running Adwords campaigns for their site.

But it gets even stranger – can you believe that what browser you’re using affects the result position?

Here are the variations I’ve seen so far on searches for the phrase “financial training uk”:

  • customer logged in, result position #2
  • customer not logged in, result position #40
  • me logged in (different Google acct), Safari: #37
  • me logged in (different Google acct), Firefox: #40

When you’re using a Safari browser, Google adds a client param to the url, ie, client=safari, however for firefox the param is not added.

Go figure.

Roundup of open source e-ecommerce solutions

A nice and comprehensive roundup of e-ecommerce solutions, check it out.

Baby Maker Success Story

babymakerresults2

Another case of iPhone devs reporting the full lifecycle of their AppStore experience.  These guys used a third party to develop their app and earned back their $5k dev costs quite quickly.

An interesting read.

In App Purchase Hacks

Here’s an interesting way to hack IAP in the AppStore, reported by Kevin from ablepear.com.  Am surprised this is possible.

  • Group: iPhone Developers - www.iPhoneintouch.com
  • Subject: New comment (14) on “Are “in app” purchases successful?”

I especially like the model that Storm 8 impliments – and it’s a strange one indeed, but works around a “limitation” of the in-game “store-kit” limitation. That is to say that, as Steve Jobs said, “Free games remain free.” So there should be not charge to this. Well Storm 8 has a series of games that have made it into the top 10 several weeks running. The game is free, but there is a certain type of currency that you can purchase “in-game”.

The currency comes in the form of an additional app you download from the App Store, basically the same app with a little hook to say that your account has downloaded one of it’s packages and to add a certain number of “coins” to you main account. Once this has happened you can delete the “second” game or the “first” as they are both the full game.

A very interesting use of the app space and somewhat bypasses the in-game purchasing.

Building a viral loop into your software

A very interesting article from FastCompany about how Ning’s software model is built around a viral loop that gave it an excellent chance of success.

What goes into building an iPhone game

Dapple

Check out this detailed account from Streaming Colour about what went into developing Dapple, a top-selling game.  The developer gives a detailed account of the work involved included a week-by-week breakdown covering 27 weeks.

Improve Your Blog’s Reach & Search Rankings

Here is some great advice from the SEOmoz site and their Trifecta tool:

Resources for Improving Blog Posts

Resources for Bringing Search Traffic to a Blog

Resources for Growing a Blog’s Popularity

Where to get iPhone app reviews

Here’s a list of a few iPhone review sites I’ve found recently:

I’ll be adding more as I find them, comments welcome :-)

Another idea, from the folks at AppstoreHQ, is their ’spoonback’ badge that reviewers can add to their reviews of your app and get themselves and you more traffic.

And another, here’s a great list of top sites offering iPhone app reviews.  There is some crossover with my list above.

And here’s a great list of Youtube iPhone app reviewers.

And here’s an independent reviewer looking for apps.

Make Money using Adsense in iPhone apps

More ideas for iPhone app promotion

I will be adding to this list as I come across good ideas:

  1. get a sponsored listing over at  AppStore HQ ($10/wk)
  2. How to Market iPhone Apps
  3. Introduction to iPhone App Marketing
  4. release some of your promo codes on http://promodispenser.com