Branding? Custom Services?

[cygy2k]

I was wondering if you planned on offering branded version of your app for sale? I'd love to be able to offer my users a version that is specific just to my forum.

[winter]

Hi,

There is no official plan in place to do rebranding. at least not yet. :o

[iFonz]

thats something that can be done once the app is fully developed.

definitely something you should consider. i don't think it would take away from the network. hell peeps could be apart of the tapatalk app and also have their own version of the app.

yeah its win win for tapatalk and forum owners who are interested.

[Jman423]

thats something that can be done once the app is fully developed.

definitely something you should consider. i don't think it would take away from the network. hell peeps could be apart of the tapatalk app and also have their own version of the app.

yeah its win win for tapatalk and forum owners who are interested.

Just out of curiosity, how do you guys picture this? Tapatalk develops an app specifically for each forum? Cost? App Store distribution?

I am not really sure I fully understand the suggestion, forgive me.

[iFonz]

yeah basically a stand alone version of the app. put it in the appstoer with ur brand, maybe change up the colors and ad som flair to it. not sure how much u can pretty up a forum app. ha

[Jman423]

yeah basically a stand alone version of the app. put it in the appstoer with ur brand, maybe change up the colors and ad som flair to it. not sure how much u can pretty up a forum app. ha

But can you imagine the process involved for Tapatalk to get EVERY unique version into the app store? They can't even get their own in there without months of delay from Apple.

That was the first thing that came to mind when you said that...

[mrklewis]

I was wondering if you planned on offering branded version of your app for sale? I'd love to be able to offer my users a version that is specific just to my forum.

^We are very interested in something along these lines. Our members aren't too keen on paying $2.99 as of yet, and we would be more willing to foot the bill. In the meantime, we're just watching how the app turns out...

[winter]

Mrklewis,

lll check with apple to see if we can provide some promotional code to you (at a cost) so you can give it out to some of your members assuming you are talking about only 10 or so.


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk (http://www.tapatalk.com)

[iFonz]

^We are very interested in something along these lines. Our members aren't too keen on paying $2.99 as of yet, and we would be more willing to foot the bill. In the meantime, we're just watching how the app turns out...


or u can do as i have done and reimburse ur members via paypal.

[mrklewis]

Winter,
That'd be great! Let me know what you find out

[cygy2k]

I know that it's not real practical to provide a different version for each site since Apple's policies are so tight and it would take forever to push out updates.

But....

If you could some how have it coded so that instead of your logo on certain parts of the software, it pulls the logo from your server based on a referral code or something, that would be one possibility.

Another option would be to sell versions of your software to forum owners before it goes to Apple so that each forum owner would be responsible for submitting their app to the store for approval. This could make it easier on you guys for the branding purpose - you provide all the necessary coding and work and just incorporate the logo/title for the owner to then submit to Apple.

[winter]

Thanks for the feedback.

I admit eventually we will need to do something to satisfy some of the forums prefer their own app so they can have the logo on screen.

Currently Apple allows only Safari to place an icon on home screen and there is really nothing we can do about it.

Once the app is refined enough to warrant a standalone version that forum willing to pay Apple $99/year for the iDP (iPhone Development Program, a prerequisite to list app on the app store) we can see what we can do to support it.

[Jman423]

I know that it's not real practical to provide a different version for each site since Apple's policies are so tight and it would take forever to push out updates.

But....

If you could some how have it coded so that instead of your logo on certain parts of the software, it pulls the logo from your server based on a referral code or something, that would be one possibility.

Another option would be to sell versions of your software to forum owners before it goes to Apple so that each forum owner would be responsible for submitting their app to the store for approval. This could make it easier on you guys for the branding purpose - you provide all the necessary coding and work and just incorporate the logo/title for the owner to then submit to Apple.

Thanks for the feedback.

I admit eventually we will need to do something to satisfy some of the forums prefer their own app so they can have the logo on screen.

Currently Apple allows only Safari to place an icon on home screen and there is really nothing we can do about it.

Once the app is refined enough to warrant a standalone version that forum willing to pay Apple $99/year for the iDP (iPhone Development Program, a prerequisite to list app on the app store) we can see what we can do to support it.

That's what I was going to mention, in order for forum owners to submit an app to Apple, they would have to pay the developer's annual fee, plus anything that the Tapatalk would charge for the custom application.

As a forum owner, with all of those I would charge the members to use the service, and that defeats the purpose.

Please don't get me wrong, this is a great idea, and I would love to have a customized app. But it almost doesn't seem logical at this point.

Maybe as the dev team moves forward, they will see ways to alter the config of the app to allow the user to customize which forums that want to visit (such as a profile).

[mrklewis]

As a forum owner, with all of those I would charge the members to use the service, and that defeats the purpose.

It depends on your business model and your ad revenue from the main forum (through a browser.) Some larger forums would be able to afford yearly payments, etc. because giving their members a free app to the forum would increase overall forum visits. If I have a member more invested and active in the site because they can use their iPhone, the hope is that they visit the site more through a browser (when they have access) and thus hit ads. Even if this isn't measurable, you can increase loyalty by providing a free app. It all depends on how you figure your return on investment, whether it makes sense or not.

[bramburn]

What if you guys sell bundles of redeem codes to forum users like 100 for £100 or something like that.
And when you sell it you could have a Css or config file in the folder to colorise the post and links

[Darkwaltz4]

It depends on your business model and your ad revenue from the main forum (through a browser.) Some larger forums would be able to afford yearly payments, etc. because giving their members a free app to the forum would increase overall forum visits. If I have a member more invested and active in the site because they can use their iPhone, the hope is that they visit the site more through a browser (when they have access) and thus hit ads. Even if this isn't measurable, you can increase loyalty by providing a free app. It all depends on how you figure your return on investment, whether it makes sense or not.

either that or pipe the ads from your forums into the app! lol

[jmottle]

I'd also be very interested in a white label custom branded version.

[winter]

We have started looking into rebranding service and evaluating the possibility to offer this at a larger scale now that Android app is almost ready.

For the rebranded app we will be able to insert admob ads inside so you can have a chance to monetize it. Admob also allow you to house your own ads so you can always switch the inventory to your local sponsor at anytime.

We haven't confirmed the cost yet but here is to give you a head-up - we're looking at a one time setup cost plus a annual "up-to-date" cost. You will be able to pick among iPhone / Android / Nokia and in future Blackberry app with your own forum logo and monetize thru it.

What do you think about this? Discuss. :)

[iFonz]

sign me up

but without registration with in app people will be turned away as soon as they download it. i know this because the minute i tell peeps that i meet via other iphone apps that they have to sign up via pc first they lose interest.

[beerguy]

I'd love to be able to just change some colors, via CSS, just to make our users feel like they're home.