Ask HN: Any experienced iPhone app developers willing to give me some advice?

[fortuna]

Hi,

I run a web site with a large user base and I'm planning to launch a simple, free iPhone game that I know they will love, but I need some advice on how I should integrate ads and create a paid version that can be upsold.

I'm not looking for a programmer, I just need some advice from a more experienced person.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay area, I'd be more than happy to buy you beers.

You can email me at: [e-mail]

[ronyeh]

Get the Apple Developer membership.

Create a free iPhone game using your favorite platform (native Objective C, PhoneGap, Sparrow, or Cocos2D).

Sign up for AdMob/Google. Create an app id entry there for your game. You'll get an AdMob ID that you can use to query for ads.

Ad a 320x50 AdMob banner at the top or bottom of your game.

Sometime during your free game (say, the end of level 2) tell them about your premium version that is awesome, has no ads, and has lots more levels. If they dismiss your ad, let them continue playing your lite game.

[coryl]

Or integrate in-app purchases, which is more likely to generate a conversion!

[jason_slack]

Do you already have an Apple Developer membership? For iOS it is $99 a year and has a wealth of information about what you are trying to do...integrating iAd's, etc.

Worth the $99 for me plus I get beta's of XCode, OS X Updates, etc.

[fortuna]

yeah, I have an Apple Developer membership, but I'm not a programmer so I haven't really delved much into that. I will skim over it though, good suggestion.

[georgemcbay]

My advice -- hire a programmer.