Last month I wrote an article on Forbes about app discovery, and how difficult it has become to find great apps in the massive app jungle out there.
But let’s not paint the skies grey; there are some great ways of finding apps (and getting found, from the developer’s point of view) if you can stick to one or more of these options when app-hunting!
1. Get recommendations from friends & family
There is nothing better than a suggestion by someone you trust. It’s not only the easiest of all types or research (asking a question) but also the most valuable opinion you may get!
Since you can’t always have the right person to ask next to you, we are building an app for that. Mevvy is going to connect you with friends, family, colleagues, managers, CEOs, celebrities and everyone else you look up to. By following them you’ll see what apps they use, install, rate and recommend!
App Discovery 6 Ways To Find Great AppsA preview of the Mevvy app
2. Use so-called ‘app discovery apps’
Mevvy is not the only app discovery app on the market. Some companies out there are trying to do pretty amazing things, working on giving you personalized app recommendations based on your profile, activity on social networks and device usage. Appsfire, Appreciate and Apphero are the most notable ones right now. Each one has a different focus — only you can choose which one of these apps will work best for you 🙂
App Discovery 6 Ways To Find Great AppsFrom left to right: Appsfire, Apphero, Appreciate
3. Consult app directories to find apps
There are several app directories out there than can help you cut through the chase. You can try out AlternativeTo if you are looking for a better option to something you are already using. AppAppeal and BestVendor make a great companion to find new apps, as well as our own app directory on Mevvy.
App Discovery 6 Ways To Find Great AppsAlternativeTo
App Discovery 6 Ways To Find Great AppsAppappeal
App Discovery 6 Ways To Find Great AppsBestVendor
App Discovery 6 Ways To Find Great AppsMevvy
4. Refer to online magazines that talk about apps
Here you can dive into a wide range of options … the best ones are probably Mashable, TechCrunch and Lifehacker (with Lifehacker doing this weekly interview with top CEOs to find out what apps they use!). MakeUseOf posts their new favorites weekly, while Engadget and CNet constantly post about everything apps. Happy digging!
App Discovery 6 Ways To Find Great AppsMakeUseOf
5. Do a search in your app store
While this is still the most common way to explore the app universe I purposely listed it later on in my options. Searching in any app store is beyond complicated and unsatisfactory. Stay away from search unless you know the app by the name!
Do give a look at OttoCat though, if you want to search by category, and keyword!
App Discovery 6 Ways To Find Great AppsOttoCat
6. Follow the ads
You will find that many apps to use in-app advertising, showing you promotional messages about other applications. These suggestions are often not as irrelevant as one may think as today’s technology makes it possible to analyze a user and show him only ads suitable for his profile! You’ll be surprised what you may discover …
You see, not everything is lost. There are ways to search and find apps, and you can discover and get discovered in various ways!
Got another great way to find apps? Share it in the comments below!
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