I’ve often heard/read iPhone App developers comment on a connection between updating their apps and new sales. In other words, keeping your app up to date leads to more sales, and happier customers. Makes sense, really. What happens if an app, a small app, that is seemingly dead gets an update? Does the mere fact of updating the app drive sales? Does an app that averages 2-3 sale / month? I decided to test it out on my own. Mostly curiosity, and in my small scale test, it does drive new sales.
Earlier this month, I updated my Christmas-based app and waited to see what would happen. As seen in the graph from AppFigures, the day the update went live, sales spiked. Not a huge spike, but a spike none the less. For an app (that only really works in December) new customers were generated from an update in October. Is this people just eager for Christmas? Maybe, but going from 3 sales to about 10 is a small result. I’m sure this scales to more popular apps too.
I wonder if this builds over time, do constant updates continually build on the new sales?