In this festive chat, Jordan Morgan, an indie app developer and advocate at Superwall, shares his journey in tech and his side project, the Elite Hoops app for basketball coaching. He discusses transitioning from traditional engineering to developer advocacy while emphasizing work-life balance. From networking to creating apps that resonate with users, Jordan reveals the delicate dance between personal passion and market needs. He also reflects on crafting viable apps and the importance of strategic advertising for profitability. Get ready for insights and cheer!
Jordan Morgan discusses his transition to developer advocacy, emphasizing its positive impact on work-life balance and job satisfaction.
The podcast highlights the necessity of adaptability in indie app development, focusing on building products that meet user needs instead of solely personal interests.
Marketing strategies such as Apple Search Ads and influencer marketing are explored, showcasing the importance of data-driven decisions for optimizing user acquisition.
Deep dives
Reflection on the Podcast's Journey
The podcast discusses the ongoing evolution of the show as it celebrates its annual Christmas special with Jordan Hale. The host reflects on the longevity and evolution of the podcast since its inception five years ago, highlighting the importance of connecting with listeners over the years. The continuation of this holiday special reaffirms the commitment to sharing experiences as indie app developers in the App Store landscape. Overall, the tone emphasizes camaraderie and the significance of this annual tradition.
Career Transition to Developer Advocacy
Jordan shares insights about his transition from a traditional iOS development role to a new position in developer advocacy, focusing on how this change has affected his work-life balance and happiness. He highlights the challenges of leaving behind the responsibilities and stresses associated with a development job, such as fixing bugs and meeting deadlines. Jordan expresses contentment with his current role, which allows for a mix of engineering and creative writing while maintaining flexibility in work responsibilities. This shift has resulted in a more enjoyable career experience compared to his previous job.
Lessons from Indie Development
The conversation explores the lessons learned from indie app development, including the importance of responsiveness to market needs and user feedback. Jordan emphasizes the value of building products that address real problems rather than solely pursuing personal interests or creative urges. He shares his experience with his basketball coaching app, Elite Hoops, detailing a focus on features that enhance user engagement, such as a new practice planner functionality. This practical approach underscores the necessity of listening to users and adapting the product for sustained growth.
Strategic Marketing and Growth Tactics
The podcast delves into various marketing strategies for app growth, including using Apple Search Ads and Meta Ads, as well as the exploration of influencer marketing. Jordan discusses how he’s utilized paid advertising while monitoring return on investment and refining audience targeting. He highlights the importance of scalability and experimentation in budget allocation for ads, noting the correlation between increased spending and user acquisition. This process is framed as an ongoing experiment where data informed decisions lead the way toward adapting and optimizing marketing efforts.
Unique Experiences in Developer Advocacy
The hosts discuss the unique aspects of working in developer advocacy, emphasizing how this career path allows them to blend engineering skills with creative content creation. They relish the ability to explore new technologies and share their knowledge with the developer community through writing and creating multimedia content. This role simultaneously feeds their passion for programming while providing opportunities to engage and educate other developers. They reflect on how the interchange between their professional work and personal projects enhances their overall job satisfaction.
Updates on the Best in Class Book Series
Jordan shares updates on his ongoing book series, Best in Class, reflecting on its initial success and current trajectory. He acknowledges the challenges faced during the writing process and advises on maintaining a sustainable release schedule while keeping the content relevant. The discussion focuses on balancing the commitment to quality updates with the reality of limited time, and how he plans to deliver valuable content periodically without experiencing burnout. Ultimately, he expresses pride in the series while recognizing the lessons learned throughout its development.
