Ninja Techniques that Will Grow Your Business 135 apps and generate hundreds of additional dollars. That's essentially the app network: your own superhighway of app users that you direct and redirect on a consistent basis to find the traffic patterns that yield the most amount of money. The app network is so vital that few if any app companies can be suc- cessful for a long period of time without building one. Your app network allows you to boost your app rankings and gives you credibility with other app developers, which makes them more likely to cross-promote with you. It's crucial when it comes to launching a new app because you can immedi- ately get lots of eyeballs on it using your app network. The more downloads and traffic you get with your app network the more you start growing a vibrant app ecosystem. Most major players have figured this out, which is why they can push their apps into the top rankings consistently. This is why you have to make developing your app network a priority from day one. You're in the business of creating apps and in the business of creating a kick-ass app network. Most of the following sections in this chapter will focus on teaching you how to do that. NAG SCREENS Have you ever been to a nice restaurant where the waitress upsells you? She says, "Hey, that pesto pasta is awesome. Would you like me to add some shrimp to that?" You think about it for a second and sometimes say, "Sure. Why not?" You didn't think about the shrimp, but when presented with the option, you went for it. That's the job of the nag screen (see Figure 8.1). It's a pop-up window that appears when an app is started. It has a short call to action, giving the users the option to download the pro version of the app that has more features than the one they downloaded. The nag screen plays into the users' impulse buy mentality. Once users have downloaded and opened up your free app, you can offer that pre- mium content and expect a reasonable conversion rate. Make sure that you don't throw just anything up there. Like any upsell, you do have to be strategic in how and what you promote to your customers. A slick demonstration of value on a nag screen may hook potential buyers, but, if done improperly, it can turn customers away from your app entirely. Nag screens are usually used to upsell from a free version of an app to its pro version but you can use them to advertise one of your other apps