Plugin business model?

[Midigator]

Any of you guys released a free and pay version of a plug-in?

What kind of numbers are you seeing for VST plugs? I mean, let's say hypothetically someone had a really good specialized plug-in. By really good, I mean it gets good reviews, good word of mouth, etc.

How many copies do you think they would distribute if it were free? How many would they sell?

[Spe3D]

How much for the not free one? what type of VSTI? what was it made with? how much money spent on marketing? does it use an unruly unlock? etc.

How long is a bit of string?

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

[Midigator]

How much for the not free one? what type of VSTI? what was it made with? how much money spent on marketing? does it use an unruly unlock? etc.

How long is a bit of string?

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

Point taken.

But, there has to be some answers to this question on an order of magnitude.

For example, a decent console game might sell 1 million copies. A decent best seller 250,000 books. A decent record 100,000 units. A decent shareware title (utility) 400,000. A decent webpage news source website 200,000 hits per week, and so on.

I am wondering what the relative size of the plug-in market is. If people here have released shareware and/or retail versions of software they would be able to provide reasonable estimates about the size of the market.

I think I read somewhere that someone said they had 3,500 downloads of a VST effect they created.

[Big Tick]

Yes, 3500 downloads a month is typical.
Now, I can only speak for my own little business, but 350 sales a year would be great. Then again, I'm not NI

'Tick

[Angus_FX]

Payware plug-ins..

Super-top-success - worldwide smash: 10,000

Big hit with the online crowd: 1,000

Moderate success for something small or new: 500
Good-ish plugin, poor or non existent marketing: 50


Freeware plug-ins..

OK plug-in with little or no promotion: hundreds to thousands of downloads

Good plug-in with moderate to good promotion: tens of thousands of downloads, even hundreds of thousands in extreme cases.

[Spe3D]

How much for the not free one? what type of VSTI? what was it made with? how much money spent on marketing? does it use an unruly unlock? etc.

How long is a bit of string?

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

Point taken.

But, there has to be some answers to this question on an order of magnitude.

For example, a decent console game might sell 1 million copies. A decent best seller 250,000 books. A decent record 100,000 units. A decent shareware title (utility) 400,000. A decent webpage news source website 200,000 hits per week, and so on.

I am wondering what the relative size of the plug-in market is. If people here have released shareware and/or retail versions of software they would be able to provide reasonable estimates about the size of the market.

I think I read somewhere that someone said they had 3,500 downloads of a VST effect they created.

200 thousand hits a week, but how many page views?

400,000 downloads - but how many were complete and used?

etc.

Yes, 3500 downloads a month is typical.
Now, I can only speak for my own little business, but 350 sales a year would be great. Then again, I'm not NI

'Tick

'Tick there has the right idea - he is studying how his software moves - all he has to do now is try different marketing methods and see how these figures change. The secret is to keep trying and develop with your audiance, it takes time - but unless you know the target market first - there is no point in starting.

You should not generalise - without understanding what is real.

Real takes time. Don't forget the hype, don't base anything on hype - get facts - or create methods of finding them.

Best regards,

Spe3d

:O)

[quincy]

Hey,

I don't know if this will help, but its kind of related so i'll chuck in my 2 cents.

I'm a semi-pro web designer and programmer, and in my last job(lasting a year) i did a fair bit of research into web marketing and Search Engine Optimisation etc. What i will say is this - don't underestimate good marketing via a simple but well designed website, and take time to go for good search engine positioning, affiliate linking etc.

I know this stuff is perhaps a bit specific, but the point is that its clear that a little work on a website and getting decet web presence can go a long way. It only takes a few simple things to improve search engine ranking and therefore boost site hits etc.

From the marketing angle, its worth a little thought.

Cheers