Photo-illustration — ALEX MESSMER

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

The updated apps are finally here!

If you haven’t already downloaded our app, here’s the one for Apple-based mobile products and the one for Android. They’re one free click away, and it takes a few seconds.

If you have already downloaded them, just visit your mobile product’s update center and you’ll see DK Sports 1.1 waiting for you. In Apple, that’s the App Store. In Android, it’s Google Play.

Chief among the improvements, not including fixing glitches and the like:

• All-new commenting platform that matches what you see on the main site
• Reverse order of comments by going into Settings
• Your music no longer stops when our app opens
• Bigger, bolder headlines (by far my favorite part)
  
• Takes only one click to open a video

Really hope you like this. Apps are a huge investment for us, but they’re aimed at offering you the best possible experience on our site and, ideally, keeping you around. Please feel free to use the comments below to share your thoughts, criticisms, tests, whatever. Thanks!

Photo-illustration — ALEX MESSMER

BY DEJAN KOVACEVIC

When the cleverly named DK on Pittsburgh Sports Shop opened online, most merchandise was pretty expensive. Clothes and stuff. Well, we’ve finally gotten some cheaper stuff and — not exactly being a fashion icon myself — I’m more interested in this product line, anyway.

It’s mugs for $9, mousepads for $5 and 8GB flash drives for $10. Here’s the direct link.

I’ve mentioned this before, but this doesn’t generate much revenue. The manufacturers keep 80 percent. So the only reason we’re doing it is, hopefully, to help brand visibility. We’ve been delighted with the response in that regard, really.

Photo-illustration — ALEX MESSMER

DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS

Look at it this way: No one will know if you were late with gift shopping or shipping.

As of midnight Tuesday, we’ve sold 265 of our new, personalized gift subscriptions — which now have automated fill-in forms, as well as custom cards created by our resident Austrian madman Alex Messmer — in the month since we began. And I can tell you that includes a huge percentage coming in the past couple days alone.

If you’re interested, just click the big box below:

My wife Dali and daughter Dara are processing all the gift subscriptions, ensuring that they’re emailed only when you want. This way, no surprise is spoiled. Just be sure, please, to specify that date on the automated form.

Thank you again for the incredible support on this, and merry Christmas to one and all!

Photo-illustration — ALEX MESSMER

DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS

Early this afternoon — during Tuesday 12 Qs, actually — we crossed 7,000 paid subscriptions. Today is our exact five-month anniversary, and our full-year goal from the outset has been 10,000, so we’re well on our way.

Thanks to all of you, from those who signed up on the very first day to those who just joined today to everyone who has added to the roll by buying a gift subscription. The latter has been huge for us.

Merry Christmas!

Photo-illustration — ALEX MESSMER

DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS

These business people keep telling me to stick with what works, so here’s the stupid Santa photoshop again, courtesy of Austrian madman Alex Messmer.

Hey, we’ve sold 152 of our new, personalized gift subscriptions — which now have automated fill-in forms, as well as custom cards created by the madman himself — in the three weeks since we began, and I’m all too happy to chalk that up to the stupid photoshop.

If you’re interested, just click the big box below:

I’ll be working on several advance things today, then head over to Consol tonight for Penguins-Avalanche and, hopefully, some fodder to finish off the Friday Insider.

Photo-illustration — ALEX MESSMER

DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS

Oh, no.

All too often, Alex Messmer, our resident graphics guru and Austria bureau chief, surprises me with something completely ridiculous when I ask for a promotional visual. But this topped them all.

The objective here was to remind readers about the gift subscriptions we’re selling for the Christmas season, which now have automated fill-in forms, as well as customized gift messages created by the madman himself. In the two weeks the package has been active, the response has been very uplifting, with 72 subscriptions bought.

If you’re interested, just click the big box below:

And don’t forget all the silly stuff available at the DK on Pittsburgh Sports Shop.

We’ll have our Tuesday 12 Qs chat at 2 p.m., though the floor is open to submissions at noon.

Photo-illustration — ALEX MESSMER

DEJAN KOVACEVIC, DK ON PITTSBURGH SPORTS

A weekly look at one aspect of the business we shamelessly wish to push …

The calendar has turned to December, which is why we rushed to make sure we had automated gift subscription forms, as well as customized gift messages created by our graphics ace Alex Messmer. In the week or so that page has been active, the response has been very uplifting.

Gift subscriptions are important for us, and not just for added revenue. The foundation for long-term success here isn’t short-term dollars but, rather, getting people reading. That’s why we chose the metered paywall — very limited free views — rather than the hard wall. We want new people reading. Sunday’s Steelers column was the second-most visited piece since the site launched, and that resulted in two robust days of subscriptions but also new readers. They might not sign up right away, but at least they know where we are and might visit again.

MORE