Amazon’s push to attract more developers to its Appstore and Kindle Fire tablet range has been boosted with the global launch of a new app promotion programme.

Amazon Appstore Developer Select is aimed at increasing developer revenue by improving visibility of apps and increasing incentives for consumers to part with their cash.

Qualifying native and HTML5 web apps will be provided with 500,000 free mobile ad impressions across the Amazon Mobile Ad Network; enhanced merchandising in a dedicated section of the Amazon Appstore; and be considered for advertising on Kindle Fire devices.

Consumers that pay for Select apps or make in-app purchases will receive 30 per cent of the purchase price back in the Amazon Coins virtual currency, while first-time purchasers will receive 250 bonus coins.

In addition, developers in the programme will be able to access Amazon Web Services for a 25 per cent discount — up to the value of $500 per year — allowing them to scale their operations more cost-effectively, the company said.

To qualify for the programme, apps must be compatible with designated Amazon devices and render at the highest resolution supported by those devices. In addition they must use official Amazon APIs if they support in-app purchasing or ads, and games integrating at least one element from the Gamecircle social platform.

Other recent efforts to attract developers include a testing service for Android developers wanting to bring their app to the e-commerce giant’s Appstore and Kindle Fire tablet range, and the introduction of the GameCircle social platform and Whispersync backup technology for iOS.