The mobile app marketplace has reached its peak and consequently, the competition is high. Every new innovator is bound to find app marketing a challenge. Among so many apps, explaining how your app is useful and unique won’t be an easy task.
So, the question arises – How to boost mobile app installations and maximize your chances of success?
The best way is to approach advertising from different angles and spread your marketing efforts across different channels. Here are some actionable ways that can show you how to promote your mobile app effectively.
Focus on App Store Optimization
Surprisingly, not many apps are optimized for the app store. The way that people come across their apps is by searching for specific terms.
You can have an upper hand if you focus on app store optimization. By refining your app store presence, your app can be permanently visible in the results.
What you need to do in order to improve your app store optimization is to have:
- a memorable app icon
- a concise, descriptive, compelling, and branded app description
- visual elements (app images)
- an optimized app name
An optimized app name should be under 11 characters, unique, memorable, and descriptive of your app’s purpose. Also, atypical spelling should be avoided because it affects the app store stats and analytics negatively and hurts the search process.
Offer a Referral Bonus
This tactic has proved to work very well for app owners and developers.
Dropbox is a perfect example of how what it can do. Their referral program resulted in a 3900% growth rate. They started with 100,000 registered users in 2008, and after 15 months, the number grew to 4,000,000 registered users thanks to the referral program.
Offer the app’s existing users a bonus if they recommend your app to their friends and get them to install the app. At first, their friends might do it just to help them out, but once you’ve got them to use the app, you should rely on it to retain their attention.
The bonus can be in the form of bonus points, an extra 10 free days, exclusive content or whatever you find applicable and useful for the app users.
Start Blogging/ Collaborate with Bloggers
Blogs have become one of the preferable means for a recommendation. When you are browsing for a new product or an app, you’ll probably check out a blog or two to see a detailed impression of someone who explored that product fully.
If you have a set website and a blog, you can use it to write posts about various subjects. What you should do is to choose topics that are somehow related to your app and then mention your app in a relevant manner.
“Blogging is a very specific marketing channel. It helps you with creating a bond with potential users because the posts are more elaborate and informative. You can even create a specific post that talks more about the app and helps the users understand its benefits,” shares Hannah Ciligot, a marketing expert at BestEssayEducation.
Those who don’t have a website or a blog, don’t need to worry. Another option is to collaborate with bloggers.
Look into bloggers who are relevant for your target audience and then ask them if they are willing to cooperate. One simple post can lead their followers to install your app and give it a try.
Boost Ratings and Reviews
Reviews and ratings have a large impact on potential users. Users mostly rely on reviews and ratings when deciding whether they will install the app or not.
Not only do positive reviews influence people to download the app but they also have a psychological effect that affects people to leave a positive review for an app that has mostly positive comments.
You can use an in-app prompt periodically to encourage users to leave a review. However, make sure that you give users some time to explore the app before you ask them to share their opinion.
Another crucial aspect is addressing negative reviews. While you can’t forbid people to leave negative reviews and you can’t delete their negative comments, you can address them promptly. If other users see your response which explains the problem, they’ll perceive the situation more objectively.
Use Social Media Advertising
People are mesmerized with social media and many of them focus their searches on these platforms.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube can play a major role in your app marketing campaign.
The important thing is that you adapt the promotion to each social media platform. For example, when creating content for Instagram, focus on attractive images, Instagram Stories, or quick videos. On the other hand, for YouTube, you should create a high-quality video that will engage the viewers and present your app in the best light.
It is crucial how you describe your apps in the posts so if your writing skills aren’t the best, use writing services. Find top-notch writers and post only well-written and high-quality content.
Besides creating different posts, you can use paid advertising as well. The burst campaign has a very good result. The process presents aggressive social media buying which is performed in a short period (24-48 hours). The goal is to expose the app to a large audience and attract the attention of as many people as possible.
Start Influencer Collaboration
Influencers help their followers discover new products, services, and apps. They hold a lot of power over the people who listen to their advice like it’s a religion.
You should take advantage of this Millennial marketing force.
Do the research and find influencers whose followers match your target audience. Reach out to a few influencers that you find to be beneficial to your advertising. Discuss what type of collaboration works for both of you.
Depending on their willingness and your resources, you can go for a one-post promotion, several-posts promotions, or an ongoing partnership.
Some Final Thoughts
App advertising is not a one-time event. It is an ongoing process that consists of ups and downs. Throughout your marketing campaign, keep track of your install and uninstall rate. Also, track how people respond to different advertising moves by looking into their comments, likes, and shares.
The only way in which you’ll achieve your goal and make your app success is if you consistently work on your app promotion. While periodical discouragement can happen, you just need to keep your head in the game and keep applying and adjusting these marketing strategies until you are happy with the results.
