The mobile app market is one of the fastest-growing industries in the World. It is getting bigger and bigger every year. The numbers speak for themselves. In 2019, Apple's App Store reached $54.2 billion of revenue, and this result is 16.3% better than in 2018. Google Play users spent $29.3 billion in 2019, which is 18.1% higher than in 2018.
No doubt, there is huge potential to earn a lot of money, but on the other hand, the competition and fight for the user's attention can kill even the best designed mobile application. Solid marketing strategy is crucial, while the mobile app market is overflowing. I guess you don't want to repeat the failure of the Everpix. This application was designed to help organize pictures stored online in the cloud. Although it had a great value proposition, app owners started to pay attention to marketing too late. As a result, they didn't utilize the full potential of Everpix, and monetization did not reach the proper level. In the meantime, Google and Apple launched similar products. Financial troubles forced the founders to close the startup in 2013.
Table of Contents:
1. So, what's the recipe for the financial success of the mobile application?
2. How can I promote my iOS/Android app: 16 essential tips?
3. So, how to promote your mobile application?
So what's the recipe for the financial success of the mobile application?
The reliable product that answers to the customer's needs and effective promotion is the key to success. Well, the truth is that nowadays, when the market is full of many different mobile applications, the proper marketing strategy is must have to attract the clients and convince them to install the application on their device.
First of all, you have to show that your application is useful, gives value or solves some particular problem. The application has to respond to the target group's needs and have a friendly design. That's why the research period preceding the process of implementation is so important. In Railwaymen, we call it a Discovery Phase.
Secondly, you have to recognize your target group and know how to communicate with them. Make sure that your users understand the purpose of the app and are aware of how to use it.
How can I promote my iOS/Android app: 16 essential tips
Let's focus on the most important and effective marketing solutions that will help you reach a broad audience and achieve financial success. Those tips are for those who want to promote their app on their own, without hiring an external marketing agency. You don't have to implement all of those tips into your business. I advise you to analyze which suits your product. It's time to start promoting your app now!
#1 Add your application to the App Stores (necessarily!)
There is no app promotion without listing it in the App Store. Why? It is one of the first places where people are looking for a mobile app to download. Furthermore, app stores like Apple's App Store and Google Play Store appear on the high positions in search results. That means when somebody searches for the keyword related to your mobile application, the result will appear on the first page in the Internet search engine.
I advise you to take care of the appearance of the application in the app store. Eye-catching app icon, encouraging screenshots, and friendly description matter to potential users. Your job is to stand out from the competition.
You don't have to hire a professional designer to get stunning mobile app screenshots. Check this online tool LaunchMatic (Psst! It's developed by Railwaymen)
How to add your iOS mobile application to Apple App Store?
Step 1:
Enroll in the App;e Developer Program
Step 2:
Create Code Signing Certificates in Apple Developer Program
Step 3: Coming soon! ;)
#2 Don't skip the App Store Optimization
What is ASO, and why should you care about it? Well, adding your mobile application to App Stores is not everything. You want to see your app in a high position in an App Store's search results. The higher rank in the App Store, the better. To do that, you need to implement the optimization.
"If you're not using App Store Optimization to increase your app's search ranking, you're missing out on the largest discovery channel available to your app." Neil Patel
This process requires some knowledge about your target group and the keywords they use. It might sound complicated, but it's worth to spend time and optimize your app. ASO will bring more traffic and potential clients to your product.
More info & few improving tips: App Store Optimization – A Crucial Piece of the Mobile App Marketing Puzzle
#3 Build an effective Landing Page
The purpose of the Landing Page is to convince the viewer to make an action. In your case, you have to encourage users to download your app. Properly built Landing Page has only one aim, calls for action, and doesn't present needless distractions. It's necessary to expose the value of the mobile app. You can do it through the promo video or animation that shows the features and advantages of your product. Want to see an excellent example of an application Landing Page? Take a look at Monday.com
To build Landing Page, you can use any free CMS like WordPress, advanced marketing software like HubSpot, or a dedicated tool like Landingi.com
Worth to see:
Mobile App Landing Page Examples
13 Great Landing Page Examples You'll Want to Copy in 2020
#4 Believe in Content Marketing
Let's be clear we want to promote your mobile app and get as much traffic to the website as possible. Content Marketing can help you do that. It mainly focuses on education, increases brand awareness, shows product interestingly, and memorably. The aim is to build a positive brand image. You can even show your company as an expert in your industry. How to do that? Through social media posts, video, podcasts, animations, infographics, blog articles, ebooks, presentations - sky is the limit! The main advantage of Content Marketing is that it is much more convincing and reliable than a paid advertisement. The truth is that nowadays, people become resistant to typical ads. Content Marketing allows attracting clients in a more friendly and unobtrusive way.
Why is it worth paying attention to Content Marketing? Watch our TechTalk video:
#5 Expose your mobile app through video or animation
I mentioned it in point 3, but I strongly think it is worth saying more about the power of video. A good video tells more than 1000 words. This type of content became extremely popular in the last few years. It is much easier to assimilate the video or animation than text. The recipient does not have to focus as strongly as while reading the article. Video is still one of the hottest trends in marketing. Take a look at Zoom and how they explained the purpose of the application in the 45 seconds promo video.
To create a promo video, you can use an online creator like Moovly or Biteable. Both have a simple and intuitive interface.
#6 Offer a free trial of the application
Promotion based on offering the free version of the application can be extremely effective. It will encourage users to test your mobile app. What is the value for you? It is very likely that if your application meets expectations, the user will purchase the premium offer. Also, you'll get a marketing lead that is familiar with your product. Believe me, it is much easier to propose a paid offer to someone who already showed some interest in a product.
Good example? Hootsuite provides a free plan with basic features and a pricelist suited to different needs.
#7 Use the potential of Personal Branding
Nowadays, business is based on building relationships. People trust other people more than companies. Connection with a real human creates customer loyalty much quicker. Personal Branding and Leadership has an impact on people's thinking. It's all about building the reputation of an expert in the niche. That's why Tesla has Elon Musk, Facebook is identified with Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs always introduced new Apple devices by himself. So, what do you think about making a video or article with an interview to explain why you decided to launch your mobile app? I know that for more introverted people, it could be challenging. It requires putting yourself out in public.
Not sure about becoming the face of your brand? You can follow the Revolut strategy and hire a Community Manager that will represent your company.
#8 Use the power of Influencers
Building a high organic range and publicity is time-consuming. We live in the era of social media, that means Influencers can present your product to their audience. It is one of the quickest ways to promote your app. But you have to be careful. The point is to reach the right target group. Unfortunately, some Influencers distort statistics.
TikTok became so popular because artists and celebrities started to use it, which attracted plenty of users.
#9 Get backlinks (as much as possible)
This tip is similar to the previous one. We still focus on reaching new users, but the aim is to provide backlinks to the app website or Landing Page. It has an impact on SEO by increasing rankings on various search engines. Remember that only high-value links matter. How to get backlinks? Well, there are several ways to do that. Provide content that will be worth sharing, writing guest posts, collaborating with other companies, and conducting interviews or podcasts are a few of them. This process is rather long and requires patience and negotiation skills. As you can see, the backlinks strategy is strongly related to Content Marketing.
For your business, it will be valuable to provide links from online services that review mobile apps. Your target audience is there.
Here are some examples:
#10 Get prestige through Awards
Your customers want to reach for the best product possible. The winning of the app award will have an extraordinary impact on the positive app image and will bring publicity. Of course, the chance of winning depends on an app idea, but even nomination can promote your app and increase the number of downloads. Some contests offer money prizes or lifetime apps listed. In my humble opinion, it is really worth taking part in competitions.
The most popular App Awards that is worth to pay attention to:
International Mobile Gaming Awards
#11 Take care of favorable opinions
Flattering opinions are an important part of app marketing. Both Google Play and Apple App Store allow publishing the grade of your mobile app. Important information is that users really pay attention to app review and score. A low rate is the best way to discourage potential clients from downloading your app. I advise paying attention to the user's feedback. It will also give you a view of whether your mobile app needs improvement, what the expectations and needs of customers are, and how to develop your product. To sum up, your job is to deliver a stunning product and collect a positive app review.
#12 Let users to recommend your app
According to the Word of Mouth Report, 83% of Americans say that recommendations from friends and family make them more likely to purchase a product or service. That means references have a strong impact on the decision-making process. The trick is to push your community to recommend your app to friends. Of course, they have to be satisfied with your app. Usually, this mechanism is based on some extra value for the recommendation, for example, discount.
Online language platform Preply sends an e-mail to every new user with a referral link that gives a 30% discount for friends that will take a lesson with the tutor.
#13 Build an engaged brand community
There are a few ways to build a community around your brand. You can use social media profiles or groups, create forums, start ambassador/loyalty programs, or organize contests and events. The brand community will give you an independent source of traffic. On the other hand, belonging to a society stimulates the customer's loyalty. As I mentioned before, it's essential to understand the behaviors and needs of the potential customers and brand society will definitely help you do that. Of course, gathering a large number of people around your project took time, but it's worth to make this investment.
Need an example? Revolut is strongly focused on building a strong community around the product. You can now see a dedicated forum for Revolut Community, where members can describe ideas, feedback, bugs, and other stuff.
Read more: The 8 Best Brand Communities
#14 Join the communities
The rule is simple. You have to be where your potential users already are. It's time to localize that place. Which social media are the most popular among your target audience? Maybe they are active on some thematic forums? Well, you also should be active there. How? By providing some interesting content or advice on how your mobile app may resolve the problem. We call this method Buzz Marketing, and it's a great way to attract clients, but you have to be careful. Remember that it's easy to become unmasked as a spammer. You need to promote your app sensitively in that case.
Not sure where to look for your target group? You can detect it through Brand Monitoring tools like SEMrush or Brand24.
#15 Invest in paid advertisement wisely
Paid advertising can be tricky, and you have to be careful. The main problem with ads is that nowadays, users become resistant, especially when it comes to banners; they simply do not pay attention to it. Paying for ad displays may burn your budget. I advise you to get to know the paid advertisement subject strongly before you'll start to invest money into it. I am pretty sure that you heard about Google Ads, but you can also use Facebook Ads, Promoted Tweets, and many more options. Actually, social media gives tons of ways to promote your app. In my opinion, the most effective is remarketing.
For your business, the most profitable solution will be app promotion through App Store Search Ads. Both Google Play Store and Apple App Store allow promoting in searching results. Well, this is an efficient and easy way to promote your app and increase the number of app downloads. Now, I have a small task for you. Open App Store on your mobile device and search for general keywords like music player, books, photo editor, etc. As you can see, top results are usually paid ads, for example:
Useful links:
Everything You Need to Know About Google Play Search Ads
Apple Search Ads: Best practices for mobile app marketers
#16 Keep your eyes on competitors
It's really worth to observe the app marketing of your competitors. Monitoring can help you identify new marketing channels & opportunities, bring fresh ideas, and optimize your current promotion strategy. Actually, you can learn a lot from your competitors, especially when your marketing team is just starting to act. What should you do? Follow your main competitors in social media, subscribe to their newsletters, observe their content, and price strategy. Just be up-to-date with the innovations they bring into their company. You don't want to stay behind and become unattractive to clients.
So, how to promote your mobile application?
Well, I can give you a few advice. First of all, I recommend you to get to know your target group as well as possible. After that, you have to adjust the communication and use proper channels to interact. Expose the aims and profits that your app delivers through creative Content Marketing. Don't forget that solid product and reliable app development is the key to success. Be open to feedback and user's opinions. Last but not least, follow current mobile app marketing trends and use them.
Final thoughts
Statistics show that about 42% of mobile apps fail because it doesn't respond to market needs. The second common reason is a weak product core (17%). I know it might sound tedious for you, but I need to repeat - the mobile application has to be useful and reliable. It's fundamental, and it can't be missed. Your application needs to be bug-free. Otherwise, users who downloaded your app will quit. App development company should support you and enable improving your product in any direction needed.
Of course, the global market situation impacts on app popularity and the number of downloads. For example, in Q1 of 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, video communication app Zoom reached over 3,2 million downloads within 1 week. During that time, the highest popularity was also recorded by TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Netflix. Loneliness forced people to use more communication and social media apps. As you can see, even the hardest market situations set app trends.
Remember that app promotion is a long-term task, and you need a strong marketing strategy for your mobile apps. The point is not only to gain new users and convince them to download your app but also to transform them into loyal customers. There are many ways to promote a mobile app. You have to choose which method will be the most effective for the target audience.
Thinking about building your won marketing solution? Recently we developed 2 successful marketing applications. Check how we can help you.
