You have put thousands of hours planning, preparing, developing, testing and launching a mobile app… Yet, the number of downloads, users and amount of revenue is lower than you expected. The world of mobile apps has become a fierce battle-ground as thousands of app compete with each other. We have outlined 4 tips that you could use to spur your mobile app growth.
Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing has grown big in the last years. Influencers are usually well-known people in your market and niche that could affect your buyer’s decisions. Usually, they have a big social following on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube etc. They are a good alternative to traditional advertising channels. Influencers could promote and recommend your app from the viewpoint of the normal user. This could be a better option rather than sending them an anonymous advertisement. According to emarketer.com 31% of people download apps following recommendations.
Discount Prices
Marketers know the advantages of discounting for years. Why not use it in your mobile app? If your app is paid ,offer a limited free offer. If you make money via in-app purchases offer a free one-off in-app purchase for a limited time. Leverage human psychology to create a powerful incentive in your prospective customer minds.
Leverage App reviews
Ratings are an important part of your App store optimization strategy. Not only do they help you rank better, but also have a psychological impact on potential users. According to a survey by Apptentive, 59 % of people usually or always check ratings before downloading a new app. Therefore, it is important that once you launch asks all your friends and contacts to write a positive review of the app.
If you have the budget to spare, you could turn to paid app review provider to supply you with reviews This strategy is widely employed in games app, but proceed with caution as it could be a costly and double-edged sword. Apple and Google are also trying to battle the incentivized app reviews in their stores. If your reviews have been posted by a bot (Cheapest option) or script you run the risk of your app to be banned. Good (10+ words) reviews by a real user could cost between $2-$4 depending on volume and platform.
The last thing you could do is simply prompt your early adopters to leave reviews. You could implement this easily in the app without making them go to the respective store. The main step is to ask for the review in a proper time. I would suggest asking for review whenever the user has accomplished a major work or achievement in the app.
Become featured on the App stores
Apple redesigned significantly the App store in 2017 in order to offer app developers better exposure, as well as a better app discovery experience for consumers. According to study from Sensor Tower, getting a featured spot on the new App Store can increase downloads by as much as 800 per cent, with the “App of the Day” or “Game of the Day” spots offering the most impact. Google Play also relies on both automation and their editorial team to highlight the best apps in several categories and award them with extra publicity.
Needless to say, being featured in either of the two stores is not an easy task. Firstly, you should have well designed, developed and optimized app following Apple and Google guidelines. You may need to start thinking even before the development process is started. For example, Apple gives preferences on new apps that are iOS exclusive. Google, on the other hand, releases a lot of software products and technologies such as Gpay, Google Cloud, Maps, Firebase etc . They introduced Android excellence program in 2017. Found under editor’s choice in the Google Play it aims to promote apps that “are noteworthy for adopting the latest Android features.” If you’d strive to incorporate as much of Google latest technologies in your app you increase your chances to be selected. The award is given every quarter so as a developer you’d be enjoying months of increased exposure.
Another way to become featured is to directly pitch your app to Apple and Google. If you look in LinkedIn, you could find App Store Manager profiles and send them email or message. Developers have overused this tactic and you have to be really creative and persistent in order to catch their attention.
Developers face a lot of challenges when promoting and making their aps stand out from the rest. If you use some of the tips above as part of your marketing plan, you could make the journey easier. In the meantime, if you’d like to help you develop an app, drop us a line.
