Here are 12 tips you can use to increase downloads and increase engagement with your mobile app.
1. Choose a well-designed app icon
Consumers are motivated by visual cues. That means your app icon should have more than one following idea. Your app icon is the first thing potential customers see in the app store. So make sure you invest in creating a visually appealing icon.
The icon you choose should be recognizable andcatching. It needs to clearly represent both the brand and the functionality of the app. In other words, your logo should bring users a strong idea of what they will get when they download and open your app.
2. Prioritize app store optimization
Most marketers know about search engine optimization (SEO), but app creators who want more downloads need to keep up with the app store optimization (ASO) speed.
Both are similar, but ASO is specially tuned to increase your application's visibility in the market.
Relevance of keywords: One of the most important things you can do is optimize the keywords you use in your title and app description. Use Google's AdWords keyword tool or keyword tracking tool like Sensor Tower or App Radar to identify the most relevant search terms.
Category: When you submit your app to the app store, choose your category wisely and strategically. Make sure you choose a category that is relevant to your app but not oversized.
App Downloads: The number of people who download your app will affect your overall ranking.
Positive Reviews: As you get more positive feedback about your app, it will be rated higher, which will naturally improve the number of downloads. Reminding reviews in the app at key times can help drive those reviews.
Location: Consider where your target audience is and adjust your app description for those areas.That could mean translating your app store description into a different language or selecting images that are relevant and relevant to that area.
App usage: Your app rating is affected by the number of people using your app, as well as the percentage of people who download the app and then uninstall the app.So make sure you're interacting with your app users on a regular basis.
Social Proof: The popularity of your app on social media can affect its rating. Create a new social media account for your app or incorporate it into your company posts.
3. Launch a website and blog
Effective mobile app marketing requires more than just creating a good app – you also need to make sure it's easy to find. You can expand the app's reach and better target potential customers by linking it to a website and blog.
Websites are often the first place people go to look for solutions to their problems. Whether they're looking for help with shopping, scheduling, productivity, or entertainment, you're missing a large portion of your audience if you don't have visibility on search engines.
You can set up a SEO standard website that expands the information you provide in your app store list. Consider bringing blogs to your website so you can showcase different uses for your app and help you grab the attention of users who are looking for topics related to your service.
4. Create a demo video
Not everyone understands all the benefits of your app just by reading a simple description or looking at a few screenshots. Another way you can showcase your app and increase downloads is by creating an intro video.
Create a simple, 30-second video that illustrates what, how, and why your app is all about. Emphasize the usability and most popular features of your product. Once you've produced your video, share it on your website and social media channels and don't forget to add it to your app store list.
5. Measure with attribution and analytics tools
You can make the most of your marketing efforts by measuring and allocating downloads so you can learn and invest in the most effective channels and make the necessary adjustments to channels that don't work.
The mobile app allocation tool helps you tie your app settings to a type of advertising, target audience, or platform so you can optimize your marketing efforts.
6. Use mobile communication channels
Another technique that you can use is to connect with your current users directly on your mobile device. Whether it's in-app messaging or push notifications, mobile-specific channels allow you to reach your users at the right time with a targeted message.
Consider directing them to a new feature you've released, or prompting them with tips in a part of your app that can be difficult to navigate. You can also ask existing users to help you market your app using in-app messaging and push notifications to encourage them to share on social media, refer friends or leave feedback in the app store. These are great ways to continue to engage users and advertise your app, bring it the necessary viral power.
7. Take advantage of in-app tracking
The data you collect from existing users can help you improve your products and marketing tactics to increase downloads and engagement with your app.
With in-app tracking, you can better understand user behavior and preferences. Are they uninstalling your apps at a certain time? How often does the average user log in and for how long? Do some features seem to get more use than others? Are there any common usability issues that you need to solve?
You can use a variety of in-app tracking tools, and most start with installing a suite of software development tools (SDK) that allows you to connect to your application data. Many sites have features like custom tagging and behavior tracking to give you the information you need to improve the user experience and increase downloads.
8. Create a deep link to your app
Another way you can significantly increase your app downloads is by creating deep links into your app to allow easy access to the mobile experience for users. Companies like Branch and Kochava offer this service, which allows the experience to move from the web to apps more seamlessly. This makes your mobile app more visible and accessible to users no matter what platform they find you on. They can also help you keep track of the analytics behind it, allowing you to understand where and how users are encountering your app.
9. Advertising on social media
There are over 3.5 billion social media users worldwide, so it's important to promote your app on one or more of these platforms. Statistics show that more than 70% of online businesses use social networks to market their mobile apps. But where do you start? Your first step should be to identify your audience. For example, Facebook and Instagram are great for attracting individual consumers who have shown interest in similar products or services to yours.
You can then create hashtagged social media campaigns to generate pre-launch buzz, raise brand awareness, or promote new and improved features.
- Use a combination of sponsored stories and promotional posts that are targeted to mobile news feeds through Facebook.
- Explore influencer marketing, especially on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat.
- Hold contests to get people to try your app.
- Encourage user-generated content to illustrate the value of your app.
10. Consider retargeting ads
One of the many benefits of having a website dedicated to your app is that you can use re-targeting to run ads directed at people who have paid you a visit but haven't committed to downloading.
People who see retargeting ads are up to 70% more likely to convert, and these types of ads have around 10times higher click-through rates than display ads.
11. Encourage reviews and testimonials
After potential users find your app, they may need some persuasion that your service is reliable and valuable enough to download. This is where reviews can be helpful.
More positive user feedback will enhance your app's visibility and improve your app's rankings. Consumers trust word-of-mouth recommendations, such as user reviews, more than other types of advertising. Encourage user reviews through an in-app message or follow-up email when the user has a successful moment in your app like completing a task or making a purchase.
12. Don't forget about email marketing
While there are many ways to promote digital products or services, email marketing is still the most effective form of digital marketing. Once you've created a website and blog dedicated to your app, you can create an embedded subscription form or use a landing page to collect emails from interested leads.
You can share content from your blog or related articles to go on engaging those leads until they convert, and then introduce them properly with a series of welcome emails. When you approach email marketing strategically, you can expect a promising conversion rate.
Use a combination of these mobile app marketing tips to bring your brand to the forefront and increase your downloads.
