Over the past two decades, man has made incredible progress in the field of technology and innovation. Gone are the days when we needed to rely on landline phones to communicate with each other. Nowadays, most of our tasks can be completed with help of our mobile phones that can easily fit in our pockets. The launch and evolution of mobile applications have played a huge role in this regard. Today we use mobile apps for multiple purposes like communicating, navigating, shopping, ordering food, booking tickets, etc. Mobile apps are now responsible for more than 50% of the world’s web traffic. Imagine you decided to develop a new app for a specific purpose, like online shopping. You made sure that the app is easier to navigate, runs smoothly without any issues, and manage to get it on the app store. How are you going to make sure that your app stands out among the many others already present in the app store? Statistics have shown that there are currently more than 4 million apps present on the Google Play Store. The spread of globalization has resulted in increased competition from all over the world, as products are no longer restricted to their native countries. In this scenario, it is important for app manufacturers to use mobile app marketing or other promotional strategies to increase app visibility. Marketing will bring more eyes to your app, which will increase mobile app downloads.
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Methods to increase mobile app downloads
The following are some mobile app marketing tactics and strategies that you can use to increase mobile app downloads.
1. An eye-catching app icon
A well-designed app icon is critical to the success of any application. Your app icon is the first thing anyone will see while scrolling through the app store. Therefore, it is necessary that your app icon is as enticing and eye-catching as possible. Not only that, but your app icon should also be a good representation of your brand and what you are offering to the consumer. Make sure that your icon isn’t similar to any other related apps on the app store, and try not to make the app icon too flashy (it should be easy on the eyes).
2. App Store Optimization
This is a big one. App store optimization basically involves all the activities you do for the optimization of your app. This in turn leads to your app being ranked higher on an app store which is a must to increase mobile app downloads. This basically works similarly to search engine optimization (SEO). There are multiple ways to increase your app optimization. You can optimize your keywords in app description by using the most relevant search terms through a keyword search tool. While submitting your app, you should always select the most relevant and less crowded category related to your app. Also, make sure to tailor your app for regions and areas where your target audience is located. In addition, stuff like the number of app downloads and positive reviews will also affect the ranking of your app in search results.
3. A clear app description
Although it may not play an important role in making your app more visible or discoverable, a well-written app description can lead to app store users downloading your app. The app description is basically a platform to sell your app. It is important that the app description is written in a clear, brief, and precise manner. Do not go overboard with minute details. Make sure to add everything that your app has to offer and highlight the important stuff that could be most beneficial to the user.
4. Create a website and blog
In addition to app store optimization, you can use mobile app marketing to advertise your app. Creating a website and blog is an effective way of advertising your app. The web is the first place where people go to look for solutions to their predicaments. People may use web engines to look for apps related to shopping, entertainment, and other stuff. If your app is visible on the search engine, it can play a huge role in bringing in more potential customers. Having a website or a blog to showcase various aspects of your app can lead to more interest, visibility, and ultimately an increase in app downloads.
5. Use social media
Social media marketing is a must in today’s age as it allows you to expand your business beyond your local area. Millions of people spend a huge portion of their time on social media sites daily, and every businessman or entrepreneur should take advantage of this fact. Thus, using social media platforms to advertise your apps is a no-brainer. Build your online presence using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. Use these platforms for advertisements and promotions. Engage with your audience through conversations and build a good relationship with your customers. The more visibility you have, the more chances of an increase in mobile app downloads.
6. Create a demo video
While your app description can serve as an excellent explanation of what your app has to offer, you can go the extra mile by creating a demo video to go with the description. It is possible that some people might not understand the full benefits of your app by just reading the description, or certain people don’t like reading descriptions at all. Creating a short 30 seconds demo video can do a good job at explaining the basics of your app. It is a good way to get your point across without confusing your audience.
7. Use popup ads
Popup ads are simple yet effective tools for marketing your app. Some apps have experienced an increase in download rate of 40% through use of popup ads. But there are few things to consider while using popups. First, the popup shouldn’t be badly designed or timed to avoid annoyance. Second, the advertising cost may differ depending upon the platform you are using for your ads. If done right, popups can be a good way to increase app visibility and downloads.
8. Localize in multiple languages
Localizing your app in just one language limits your audience reach. Another way to bring more eyes to your app is by localizing your app in multiple languages. This will allow you to increase your reach by increasing your audience size on a global scale. Most people prefer using apps in their native languages. Thus, translating your app to multiple languages will give you the download boost you are looking for.
9. Reviews and ratings
Once a potential customer finds your app, he might still need some convincing to download the app even after reading the description. This is where reviews and ratings are going to play their role. People will often have a look at the reviews before making their decision of whether to download the app or not. Positive reviews and ratings will increase the overall ranking of your app in the app store and bring in more potential customers. Thus, it is a good strategy to encourage user reviews through in-app messages or other methods.
10. Try the freemium method
Everyone knows that app development costs time and money. If you are submitting your app to the app store, chances are you are going to monetize your app to earn your share of profit. The downside to this strategy is that people will be hesitant to spend their money on new or unknown apps. In this scenario, one can take the freemium approach to app monetization. This means that your app is going to be free to download, but you can earn money through in-app purchases. Usually, only a small fraction of people spend money on in-app purchases, but it is an efficient way to increase the number of downloads and increase the app’s visibility.
11. Try different promotions
Another way to boost app downloads is by trying different promotion models from time to time. You may offer price drops, different tiers for freemium apps, and offer new promotions or deals. Analysis shows that price drop promotions usually result in more app downloads. Of course, the overall result is going to be different for different apps, but there is nothing wrong with experimenting.
12. Know your audience
Mobile app marketing is an excellent way for developers to understand their target audience and their demands. What kind of people use your app? What kinds of ads generate the most traffic and number of conversions? Which features of your app are your main selling point that people find appealing? Also, understanding your audience helps you in determining the ad platform and type. For example, if your target audience is gamers, then in-game ads should be your number one priority. You can also take advantage of early access strategies to make the necessary changes required by your target audience to increase your app’s appeal. The more engagement you have with your audience, the better.
13. Know your competition
It is a good strategy to study your competition as your app will be competing against a lot of other apps in the app market. You can check your competitor’s ads and see what they are offering to their audiences. What is their main selling point? What is their monetization model? What are their pros and cons? Going to the app product page of your competitor can also inform you of things that people have negatively reviewed. This can help you in planning a better marketing campaign that focuses on things that your target audience prefers while avoiding the cons of your competitors.
14. Email marketing
Email marketing is another effective way to boost app users. Email marketing can be used to gain subscribers even before your app has launched. This means by the time you have launched your app, you will already have an in built audience. You can use emails to notify users of new updates and changes. Make sure to optimize your emails for mobile phones as most people access their emails through phones these days.
15. Make use of app directory sites
This is another way of getting your app in the public eye. Posting your apps on the app directory sites can help you gain more potential customers. Getting your app reviewed by different sites or blogs will also convince users to download and try your app.
Conclusion
In short, boosting your app’s download numbers is a learning process. You will have to constantly learn, experiment, and tweak your marketing and optimization tactics to get the desired result. Once you finally get an idea of what works and what doesn’t, only then can you start safely experimenting with your overall strategy to further increase your customer base.
When your app is ready to scale: invest in User Acquisition (UA)
Using these above-mentioned promotion tactics will get your app its first audience to build on and learn about your audience. But if you need to scale up your audience from there, paid user acquisition (UA) is the way. This is a process where you acquire users by running ads on channels such as Google Search, Social Apps (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok), or other apps to grow your user base. At Admiral Media, we help companies reach their UA goals across these channels and achieve a positive ROAS (return on ad spend). Check out our services to learn more.
