Mobile Marketing Strategies Every App Publisher Should Implement Now

Creating an appealing and useful app that people want to download is only half of the battle. The next step is to create engaging online content and then finding the platforms where the right people will see it. Below are some suggestions to make your app a success.

Affiliate Marketing and Influencer Outreach

One of the best ways to gain visibility and downloads is through referrals. Affiliate marketing, paying an individual or website to refer people to your app, can be a good way to reach new markets because they are a “trusted source.” In addition, they will be invested in your success because they are paid on commission, meaning they have a vested interest in tracking and managing conversions for you.

A good example is paying a YouTube vlogger to promote your app on their channel, especially if you give special bonuses to their subscribers for downloading your app. Another avenue is influencer outreach where people hear about your app from their social network instead of a paid advertisement. Generally, commercials on social media platforms provide name recognition but rarely provide downloads because consumers rarely trust ads to give an accurate depiction of a product. Instead, they rely on reviews and recommendations from trusted sources.

In order to find these social networks figure out what platforms your target demographic frequents and when their peak time is. Then try to promote your app in places they would see it. BuzzSumo and Klear are two places to find experts and influencers in the fields related to your app.

Social Media and Public Relations

Having a strong online presence is essential to marketing an app. The bigger your following, the more credibility your company has, and the more people will engage with your content. This will also help you get on the radar of major app developers’ websites. What is considered “in” is determined partially by marketing campaigns combined with what consumers are engaging with. Depending on your audience, hiring a SEO services company may be good for reaching older users, while social media is better for younger ones.

That being said focus on quality over quantity. Making interesting and engaging content will create hype about your app before the release and allow users to share information with their social network. Invest in a youtube channel about your app, people are more likely to stay engaged with visual content. Any videos should be simple, play to emotion, and inspire viewers with a call to action.

Once you have the content prepared, create company Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts where you can post photos and stories about your company culture. Make sure that you adjust your language and tone for different platforms based on the age demographics of the users Facebook (Snapchat 13-18, Instagram 18-29, and Facebook 30+). Also, engage with question and answer forums such as Reddit and Quora to ensure a positive perception of your company.

App Store Optimization

When setting up the page for your app start with the title. Include the name of your app and keywords in the tagline. In the description focus on the first three lines, this is what most people will read, do not flood the description with keywords, only use them where they make sense, and highlight what separates your app from the competition. Have a unique icon, this will be how people recognize your app online and when they download it onto their phone. The icon must be at least 1024x1024 pixels. Include screenshots and videos, these can be the same as your social media content, to give people a glimpse of the game.
Many SEO companies also do app store optimization, as the principles are quite similar to optimizing on-page web SEO, so hiring one to help you build your page isn’t a bad idea.

Press and Public Relations

Press releases do not directly influence downloads but they generate buzz about the app which facilitates app reviews. The more positive reviews there are about the app the higher ratings it will have, which will automatically boost visibility on app stores. The more familiar someone is with your app and your brand, if their social network uses the app, the likelier they are to download it.

Push Notifications

Push notifications are a tricky subject because they are a great way to share information with the consumer, but bombarding them before the tutorial starts is the fastest way to get your app deleted. Instead, start them after the tutorial and spread them out over multiple interactions. Tell them exactly what they can expect with these notifications and why they benefit the consumer. Once they agree, personalize the notifications and study user activity to find when people use the app and set your notifications to appear at peak user times.

Knowing how to reach people and engaging with them in a way that makes them remember you without bombarding them is a tricky balancing act. However, with hard work and a little creativity, your app will be successful.