Mobile app marketing is not something that can be done easily. There may be a million different methods, but finding the right marketing mix in 2019 is not easy.
With the stress of getting apps ready for release deadlines, fixing bugs, fixing glitches, and staying on top of analytics, marketing can fall backwards on a to-do list.
But if you’re not moving forward, you’re going to have to move backwards – it’s so important that the marketing event goes ahead!
In a world with more than 1.8 million apps on the Apple App Store, it’s easy to see that there’s never been a more competitive time to launch apps – regardless of genre. It can be difficult, but not impossible and by sticking to proven mobile app marketing strategies to generate attention around your app – you might just be sitting on the next TikTok, Instagram, Angry Birds, or Uber!
Whether the method you choose is off-the-wall guerilla marketing, billboards, paid ads, TV commercials, or even app placement in rap songs, directing attention exactly where you want it is not an exact science. But focus on the right areas and you’ll be making downloads every day.
Don’t know where to start? Here are ten of the most amazing mobile app marketing strategies to try in 2019!
1. Optimize in app store
One of the most obvious strategies that many companies neglect when marketing their mobile apps is optimization in app stores.
With more than 50% of everyone downloading an app after scouring app stores alone – it makes sense to spend some time dressing your app with all the right materials to create an eye-catching package. That means working on a killer app icon, using helpful and simple screenshots to highlight how it works and using short, sweet titles and descriptions to coax downloads.
This is truly an art unto itself!
2. Offer incentives for reviews
When it comes to building a trustworthy relationship with potential customers, there isn’t much you can do on the app store itself. You can create professional-looking brands and compelling descriptions, of course, but real trust comes from the reviews left by users.
To try and maximize the amount of reviews that come from downloads, offering some form of incentive, such as additional features, is a great way to build reviews. As a word of warning, when requesting reviews, make sure the pop-ups aren’t too frequent or annoying or you’ll see a lot of the bad with the good.
3. Build a mobile-first website
You don’t just have to market your app on the store itself, why not develop and build mobile-first websites for apps too?
Creating websites and landing pages that tell your audience about the app, its benefits and how to download is a great way to increase organic traffic. It provides an anchor for other sites to refer back to and link to and a place to refer from social media accounts.
4. Don’t forget SEO
To get the most out of your new site, it’s a great idea to blog and create articles to generate lots of organic traffic through keyword targeting.
Use the Keyword Planner to find out how many people are searching for what tools are most powerful when creating a blog. Use long and short tail keywords to maximize success. WebsiteMagazine has a great introductory article on the best way to prepare for SEO Here.
5. Take advantage of social media
If you haven’t created social media accounts on all platforms relevant to your app – now is the time!
Social media is by far the best way to communicate directly and indirectly with your audience, so leveraging it to share all things about your app is a must! Is your audience lurking on LinkedInfill up on Pinterest or lean on Instagram – joining and sharing is the way to go.
This is also important to note visual content 40 times more likely to share via social networks, so it’s time to get out your camera and start snapping!
6. Target the experience, not the app
Direct marketing from any mobile app can often feel like a forced sales pitch and doesn’t always pan out with a broad audience. Instead, targeting the experience through the app when promoting can have a much more positive effect.
Highlight why and how life is made better with the app, create a lifestyle that is acceptable to your intended audience and downloads are sure to start flying out.
7. Use influencers to promote
Staying on the same page with lifestyle promotions, using influencers on social platforms with more followers than your brand can have a huge positive impact on your app and the downloads you generate.
Choosing a social star with a similar audience will allow your app to reach more people than if you only used organic traffic. According to the mobile app marketing guide, from Digital Authority Partnerit’s best to make a list 1-2 months before the launch, ready to be contacted the week of the launch.
It may cost a bit more, but money well spent.
8. Create a short promo video
They say a picture is worth 1000 words, so how much does a video scream?
Using video to promote your app is a great way to generate and keep your audience’s attention – it’s one of the many reasons why video is so widespread. used in the health sector in 2019. Again, focus on the experience over the app and share it on your website and social media accounts.
9. Partner with a mobile marketing expert
It may be out of budget for some of the smaller app launches out there, but if you can find the cash to fund it then partnering with a mobile marketing expert can be worth its weight in gold.
App marketing on a highly competitive scale is another ball game entirely for digital marketing and although an in-house team can probably do an adequate job – to play in the big leagues it might be better to call in the professionals.
Shop around and see what packages are available, it will probably be the best decision you will ever make!
10. Know that work is never done
The biggest takeaway for mobile app marketing is knowing that the work is never done.
For a highly successful app, regular updates, further marketing pushes and constant feedback are needed to stay on top. Once you get comfortable knowing that marketing will be a constant, it becomes an ever-increasing cycle of market planning, execution, feedback, and analytics.
But there’s something beautiful about the process and the improvements that come with it, don’t you think?
