No promotion – no downloads
The success of a mobile app is determined by its position in the app store. Even if you have developed the most superb mobile application, if mobile users can’t easily find it, all your efforts have been in vain. With the massive amount of apps launching practically on a daily basis, if you want your mobile app to have financial success, you’d better have a good promotional plan for your app.
And the question of the day is: how do you get your mobile app in the top position?
When to promote?
First and foremost, you should develop an app which mobile users will WANT or NEED to download. And once you have it, you need to promote it. However, be warned! Most marketing activities must happen before the launch, not after! So set aside enough time to plan, organize and execute a proper promotional campaign for your app. We’ll help you with these 7 tips for successful mobile app promotion.
1. Connect with influencers in the industry
The most effective marketing is one-on-one marketing. Before you even start making a promotional plan, create a personal relationship with influential individuals in the industry. Get in touch with writers at TechCrunch, Mashable and other tech writers and influential developers and designers in the community. Don’t shy away from reaching out to people at Apple, Google, Samsung and other. Make a list of people you want to contact and then just do it.
Where will you find them? Follow their blogs and comment. Connect with them on Twitter and LinkedIn. Go to conferences and meet them face to face.
Here’s a piece of advice: don’t contact them and immediately start ranting about this app you’re developing. Get to know them first, create a relationship, and then, when you’re buddies, mention your app.
2. Create a buzz
Create a page for your app. Optimize it for mobile. Put on it promo videos, descriptions, screenshots, FAQs, etc. Create a Twitter and FB account for the app. Run a private beta.
3. Build a fun base
Once you have created a buzz, start building a fan base. Get interactive. Reply to comments and questions. Create mailing lists. All these activities must be continuous and consistent.
4. Include the press
If you did the first step right, you will have a number of writers in your buddy list. Announce the app launch a week or two beforehand. Write down a good press release. If you don’t have much experience in writing, find someone who does and get them to write it for you. Include a video and go for a viral effect. And don’t forget to follow up on your initial contact with the press.
5. Get featured in the App Store
It sounds so easy, does it? Get featured. Well, if everybody new how to do it, there would not be enough space in the top of each category for all the wonderful and successful apps. Make your app interesting to App Stores, design-wise or by making it unique. Again, this is where your connections with relevant Apple and Google employees kick in. Use them. Pitch your app directly to them. They are always looking for new, interesting apps with promise of potential and are climbing the charts.
Use ASO (App Store Optimization) – identify and use strong keywords, write an interesting description with clear app benefits (keywords included), make appealing screenshots and add keywords in image title and description. Optimize the app description for search engines and use appropriate meta data when you submit your app to the store.
6. Fire up your app
ClickAttack offers a service especially designed to propel your app to the top of a desired category in the Apple App Store. It consists of a branding campaign that results in an increased number of downloads. Click on the text to get the Fire App brochure.
7. Advertise!
You didn’t think you’d get away without spending a bit of money on promotion? You could, but it will show in the final result. We recommend you don’t skip on this step. If you follow these steps, and your app is good enough, it will pay off. Contact a mobile advertising network and have them create a mobile campaign for your mobile app. That’s the easiest and most time-effective way to do it.
One final advice
One thing you must now about App Store ranking – they are based on the number of downloads in a window of time. That means you have to get the initial burst and then ride the wave. Constantly monitor your app rankings and, if necessary, do some more promoting to give it a boost back to the top.