The global market for mobile apps is accelerating towards a projected value of $407.31 billion by 2026. As today’s consumers continue to spend more time on their smartphones, app developers have never been in a better place to make a profit.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean you can simply create an attractive mobile app and expect to make your fortune.
Like any business owner, mobile app creators also need to know how to leverage the right marketing trends to boost brand awareness and connect with their audience.
The right marketing is how you transform any growing start-up into an iconic company – but some tactics are more expensive than others.
If you’re in the initial stages of developing and introducing your mobile app, there’s a good chance you don’t have infinite cash to tap into. You’re going to need to find marketing strategies that suit a limited budget.
Fortunately, the following tips will help boost downloads without breaking the bank.
1. Do Your Research
Knowledge is power in the business world. Unfortunately, many companies make the mistake of not doing enough homework before investing in new marketing opportunities.
There are many different advertising strategies out there, from blogging to affiliate marketing and video promotion. Doing your research will help you to determine which strategies you should try and which you should avoid.
For instance, some of the things you’ll need to know are:
Who Is Your Target audience?
Knowing your target market before you begin investing in advertising will help you speak their language. Decide which customers you’re going to try and reach with your mobile app and how you can improve your chances of connecting with them.
Researching your audience should help you figure out which channels to use for advertising, what your tone of voice should sound like, and more.
Who Are Your Competitors?
Researching your competitors will give you some inspiration into the kind of strategies you can use to connect with your audience.
However, it’s also a fantastic way to figure out how you can differentiate yourself. Use your competitor analysis to find underserved niches in your market or overlooked advertising opportunities.
What are the current trends?
What kind of app promotional campaigns are gaining the most attention right now? Which apps are going viral, and what sort of campaigns are generating the most attention? Could a similar strategy work for your brand?
2. Leverage Existing Customers
Unless your app is brand-new, you’ll probably have some existing users or customers in your community. These people aren’t just a crucial source of income; they’re also a valuable tool for your marketing campaigns.
You can encourage your existing customers to help you build your brand by connecting with them on social media and motivating them to share your posts.
Instagram and Facebook competitions with branded hashtags and @mentions can drive new attention to your social platforms and app store listings.
Other ways to make the most of your existing audience include:
- Promoting user-generated content: Share pictures, videos, and reviews from other people who have used your app online to give you more social proof.
- Using referral or loyalty programs: Allow customers to earn points or other rewards in the app when they encourage a new user to sign up.
- Incentivize sharing: Give customers freebies and fun experiences in your app whenever they share your posts online.
3. Optimize Your App Listing
Optimization is an essential part of building a successful business with your chosen mobile app.
You’ve probably already heard about things like search engine optimization for your app website.
These strategies often include using the right terms and phrases to connect with your customers when searching for mobile experiences on the web. You can also ensure your website runs quickly to reduce your bounce rate and design an excellent user experience.
However, great SEO online is only one part of the optimization process for app creators. If you’re not focusing on ASO too, you’re missing out on potential customers.
Optimizing your app listing on the Google and Apple stores is essential to ensuring you capture the attention of the right audience.
You can take various steps to improve your position in these stores, such as using specific keywords based on what you know about your target audience, choosing the right app name and writing the write description, and even picking categories carefully.
4. Leverage Remarketing Strategies
The biggest mistake most start-ups make is failing to capitalize on the huge number of leads who have already interacted with your brand but simply didn’t convert when they had the chance.
Potential customers might see your company in various locations, from your social media ads to your SEO and PPC campaigns.
Unfortunately, even if a customer clicks through to learn more about your app, there’s no guarantee they’ll convert there and then.
This is why it’s important to give customers a second chance at conversion. Using remarketing campaigns means you can place cookies on your customer’s browser and use targeted advertising to bring them back to your app listing.
If your customer has already seen your app, they might just need one extra push to make that purchase or decide they’re ready to download.
Find More Mobile App Users
Marketing your mobile app and ensuring the ongoing growth of your business can seem daunting at first. Fortunately, you can find a host of mobile app users with the tips above.
Remember, set up analytics tools and track the metrics of your marketing campaigns constantly. This will ensure you continue to spend your budget on the marketing strategies that really work.
Author bio: Jill Phillips is a freelance writer from Buffalo, NY. She is an aspiring entrepreneur and tech enthusiast, who loves to share her insight on various topics. When she is not writing, Jill enjoys taking photos and hiking with her dog. Connect with Jill via Twitter @jillphlps