So you’ve built the world’s greatest mobile app, but there’s a problem:
It only has three downloads. (Two from your team to test the link, and one from your mom, who claims it gave her a virus.)
What do you do now? Market it, of course!
Using the key strategies below, you can ensure that your app has a shot at success so all your hard work doesn’t go to waste:
1. Get Optimized
The first, potentially most important part of your marketing campaign, is app store optimization. To begin with, including one of your target keywords in the title of your app is a great way to make the app store’s search function work for you. If your app is an iPhone flashlight, for example, “Luminaire” may be catchy, but “Screen Flashlight” might wind up more successful for SEO reasons.
Other forms of optimization are less obvious, and relate mainly to how your app is presented in the app store. For instance, you app’s icon should be polished and captivating, so that people form a great first impression of it. Compare these pill tracking app logos:
Do you have a preference yet? If so, you can see the power of a quality logo.
It’s also critical to have an app description that follows the basic tenets of selling – communicate the benefits clearly, don’t go overboard describing features in a complicated way, etc. Sell your app quickly and be direct, and you’ll lose fewer leads. Once you’ve got your app store optimization in place, it’s time to …
2. Get Feedback
Testimonials, feedback, and reviews are critical. Time and time again, a bit of social proof has been shown to increase sales, so testimonials are a must. But customer feedback is equally important because it will enable you to improve your app and increase your chances that a user has a great experience with it. That is, quality control and marketing go hand in hand.
In addition, courting the press and bloggers is an excellent way to get the word out. With a simple press release and a few free download codes, you can gain exposure and create a bit of buzz. It’s also a great opportunity to get a bit of thoughtful, objective analysis of your app that will help you make better future versions.
If you’re having trouble getting users to respond, consider an in-app feedback program like Apptentive to help kickstart things.
3. Get Social
Everyone knows about the power of social media by now. We won’t belabor the point, but we did want to remind developers to be social “inside and out.” That is, adding a social layer to your app’s functionality (inside) can increase usage and sharing, and connecting with potential users through social media channels (outside) can be a great way to promote your app. Check out some strategies here.
Not every app will lend itself to social features, of course, but games that invite users to challenge friends, complete tasks together, and the like, can spread like wildfire. Activity in such apps tends to be greatly increased over non-social apps, and it’s worth considering seriously if you want to grow rapidly.
Go forth and conquer (the app store)!