65 Simple Ways To Promote Your Mobile App
So you’ve finally built your mobile app and are ready to introduce it to the world? Congratulations. But unless you market your app to your target audience, it will get lost in the sea of other apps out there.
I’d like to share a compilation of the 65 best ways to promote your app. This list is in no specific order, so you should pick the ideas that most appeal to you, and that you think will best fit into your existing marketing plan. Start with a handful—or even just one—and test what works for you and what doesn’t:
3. Use social media. But do it wisely; too many people think copy and pasting a link is enough. Engage your audience. Be interesting. Tease. Intrigue. Make yourself click-worthy and share-worthy. Be creative about your intro text. Mashable does this very well.
5. Create a video intro to your app. This is something you should be careful with. Creating a video for your app should only be an option if you have proven your app’s concept, you’ve gained some traction, and you’re sure that you have a winner. You wouldn’t want to spend a lot of money to produce a video for an app that has changed three times since it launched. If you feel ready for this step, check out Sandwich Video for inspiration.
6. Pitch tech blogs. This is a tough one. While you think you’ve got the most awesome app launching tomorrow, others might be less impressed. Don’t despair. Make a list of contacts, email them your perfect pitch, and hope for the best. Note: Do not stalk these editors, they get tons of pitches regularly and if they’re interested, they’ll contact you.
7. Ask for app reviews. Besides the big tech blogs, there are tons of app review sites. I run one of them, Mevvy, but there’s tons more. Here is a list of the best app review websites, but don’t stop digging for more. Even though you want the whole world to know about your app, try to stay relevant.
8. Contact writers in the niche. This is one of the most effective techniques out there. If you find people who care to write about [insert your niche here], then they might want to write about your awesome solution, too! Again, don’t be pushy—you don’t want to burn bridges with influential writers.
9. Use Disqus or other content discovery tools. Remember that blog I mentioned earlier? Be sure to plug in your Disqus channel. It helps tremendously in getting the word out, and drives traffic back to your blog or website!
10. Contribute to the online conversation. If you read news and articles on other websites, and the site uses Disqus, leave a non-self-promotional but valuable comment. This way you’re building your expert level on multiple ends.
12. Apply for app awards. There are tons of organizations that give prizes to new, innovative applications for their functionality, design, and so on. Research these contests online and apply to those you think you’re a good contender for.
13. Talk to one user at a time. This is extremely crucial. In the beginning your primary goal should be user retention rather than user acquisition. If you manage to form a small group of users that provide essential feedback to help you validate your app’s purpose, and get them to remain loyal, then you’ve got the biggest hurdle behind you. In general, no matter what stage you are at, seek a direct conversation with a user. Ask them questions, listen to their critiques, offer help, make them happy. There is nothing better than word-of-mouth marketing.
14. Offer a helping hand. Not everything you do has to lead back to an app-download button. Find users who have a problem you can help with, offer advice, and become a little hero—the downloads will roll in later as a thank you!
20. Promote in all your communications. Include links to your app website, blog, and social media channels in your email signature. Use voicemail, and let everyone who calls know what you are working on.
24. Create a video channel on YouTube or Vimeo. Make sure to regularly post interesting content, be it “best of” series, development updates, industry news flashes, user surveys. or user content (big hint!). Always add your main hashtag and descriptive hashtags to maximize exposure on social media.
25. Hire a PR firm. PR work can be pricey but very effective. Remember the Mailbox app and when it launched? It had half a million waitlist subscribers before it even came out! All the result of good PR.
27. Go offline and try guerrilla marketing. Remember that these campaigns are most effective in areas with a high concentration of your target customer. The cornerstones of a guerrilla marketing campaign are: 1. appear – 2. confuse – 3. clarify – 4. disappear. The clarification must be the genius part of your campaign!
Step #2: Validate Your Distribution Channels
If you’re obsessed with a vision for transforming markets, helping your ideal customers, making real impact in a troubled world with your application software, and you’ve the insights and courage to make your idea a reality, you can’t fail.
“Distribution refers to the process of getting your product into the hands of your target customer, whether that is an individual consumer or a business user. Entrepreneurs need to identify effective distribution channel(s) to reach their target customer.”
All these distribution channels may not be ideal for your app marketing. You see, if your app is business-related, then I’m sure LinkedIn will play a big role – because there are more business people on the platform.
What about Facebook? Well, if I’m wrong, correct me. But I don’t think Mark Zuckerberg developed the social site for the purpose of PPC advertising. He wanted to create a portal where people can connect with other people. Simple.
What does an app marketer do?
Understanding how app marketers and agencies work is important to having an overview of the best strategies being used for your mobile app. Knowing the ins and outs of the different methods will inform your decision in choosing the best app marketing company out there.
App marketers and app marketing agencies are committed to fulfilling their users’ needs, and therefore create user personas to help create a solid app marketing strategy. The personas typically represent a kind of target audience, containing the characteristics of that particular group.
Other unique identifiers, such as demographics and mobile preferences are also dissected in order to create accurate personas to work out the typical user journey of this group. This allows app marketers to tailor their app marketing strategy to drive profitable action.
Next to read
The Need for Brand Strategy and Performance Marketing Integration
One of the ongoing, inherent flaws in the broader marketing landscape is the clear delineation between brand strategy agencies and performance marketing agencies. This is not to say that you can’t have success by hiring both of them independently. For example, you can go through a rebranding initiative with one agency, while simultaneously executing a […]
Moburst Won 18 Telly Awards
We couldn’t be prouder to announce that we won eighteen Telly Awards – the largest and most prestigious awards for video and television content. Among the eighteen Telly Awards were four golds and five silvers. Moburst’s winning videos include the Gold Telly Award for “Non-Broadcast Corporate Image” video for Amdocs Super Agents and Moburst’s Category Leader […]
Moburst Cumulates Your Business’s Mobile Power: GoodFirms
This is a guest post from GoodFirms. The detailed interview can be read on the GoodFirms site. How mobile-first marketing can change the destiny of a business is evident in what Moburst does for its clients. Gilad Bechar – the CEO and Co-Founder of Moburst – recently narrated to us the entire story of […]
Resources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/allbusiness/2015/11/07/65-simple-ways-to-promote-your-mobile-app/?sh=307880d548c4
https://buildfire.com/mobile-app-marketing/
https://www.businessofapps.com/marketplace/app-marketing/
https://www.moburst.com/blog/mobile-app-marketing/