The app market is huge and the possibilities are endless. But it is getting harder than ever to get new downloads for your app. We’re here to share some of the techniques that you can use to get more downloads for your mobile app.
After the hard work of building an app, it is time to promote and market your product. But first, congratulations are in order!
Now it is time to get those downloads up and running.
It is every app owner’s dream to get their app in the top charts and stay there. But the competition is tough – there are over 3.48 Million Android apps and 2.22 million iOS apps in Google Play and Apple App Store respectively.
Paid promotion can be quite expensive. Organic promotion, though low cost, can be time-consuming. But there are some clever ways to increase your app downloads, using free or low-cost promotional tactics, which will help your app get more visibility on the store and help you move up in rank.
Effective ways to increase Mobile app downloads
Ensure your App is top-quality
Just like the promotion process, you need to ensure that your app is ready before embarking on this journey. The first step is to make sure your app is bug-free and works as it should.
Make sure you follow the user interface guidelines of each store where your product is available. Before you launch, make sure to beta test your app across all devices and with the latest versions of the operating system installed on each device.
App design should heavily be user-focused and keep the user in mind at all times.
The truth of the matter is: today’s customers are smart. If they find out that your app is buggy or does not perform as it should, then you can be sure the rating and reviews will reflect that.
Design an eye-catching and unique App Icon
Your app icon is often the first thing users will see. Users are likely to skip right over your app if it doesn’t look appealing enough in your screenshots or app store image. With each specific platform you are designing for, it becomes increasingly important for your app icon to give off a certain look and feel that matches that platform. You often have just one chance to impress so it’s worth taking the time to design an amazing icon.
Provide an appropriate name and compelling description for your app
Providing a name and description for your app is crucial as it will be what users read before deciding whether to download or not.
Make sure to put as much time and effort into the name as you would with designing your icon. You do not want to have a clever or catchy name that doesn’t accurately describe your app. Also, don’t use a name that is already taken or is too broad.
You may want to consider choosing a name that users are likely to search for, rather than one which describes the specific function of your app.
In addition to the name, you will also need a description of your product that properly describes what it does and why users need it. You can also use your description to explain what sets your app apart from others like it and why users should download yours over the other ones.
Take the time to write out a full and detailed description for your app – it will be worth it in the end. A bit of copywriting skills is needed to persuade users and this will go a long way in helping users can go a long way in helping you get more downloads.
App Store Optimization (ASO) is a must
There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes in getting your app seen by the right people at the right time.
App store optimization (ASO) is the process of optimizing your app and product page to rank higher in the search results for keywords that are relevant to what your company offers.
Simply put: ASO is aimed at increasing the visibility and discoverability of your mobile app in a given app marketplace e.g. Google Play or App Store.
You should:
- Optimize for keyword: You should choose the right keywords to use in your product description and title, so that people searching for it will be more likely to find you.
- Categorization: Ensure that you choose the appropriate category and subcategory for your app. The right choice of categories will make it easier for users to find you in search.
- Rating and reviews: Getting your app reviewed is the number one way to increase organic downloads. You want users who download it to be pleasantly surprised and leave a positive review.
- Local Optimization: You also need to consider using attributes of the users’ location in your description. If you are targeting a specific country or city then use that information in your app store optimization strategy to improve discoverability.
Build an Online Presence
Today, people are able to find information on just about anything at the click of a button.
Having an online presence is important because it allows people to find out about what you have to offer and get in contact with you.
You should:
Have an appropriate website and blog
Create a dedicated landing page for your app. The copy should be targeted at achieving one purpose when users arrive on the page: download and installation of the app. Again, if you are not good at writing, hire a professional.
Have your business listed on directories like Google Business and Yelp to make it easier for users to find you.
If you don’t already have a blog, then get one started. It is important to update it regularly so that people will come back to read your posts and find out more about you.
Tip: your posts should be optimized for keywords that are related to your app and what users are searching for.
Promote your app with Social Media
Social media is the holy grail of one-on-one communication. It is an easy way for you to talk directly with your customers and build a loyal following of fans who are interested in what you have to offer.
So:
- Establish social media profiles for your business on all the major platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to improve word of mouth and gain a following.
- Post regularly, but don’t be spammy – you still have to give your fans value so they will want to come back for more.
- Use social media management tools like Hootsuite and Buffer so that you can schedule your posts ahead of time, without having to be present all the time.
- Use User Generated Content to promote your app on your social media profiles. For instance, you can use photos and videos of users using your app on Instagram to show potential customers what they are missing out on.
- Place social sharing buttons on your app, website and blog posts to make it easy for visitors to spread the word about your app.
You can use these sites to answer questions that your target audience is asking about the topic of your app, and then mention your app within the answer.
Build a list of influencers in your industry and reach out to them with offers that would be mutually beneficial for your app and their blog or social media.
Create a Demo video of your app
The plan is to tilt the odds in your favor by attracting more people to your app.
One of the best ways to do this is by creating a demo video for users, giving them an idea of what they can expect when using your app. Plus, video is the most engaging form of media, so it will stick in people’s minds more than anything else.
The following points will help you produce a demo video for your app:
- Use the most suitable platform to create it. There are lots of options out there, but the most popular are Wistia, Loom and Animoto.
- Keep in mind that videos can be time consuming to produce so it is best to start early.
- Add subtitles and transcripts to videos that are in another language so that more people can understand it easily.
- Aim for the beginning of the video to be short and snappy, with a clear explanation as to what users can expect.
- Close off by explaining how people can download your app.
- Post the video on YouTube, but also use it in any ad campaigns you run on Facebook and Twitter.
- Keep it short and sweet – aim for 30 seconds or less, otherwise you risk losing your audience. You can also split the video into multiple clips that are no more than five minutes each for people who prefer to watch long videos.
- Remember, you have to stand out from the crowd if you want people to give your app a chance and download it!
Prompt users for ratings and reviews
Social proof is a powerful marketing tool that is used extensively on the internet. It refers to using testimonials, reviews, and ratings of products or services from real customers to influence people’s buying decisions.
Prompting users for ratings and reviews will improve your app’s search ranking in the Play Store. Ratings and reviews of apps that have been downloaded a lot also tend to be more trustworthy.
The following tactics will help you increase your app downloads:
- Ask your fans to write reviews for you. You can do this in a number of ways, such as sending out a reminder email a week or two after a person downloads your app.
- You could also include an option in the settings section of your application where users can submit their reviews.
- Use pop-up prompts that prompt users to rate your app after they have used it for a certain period of time. Remember that it is important not to annoy people with these pop-ups in your app.
- Offer freebies and discounts to people who write reviews for you on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter etc.
PR/Press Releases
Press releases are a great tool to use when you want to reach out and grab the attention of people who have never heard about your app before. They can also be used to bring more people back into your app.
One more thing…
What is the cost of developing a mobile app?
You’re probably wondering how much it will cost to get your App developed. Getting a rough estimate is a good first step, but it shouldn’t be the only one.
Smart entrepreneurs will do research before engaging in any form of business. The same should apply to anyone that wants to build a mobile app
With that said, here are estimated costs of building a mobile app:
Putting all the costs – including design, development, and marketing into consideration it is estimated that a basic mobile app with minimal features will cost between $40,000 and $60,000 and about $60,000 to $120,000 to get a fairly complex app developed. For more complex apps, the cost could be as much as $120,000 (and more).
Conclusion:
You now have a number of tools at your disposal that will help you increase app downloads. The most important thing to remember is not to bombard users with requests for ratings and reviews. You want to ensure that you are creating a positive experience, not one where people feel like they have been pushed into rating your app.
Make use of these tips and tricks, but most importantly know that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for increasing your app downloads.