How To Increase Your App Downloads

“There’s an app for that” is now as common an expression as we can find. And, given that there are over six and a half million apps in the two major app stores, this expression is certainly true. And this figure does not include all of the web apps that do not have a mobile equivalent. Many businesses develop such apps for training, education, consulting, legal, etc. purposes and do not always market them publicly.

Still, those who want the largest target market will look to develop both mobile and web apps so that their customers have options.

Now the task is to find ways to be found and then convince those who have found you to download your app, rather than that of the competition. And, yes, the app business is hugely competitive.

Here are some suggestions to drive the downloads you seek:

1. Optimize Your App

Your app is a product, just like a piece of furniture or clothing. And consumers (your potential customers included) search for the products they want. Those searches begin with keywords/phrases.

Your goal is to find the keywords that are high-volume, and, if possible, lower in competition and still simple enough that your average buyer would use them. This is a tall order indeed. But there are some tools to use that will help. Try Moz, Google Keyword Planner, or SEMrush for starters. And our services at Fliplet can help with this as well, as we provide as much support and assistance as you may need in your app development.

2. The App Title Is Critical

Once you have your keywords, it will be a question of placement. Obviously, they need to appear naturally throughout the app. But perhaps most important is the title. Your primary keyword, possibly more than one, must be in the app title. This will take some creative work, indeed, considering that the entire title must be between 30-50 characters on the app stores.

3. Bring In Your Creative Content Marketing Team

Every app needs a description, and once a searcher lands on yours, that description must be complete, compelling, and portray your app as the very best out there. Your primary keywords should be in that description too.

There are both short and long description guidelines on both app stores, but you need to think in terms of the short description. Many will not go beyond that. So, in about 250 characters, you have to convince your viewers to move forward.

If you don’t have a creative content team, you may want to outsource this part of your marketing plan. There are lots of professional writing services that now cater to both academic and business writing, with experienced creative copywriting teams. Check out BestWritingAdvisor.com, a writing services review site, for starters. You can also ask for referrals from associates in related niches. And be certain to keep track of visits to your app vs. actual sales through analytics, once that description is published. If you are not getting the downloads you want, where are your seekers bouncing? If it is at the point of your description(s), then you will want to make changes.

4. Visuals, Visuals, Visuals

As you market your apps elsewhere, visuals will be the key. There are all sorts of ways to use visuals – short teaser videos, screenshots, etc. – that can be published everywhere that your target audience frequents. If you are marketing to other professional organizations, though, these must be professionally done. Again, Fliplet can provide the assistance you may need.

5. Think About Microsites For Each Of Your Apps

Marketing your app and getting those downloads should be a unique campaign. And one of the ways to make it unique is through a microsite. It has its own URL, and that should, of course, be short and memorable. But more importantly, the only content on that site will be about your app – its value, case studies or testimonials from happy customers, and lots of visuals. You can promote that microsite with links to it all over the place. And your potential customers do not have to wade through your main site looking for information on each of your apps. And, if you want your targets to learn more about you and your company, you can always provide a link to your main site.

6. Get Reviews Out There

You have very satisfied customers. It’s time to use them as ambassadors for your app. There are plenty of reputable app review sites. Choose those that relate to your business/app niche, and contact those happy customers. Provide some type of incentive for them to write a review, and provide the site(s) where they can be published. This will be an ongoing process, but do not let up. Keep those reviews going into those sites.

7. Use Social Media As Much As Possible

If you’ve done the research, you know where your audience hangs out online. Be there. You can publish the other text, visuals, videos, etc. that you have on your microsite, for example. Join related groups on social media platforms. And consider paid advertising on these platforms too.

By joining related groups, we are able to market our products and services with a little-to-no cost. And because these groups are so niche-focused, everyone with whom we connect is a potential customer, influencer, or ambassador. We reap business from this simple approach.

8. Find and Use Influencers In Your Niche

There are tools to find these people if you are not already familiar with them. They are influencers because they are seen as experts in their niches. Make contact, provide the app for their review, and then work out a deal for them to promote your app with their audiences.

9. Look For Cross Promotions

While you don’t want to monetize your app in the same way that lots of others do, you can build strategic alliances with app owners that are professional, reputable, and whose apps relate to your niche. Promotions for one another will seem logical and professional to your target as well, so long as you do not “overdo.” Pick just a couple.

These Nine…

You have developed apps that you know will provide value and solve problems for your target audience. Now it’s time to meet and beat the competition, to engage and compel, and to drive your audience to those downloads. These nine suggestions are solid – see how you can implement every single one and gain the advantage.

About the Author:

Estelle Liotard is a creative copywriter and editor for a number of academic writing companies where she is able to provide students all over the world with the best college paper writing. When not writing, she uses her creative energies as a keyboardist and music composer for a local Indie band.