The Basics Of App Promotion
So you have developed your dream app and uploaded it to the market, eagerly waiting for a flood of downloads to propel your product to stardom.But despite announcing it on your Facebook page and getting some positive reviews, you can’t seem to get past 50 downloads a day.
Nobody knows you, and they don’t know about your product. Where do you go from here?How can you beat the odds?
You have to smartly promote your app, otherwise you’re a drop in the ocean.
The days after launch can be harsh and unrewarding, but smart developers employ a host of techniques to create a flow of downloads.Here are some of the things to do in order to get your app noticed from nothing.
Some basic things that should be taken care of in order to bring your app into the limelight :
App Identity
Give your app a name that clicks. A name that is short but on the same time fully descriptive.Enhance your app name with an aptly designed app icon.Keep it clear,pronounceable and authentic. Take your time and come up with something fantastic.
If you’re really stuck for what to call your app, you might get a nudge in the right direction by using a name generator such as nameboy.com or dotomator.com. The best way to use these is as kick-starters for new directions or ideas.
Choosing the most apt keywords for your app description can be critical: Just in case there are some beginners out there — the Name is the Title of the app, the keywords are input on the back side (users never see them).Your app will be useless if it cannot be found.
Do not repeat keywords. Don’t include your company name and your app name in your keywords.Choose as many keywords as possible but avoid overly used ones.Aim for perfection in optimization and spelling. You can only edit your keywords when you upload a new version or when your app is rejected.
App Description
Tell a story.People love stories and they to know about the evolution of the app.Don’t go overboard, but if your app is nicely designed, give prospects a taste of the user experience with a few screenshots. Sometimes, images are exactly the shortcut you need to connect with certain prospects who prefer to learn visually.
Take full advantage of the first few lines before the More button, and use these introductory words to succinctly tell your users what your app does and why it will benefit them and why they should be excited about it.
Website
A website for your app can be a place where you can freely describe the merits of your app and letting people know why your app is the one they should look out to.You’ll need a website for online support and branding.
Other things you can do on a website include a host of services- collecting email addresses of potential users;contacting blogs and newspapers;starting your SEO efforts;getting feedback from potential users and engaging them.
App Reviews
Many people see an app icon, skim the first part of the description, flick through the screenshots and read the reviews from other people before deciding if they should buy the app. If there are bad reviews saying it doesn’t work, they are less likely to buy the app.
So what to do? How do you get reviews and ratings? Here are a couple of ideas to get you started Ask for them! Have a call to action to “Rate and Review Our App” on your product description, in your marketing materials, your emails and newsletters, your social networks — wherever it makes sense Use pop-up notification reminders in your app to ask for active users to give their feedback Build a resident area in your app, like in your menu, which prompts users to rate and review. Hold contests and promotions to gather feedback leveraging your social networks and databases .
Video
Video is the perfect medium to showcase everything your app has to offer. Creating a quirky, personalized video that highlights the functions and user experience is a great way to engage potential users and drive them to download the app for themselves. Your blog is the perfect home for this, and videos make great content to share widely without having to share a wordy explanation of your app’s functionality.
Check out some of the best app videos on this website:
Summing it Up
Each of the options that I have mentioned today can be put together to build a thorough marketing strategy for your mobile app that does not require large financial outlays. As with all marketing strategies, you will find that each tactic requires a continuous time investment and active monitoring for maximum benefits.
References:
http://mobiledevices.about.com/od/marketingapps/tp/Mobile-App-Marketing-Strategies-For-Success.htm
http://app-promo.com/aso-tip-5-the-importance-reviews-ratings/
http://thenextweb.com/entrepreneur/2013/07/20/9-insider-tips-for-promoting-your-app/
http://www.localytics.com/blog/2013/5-tips-for-optimizing-your-app-store-listing/
http://www.creativebloq.com/tips-naming-app-9112818
http://www.appsgoneviral.com/app-marketing/
http://venturebeat.com/2013/09/22/app-promotion-advice/
http://www.bluecloudsolutions.com/blog/app-store-keywords-choose-terms/
http://www.trademob.com/how-to-write-an-app-description-and-drive-more-downloads-with-examples/
http://www.biznessapps.com/blog/tag/app-store-description-tips/
http://marketingland.com/5-top-tips-for-marketing-your-mobile-app-business-48229
http://mobiledevices.about.com/od/marketingapps/tp/Top-10-Tips-To-Market-Mobile-Application.htm
