Developers and app designers spend countless hours building an app and hope that it’s well-received when it finally goes out into the world. However, if your app fails to reach the right audience, then it will just get lost in the sea of other apps available in the market.
Your work doesn’t end after you’ve developed and uploaded it onto the App Store. There needs to be a steady flow of traffic that’s willing to use and rate your app online, and to tap into that market, you need to come up with innovative ways to promote your app.
To get you started, we have compiled a list of ten ideas to market your application for free to the right audience, so it gets the attention it deserves. While this task requires a certain degree of skill and expertise, and it all comes down to how effectively you utilize your time.
1. Start a Blog
A blog is precisely what you need to effectively tap into a tech-savvy audience for free. Once you’ve set up a blog, you can share everything from articles and app reviews to news and updates. Moreover, you can also offer insight into how the app was created from start to finish so readers can gain added value from their experience on your blog. It establishes a foundation of trust between your audience, and you can efficiently inform them about what your app has to offer.
2. Find Influencers to Advocate Your App
Over a decade ago, traditional marketing was at its peak, but with the progression of digital technology, the marketing world has also experienced significant change. It’s safe to assume that today’s way of marketing is a whole new level of opportunities.
In this newfound realm of marketing opportunities, social media influencers play a significant role in drawing attention towards a new product or service in the market. Reach out to influencers and present an exclusive free version of the app that they can feature on their blogs which can drive in a flood of app downloads.
3. Utilize Social Media Channels
Social media has become a vital part of every digital marketing strategy and is one of the most effective methods for growing audience reach. However, this doesn’t mean merely pasting the link of your app on your social pages, but creating an online presence that generates positive engagement and hype about your app.
It also allows you to determine the likes and dislikes of your target audience and also gauge their first impressions of the app. You can share a variety of content to pique the interest of potential customers and use trending topics as a way to boost exposure to your app. As a result, more users will show a willingness to try your app and share it within their friend circle.
4. Create a Demo or Video Tutorial of Your App
If you wish to gain traction and want to get ahead of competitors in the market, then creating a demo video is the perfect move. Not only does it require any investment, but it’s also a great way to introduce all the aspects and functionalities of the app.
Keep in mind that the demo shouldn’t exceed more than 30 seconds as viewers might lose interest once the video gets longer. Marketers can upload the demo on all social channels and even on the App Store, so potential users are more inclined to download the app.
5. Get Active on Forums
There are several tech-centric discussion forums where you can generate buzz about your app from a potentially interested crowd. While this does take some time, as you are required to be an active participant in that forum, it can be a useful tactic to bring more attention to your creation.
6. App Store Optimization
ASO is a vital part of your app marketing strategy as it impacts the performance of every other tactic in your marketing plan. Your app needs to be optimized for people to download it. For this to work, the app needs to show up in top keyword searches and rise above competitors in the market.
7. Apply for App Awards
Several sites offer awards to new and upcoming apps based on their UX, functionality, design, and other key elements. App awards can boost the credibility of your app and bring positive attention, resulting in more downloads and reviews. Here are some sites you can be a potential contender for:
8. Encourage Feedback
One of the best ways to foster positive attention and bolster engagement is by encouraging feedback. Whenever a user leaves a review, be it positive or negative, respond respectfully, and show that you value their opinion. It motivates other users to rate and drop a comment about their experience as well. Moreover, an abundance of feedback also improves the overall ranking of your app on the App Store.
9. Get Featured on App Review Websites
If you’ve made sure your app is perfectly optimized, then it’s time to reach out to app reviewing websites to feature your app on their page. But this requires your app to excel in design, functionality, responsiveness, and it should be free of bugs. Therefore, make sure that your app is in top shape to be considered for review.
10. Take Appealing App Screenshots
When a user visits the app store and decides to download an app, their first instinct is to check the previews to see the appearance of the user interface and get an idea of what it has to offer.
The user interface can either convince consumers to download or turn them away from the app. Hence, if done correctly, app previews are an affective conversion and promotion idea. App screenshots can be incredibly persuasive and valuable as it offers users a glimpse into what they can expect from the app.
Marketers can add captions to further enhance the visual aspects of the app and describe the features in the app. Hence, you should include preview screenshots so the user can understand the main features and attributes of the app.
Conclusion
The tips mentioned above can be practiced in any order as long as you follow through till the end. Try and implement these methods to identify what works best for your app and delivers promising results. Since they’re free, you can experiment with as many as you’d like, and eventually, you’ll put together a powerful strategy that generates user engagement and app downloads.
About Author:
Nouman Ali provides ghostwriting and copywriting services. His educational background in the technical field and business studies helps him in tackling topics ranging from career and business productivity to web development and digital marketing. He occasionally writes articles for digital marketing.