After working day and night to develop an app, your app development team must be expecting a quick turnaround. You might be aiming to stand out from the horde of apps on Google Play and Apple App. However, it’s not as easy as it sounds. There are around 1.5 million other choices for the users when they consider an app download.
So how can you stand out from competing apps? Some people opt for a paid advertisement, but it can be expensive and still isn’t enough. Social Media Marketing plays a valuable role here; it increases the visibility of your mobile app, generates buzz, and ultimately generates more downloads.
Here are some tried and tested strategies to generate app downloads through Social Media:
1. Planning
Planning is essential for any activity, and therefore it shouldn’t be a surprise that it is number 1 on our list as well. Detailed research is the key to success – to make your social media marketing successful, conduct a thorough market analysis. Know the nature of your audience, what do they like, what demographic segment do they belong to, which sites do they use, and at what time do they use social media platforms? Answering these questions will help you determine the right route for your social media plan.
For example, if you have developed an App to increase productivity, then ask yourself who will use this app? Conduct an environment and market analysis to identify the ideal target audience. Most likely, only professionals are likely to download this app, so your social media marketing campaign should focus on that demographic segment.
Other things to consider during planning are:
- Set Goals and Targets
Jot down your goals into small chunks. This will keep you on the right track. Besides this, you will gain motivation after each achievement—plan for weekly, monthly, and yearly goals.
2. Generate Unique and Compelling Content
Social Media Marketing is useless without the right content. Therefore, when designing your content strategy, keep the following things in mind:
- Informative Content
Write content that provides valuable information to the readers. Filler words and useless paragraphs will only waste the readers’ time. Tell the client how your app will benefit them right off the bat to grab attention and deliver value at the same time.
Example:
If you have an app for managing household chores, refrain from giving general information. Instead, tell the client the specific benefits your app is going to provide them. Moreover, post content that’s useful for your target audience, such as proven cleaning tips, listings for reliable carpet cleaning companies, eco-friendly cleaning products, and so on.
- Relevant Content
No matter how unique your information is, it will be useless if it is not relevant to your app. If you publish irrelevant content, not only will you lose your main target audience’s interest.
Example:
If you have a cooking app, you can generate content based on cooking tips, unique cooking ideas, 5-minute cooking, and so on. Readers interested in cooking apps would love to read information related to the culinary world.
- Visual Content
Apart from the written content, also keep your focus on making videos. Experts recommend uploading videos for higher views and more traffic. You can also use features like Instagram Reels, Facebook Stories, and TikTok to showcase visuals. You can see here the best site to buy TikTok followers.
3. Don’t Use Pushy Words, Be Human
Keep in mind that convincing users is difficult, but it is especially challenging when you do it in a typical sales pitchy tone. Don’t use clickbait words, and don’t start with pushy words like try this app, download the app now, or the best app. Try to keep your tone friendly, and before convincing the users to download your app, build a relationship with them.
Gone are the days when a direct approach was used to entice users. Today, marketers focus on giving value to the users, building relations, and then asking them to try the app. Besides, try to talk to your user in a human way. Ask for regular feedback and make amendments as per the likes and dislikes of the users. Providing your target market with new features is another way to boost downloads.
4. Give Rewards on Downloads
Today, the market is highly competitive, and users want something in return for trying out the app. Some smart app marketers use rewards for motivating new users to try the app. Similarly, social media campaigns of referrals also play a great role in increasing app downloads.
This strategy increases downloads and also lets you know about user experience. If the users have a great experience, they will recommend the app to others. For example, Airbnb rewards users $50 credit if someone joins the app through their referral. Similarly, restaurants give discounts on meals to consumers who refer their food ordering app to their friends and family.
5. Twitter
Twitter has millions of active users, and therefore it is one of the most favorite marketing platforms for small and large businesses. A large percentage of people are now using Twitter on mobile phones. Thus, opening new opportunities for app marketing. App developers can implement sound strategies for mobile app marketing and convince potential clients to download and install their app.
- Twitter Cards
You get the option of creating three cards for promoting your app via Twitter. These cards include a basic app card, an image app card, and a video app card.
- Image Card
In the image card, you need to upload a relevant image of your app. It should have 800*800 pixels size. Now, you need to select an appropriate call to action words from the choices given on Twitter. Some examples are Book, Install, Connect, Play, etc.
- Video Card
Just like the image card, you need to upload a video related to the app. Remember that the time allowed is just 2 minutes and 20 seconds. Besides this, it should be a MOV file or an MP4. However, you firstly need to upload a video in your library before using the card.
6. Google+
Just like other social networks, Google+ offers plenty of benefits for app developers. Ranking on search engine results is a blessing, and this is what Google+ offers. You can easily use hashtags on Google+, just like you use them on Twitter and Instagram. Just use the sign# followed by words of your choice. You can also use the hashtags generated automatically by Google+ to help rank your mobile app.
7. Facebook
Having your presence on other networks but not on Facebook sounds unreasonable. No matter how active you are on Twitter or Instagram, having an active profile on Facebook seems mandatory. Here are a few ways you can use Facebook for app downloads:
- Campaigns
Start marketing campaigns to increase downloads; these could include Facebook ads, collaboration with influencers, and user-generated content campaigns. Arrange competitions, engage users, and try to generate word of mouth.
- Make a Separate Group
Maintain a group dedicated to your app users. Here users will discuss their experience and recommend others to join. A high number of group members leave a positive impact on potential users.
- Use Photos, Videos, and Stories
Do not forget to post relevant pictures and videos. Also, use the magic of Facebook Stories for showing some behind the scenes related to your app. Make sure to use a “call to action” as a headliner when posting new photos.
8. Instagram
Instagram is another great social media platform to boost your sales. If used correctly, it can drive huge downloads. However, your strategy needs to be coherent. For instance, you should switch to a business profile for reaching out to more people, use Instagram ads and Stories for standing out, create branded hashtags for the app, and collaborate with micro-influencers to share your message. Similarly, also try the latest time-saving features of Instagram for your app marketing.
Experts state that feedback increases the reliability and credibility of your app. Therefore, encourage your users to post feedback on social media platforms. User feedback is perceived authentic by potential users, and hence increases the likelihood of app download.
You must have experienced it yourself; what’s the first thing you do after you see an advertisement for an app? You go to the reviews section on the play store and see whether it is worth downloading or not. Therefore, you must prompt users to leave feedback; you can do so in the following ways:
- Ask Directly to Share
Create contests and games in which you directly ask people to share the app, like appreciating the highest sharer by making him the user of the month. You can also create badges and reward them to people like a silver, gold, or bronze badge on social media.
- Send Gifts
In comparison to giving a gift after an announcement, sending it as a surprise and then sharing the response is a perfect idea. For instance, you may send gift vouchers to the highest sharer of the month.
Takeaway
In short, generating app downloads is not difficult if you design a great social media strategy. From Instagram and Twitter to Facebook and Google+, there are enough opportunities for you to explore. Try the latest features, develop relationships, and send rewards to boost your downloads.