So, you’ve spent what seems like an eternity on creating the ultimate version of your mobile app and now what? How are you going to convince people on the world wide web that this little piece of code is something they should use? Well, this is where the second part of your app development adventure begins. A lot has changed in the world of digital marketing in the past few years, so before you start spamming your Facebook friends to oblivion, consider some other, more effective marketing techniques.
Reach Out to Influencers
You’ve probably already heard a lot about influencers but can you really explain what it is they do? As the name suggests, influencers are individuals who have earned the respect of the community in their field and can use this influence to promote products they deem worthy. Now, if you want them to take interest in your own app, you’ll have to be quite persistent.
It’s best that you first start following influencers (not in a stalker way) across all social platforms and occasionally share their content online. After a while, try to establish a connection via direct messages or emails, but make sure you sound original and not spammy. The best practice is to try and reach out to numerous influencers at once and increase your chances. Although some of them might actually like your app, most of the time you’ll have to pay for the promotion. Formulate your price based on the number of followers and influencers’ expertise. Don’t fret too much about it, though. It is a sound investment.
Utilize the Power of Your Website
If you don’t feel like asking popular millenials for help with digital marketing, you can take the matters into your own hands and promote your app properly – via your website. Now, there are some things you should focus on when making a website if you want it to get optimal results.
Mobile Browsing
Nowadays, mobile browsing is a lot more popular than desktop browsing, so the emphasis should be on responsive or mobile-first design. In 2016, the mobile to desktop users ratio was 57% to 43%. A year later, the percentage of mobile users climbed to 63. According to Stone Temple, this year, 2/3 of all users will be using mobile phones. This is something you can’t ignore.
Importance of UX
In these past few years, there has been a shift in digital marketing from product to user. Namely, there’s so much competition right now (Venture Beat colorfully describes your chances of making a successful app as being less likely than you making an NBA roster) that you have to offer your potential users the best possible experience with your website and app. You constantly have to ask yourself – how can I improve the UX on my website?
Use Videos
If you just take a glance at one of the most popular social platforms in the world, Facebook, you’ll see that it’s flooded with videos. People just don’t have the time to read lengthy explanations, or analyze tiring data. Why would they when everything can be explained in a short, fun video? According to Social Media Today, videos increase organic traffic by 157% so do you really need any more persuasion? Make a video with your app, add a couple of Victoria’s Secret Angels and a funny cat compilation and it will go viral in no time!
Don’t Forget About SEO
At the end of the day, the success of your website depends quite a lot on your SEO skills. This means creating quality content in the form of a blog or a copy, optimizing images, adding keywords, etc. Considering how all these elements are constantly changing (like Google’s recent meta description change), it might be a good idea to hire a professional SEO agency to get you going. It might save you time and money in the long run.
Establish a Community
OK, so you’re not that keen on the idea of hiring millennials and you can’t be bothered with making your own website, is there a third option? What else can you do to present your app to the world? Well, you could also become something of an influencer yourself by taking to social media and establishing a community of your own. Life Wire offers some useful tips to help you get started:
- Although you should spread your wit all over various social media platforms, your main focus should be Facebook and Twitter, simply because they’re among the most popular ones out there.
- Considering we’ve already discussed the ridiculously huge competition you have in the app industry, you need to find a way to stand out from the crowd. Think about what makes your app so special and go with it.
- Keep your followers engaged all the time by posting new content daily and offering some incentives for participation. An active community is a powerful community.
- Make sure your content is interesting and inspiring. You don’t want to bore them by constantly praising the fantastic app you’ve made.
- Embrace even the negative comments because they’re still a part of your community. It’s like your least favorite child that always gets into trouble and wakes you up in the middle of the night. It’s annoying but you have to show it love, regardless.
It’s Your Turn
So, that’s about it. We’ve helped you as much as we could and now it’s time for you to bite the bullet and choose the least painful approach to app marketing. After all, you’ve spent so much time on perfecting that mind-blowing app. How can you resist not showing others your utter brilliance?