Smartym Pro  /  Blog  /  Mobile  / 
mobile app marketing

How to promote a mobile app? Part I: Before release & launch stage

You have developed a mobile app with a great idea and unique features. And you believe your product will definitely gain a huge success. Surely, any success in this field implies high income. Building application costs a lot of money, so to get profit you need to make it quality, well-targeted, and really popular.

 

In this post, we will tell you about mobile app marketing strategies. Here you will find useful tips and ways of promotion, related to activities that should be made before the product launch and at the application release stage.

1. ASO – App Store Optimization

ASO is just a must-have in your mobile app marketing strategy. App Store Optimization is rather a simple way to help users to easily find your product. Also, users who have installed your app through the App Store search, tend to be more loyal and characterized by a higher retention rate. So, let’s get a more deep insight in this stage.

Goals:

  1. Increase application rankings
  2. Attract target users
  3. Increase application page views and as a result app downloads

 

Where U.S. iOS platform users found the last app they installed?

 

aso

What is needed for successful ASO?

 

  • Understanding app idea, goals, key features, peculiarities, target audience is essential to create an awesome app description and catching title.
  • Competitor analysis – choosing 3-6 main competitors (applications with a similar idea and features) and looking at the keywords they used, app titles, app ranking in the stores (SensorTower, SearchMan).
  • Keyword research; the result – choosing the right keywords.
  • For better ranking the app title should contain at least one keyword. It also should be catching and reflect a key feature / idea of the product.
  • The description must have keywords, be awesome, explain the main features of the app and problems or challenges it solves. Each keyword should be used at least 3 times, the best option is 4-5 times for 4000 characters. Also, the first lines should be catching and attractive for users so that they click the button and continue to read the description (when looking through the app store listing a user sees only several lines of the description, so the beginning is very important).
  • 5-6 screenshots of the app reflecting its key features. They should be attractive and easy understandable. Think about the functions that distinguish your application from the similar ones. Show them on the screens.
  • App icon is the first visual element users see while searching for the app. The icon should immediately convey what an app is about, in the simplest manner possible. Ir should be bright, beautiful, simple, and attract users.

 

Peculiarities you should know about the stores

 

comparing stores

Another important thing of your mobile app marketing strategy is the creation of a beautiful landing page for your product.By making this step right you help users to find your application on the web, inform them about key features, visualize the solution of their challenges, emphasize product advantages, and collect emails which will allow you to contact users in the future. Find some tips about this element of mobile app promotion.

2. Landing Page

Create an awesome landing page for your application. A landing page should have a catching title, rich content, which would reflect key features of the app, show benefits for users and solution to their problems. Include user positive testimonials and a short video about your app.

Other essential elements: app download buttons, a catching call-to-action (CTA), screenshots showing the key features, emails capture.

If you have already had a website, create a page specifically for the app. Remember about SEO required to drive traffic to the site.

It will also be reasonable to test a header, CTA button and / or other landing page elements before product launch. After user feedback is gathered and measured you will understand what needs to be changed.

3. SMM – Social Media Marketing

Publish posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram. Include images (either designer makes them or find suitable beautiful images on specific stocks). Create different content related to the app idea, features, problems it solves.

The content should be made for the target audience and include useful information, special offers, prize drawings, links to the landing page, articles, posts, etc.

Facebook – from 3 to 10 posts a day.

Twitter – from 1-2 tweets a day.

Creating app social media pages, pay attention to the cover, profile information, website link, link to the App Store or Google Play (or them both), and other elements. After 30 followers on Facebook, you will get access to app page statistics.

Social Media Monitoring Tools

  • Mention
  • Keyhole
  • Buzzsumo
  • Brandwatch

Social Media Content Management Tools

  • Buffer
  • Hootsuite

Social Media Analytics Tools

  • Klout
  • Rival IQ
  • Buzzsumo

 

4. Tech Publications & Press Releases

Publishing press releases on tech websites (f.e. TechCrunch, Mashable) is one of the most effective steps to mobile app marketing strategy.

Some platforms offer paid services so you get a guaranteed publishing, but there are also multiple websites that provide this option for free (but without a guaranteed answer as many editors will be busy with hundreds and thousands of emails).

Steps to perform at this stage:

  • Research tech publications and any other media outlets relevant to your niche
  • Develop a pitch for an article that will feature your app while providing value for a publication’s target audience
  • Contact editors

A press release must contain the following elements:

  • The name of the app
  • What it does, and why it is different (1-2 sentences)
  • The price
  • A link to app landing page / your website
  • A link to the app store product page
  • Two screenshots
  • A short video (30 seconds)
  • App description in a concise paragraph. Say who your audience is, what your app does (which challenge or challenges it solves), what sets it apart from competitors.
  • Contact information; social media links
  • Offer a press manager some bonuses. For example, if the app is paid, provide him or her with a promo code.
  • Send a press release 2 weeks before product launch.

So, we’ve gathered the main elements of mobile app marketing strategy before the release and at a release stage. Hope, you’ve found useful tips in it.) If you have some questions or need smart recommendations to your project, feel free to apply to our software development company!

author avatar
Smartym Marketing Team