So you have built the right app for your business, did the competitive analysis, followed the right path to development, got the coolest logo made, designed flawless user experience, and have successfully launched it. Bravo!
Everything’s looking a-ok, except one thing – no one is downloading your app. Don’t worry, you’re not the only one in this boat of disappointment. Many businesses face this, but there is so much at play here that needs to be understood.
For starters, you are tapping into a market place that is overflowing with apps. Do you want a number? With 2.7 billion smartphone users, there are 2.8 million apps on Google Play Store and 2.2 million on Apple Store.
The competition is stiff and every app is doing its best to be acknowledged, downloaded, and interacted with more than twice. Just like the rest of them; you need to make the right additional efforts to make your app stand out and increase app downloads.
Mobile app download statistics tell us that there is an expected 25% increase in app download between 2018 and 2022. Now it is a matter of beating your competition.
We gathered some tried and tested techniques that will give your mobile app the downloads it deserves. So let’s start, shall we?
First things first, are you familiar with App Store Optimization? This is the first step that you need to consider.
What is App Store Optimization (ASO)?
If you are familiar with SEO (search engine optimization), then understanding app store optimization will be a breeze. While SEO gives you visibility within the search engine, ASO does that but more effectively for mobile apps within app stores.
In other words, app store optimization ranks your app within the store and places it into the top charts. The higher the rank, the higher the app visibility, and better the chances of users stumbling on your app when they search.
Now there are quite a few factors that affect your ASO; from reviews, keyword relevancy, social popularity, revenue, and much much more. So your app’s ranking is affected by several factors and if everything goes positively, your app could land as the ‘hottest’ in app stores. This will evidently boost your downloads.
However, there are several other great ways that can help your app with downloads.
1) Naming and Describing Your App Properly
One of the obvious and important aspects of your app that differentiates you from others is your app’s unique name. In addition to the name, the description of your app matters as well.
A name that stands out and is remembered by the people is a clear winner. That is what we are going for. Now, how to come up with a creative name?
- App stores give a 225 character limit on the name alone, but it is best to make use of 25 characters max. No one likes or remembers a long app name.
- Since we are aiming uniqueness here, going for names already available or their variations won’t serve you. Hence, search extensively and then choose one.
- An app name that depicts the kind of app it is and what it provides is even better. Users don’t have to guess or just look past it when searching.
Now coming to the description of your app, which is another quite crucial make-or-break section of your app. You need to be careful and strategic about this part. It needs to give precise information that includes the benefits, features, any social acknowledgment it received, call-to-actions, and more. All this not only affects the perception of the user about your app but also your app store optimization.
2) Make a Great Logo
Just like the name of your app, the logo is the first thing that people see. Humans are naturally more receptive to images; which is why your logo needs to stand out.
Although there is so much room for creative freedom, your logo still needs to be sharp and precise. Nothing too in-your-face or tacky. A simple logo that hints what your app is about is a perfect balance.
Need some inspiration? Check this blog post about some of the best logos out there.
3) Use Social Media
You simply cannot miss the opportunity to market your app for free on social media. It is one of the most influential platforms of today. However, before you start marketing on every social platform, make sure you are aware where your audience largely resides.
Once you know which social network to heavily invest in, start doing research about the creative ways of approaching them; this could be posts, short videos, polls, contests, and more. Your marketing team would know the drill, but assuming you’re here to learn or is a one-man team – there is much to do.
Most importantly, make sure that your app is presented to its best potential. Drive as much engagement as you can. Reply to comments and try directing them to a landing page that speaks about your app and has a call-to-action button for app download.
4) Add High-Definition and Striking Photos and Videos
Speaking about the landing page of your mobile app and the app description within the app store; both should have screenshots, photos, and short informative videos.
Remember, a lot of the people, maybe even yourself, when searching for apps, immediately look at the screenshots and videos provided. It makes the decision making the process faster because these photos videos highlight the key features and user interface of your app.
This is why it is necessary to invest in eye-catching photos and videos. You can show different aspects of your app in screenshots, gifs, and small videos with animated arrows pointing to what users can do within the app.
Small videos introducing your app, its functionality, and a small demo on how user-friendly it is will convince the users to hit that download button. A professionally made video on your landing page and on the description section will immediately give it a promising look,
5) Get Reviews
One of the factors that help users strain out the best apps out of several is the reviews it receives. If the positive reviews outweigh the few bad ones, then your app downloads will increase automatically.
People would rather trust the reviews of fellow users than what app boasts. Knowing someone has already experienced the app, gives them a sense of confidence when deciding if the app is worth it or not.
Unfortunately, some go the route of buying fake reviews to increase the credibility of their app; not knowing that even if they get the downloads, their app may still get abandoned if not satisfactory to the user. Moreover, the app store can detect fake reviews and suspend your app entirely. So best avoid that route and ask for genuine reviews.
Organic reviews are genuine insights into how well your app is doing. In addition, even if you get a bad review of certain performance issues, you can immediately rectify it and send an update. The immediate response to their negative feedback will increase users’ trust in your app.
Reach out to influencers; Influencer Marketing
You don’t have to rely on app store reviews only. These days, influencer marketing is playing a great role in helping brands reach out to a larger audience. These influencers review a product that their audience can relate to and drive conversions.
Similarly, you can approach popular YouTubers, influential bloggers, and publications who have an audience for your app. They can use your app, and if they like it, they can review it on their platform alerting their users about the existence of your app. Not only your app is reaching a wider audience, but it is also being recommended by a personality that the audience admire.
Another way you can ask users for their reviews is by offering something in return. So let’s say after a certain activity, your app shows a pop-up asking for a review and in return promises a coupon, redeemable points, or access to exclusive features for a limited time. This positive encouragement will entice them to give a genuine review.
6) Refine your Keyword Game
Keyword research is important for your app’s visibility. Your description should add enough relevant keywords that users might be searching for. Don’t just go for the keywords with a high volume, but also make sure they are relevant to your app.
Otherwise, keyword stuffing and that too with irrelevant keywords will only harm your app’s credibility, visibility within the app store, and ultimately the downloads.
Apart from searching manually, you can make use of helpful keyword research tools like Adwords Keyword Tool, Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, Google Search Console, and many more.
7) Analyze User Behavior
Boosting downloads doesn’t always have to do with external efforts that include marketing, asking for reviews, so on, and so forth. Sometimes, you need to look within the app and the experience it provides. The better the user experience, the more chances of it being appreciated by users who then spread the word within their circles.
For this, analytics are important. Analytical tools help to understand the expectations of users with your app and deliver just that. Moreover, you can also gauge users’ behavior from the time they download until they either abandon or delete it.
One of the most popular analytical tools is Google’s Universal Analytics. There are more resources available, such as Apple App Analytics, Mixpanel, Amplitude, and more.
Once you know how your app is used, you can make the necessary improvements within the user experience. This, in turn, will positively reflect on your app download rate.
Wrapping Up
A mobile app’s success starts with its development stages. The better it is built, the smoother it will be its after-launch marketing efforts. A professional mobile app development company in Dallas, such as AppVerticals, that has a proven track record of creating some of the best mobile apps and providing impeccable mobile app development services.
After the successful launch, you can use these techniques to boost your app downloads. Remember, what works for your competitor, may not necessarily work for you. So experiment, see what fits with your audience, and go for it.
