If you’ve recently jumped on the mobile app bandwagon, you’ve definitely done your business a massive favour. By constantly eclipsing the website usage, mobile apps have become an integral part of a business’ digital strategy. But it’s one thing to have an app and quite another to have it work wonders for you. Modern entrepreneurs know the immense potential of mobile apps and it’s that conviction that leads them to build one(maybe more) for their business. This part is easily understood but it’s the one that follows that’s a bit murky and where most people have trouble. How to get that app in the hands of its end-users? Marketing is the answer, but entrepreneurs aren’t nearly informed enough in that area. Well, if it’s the search for information that brought you here, you’ve landed at the right place. Through the course of this blog, you’ll learn about some of the most effective App Marketing tools and techniques. So without further ado, let’s dive in straight away:

1. Get Higher Ranking With ASO

ASO stands for App Store Optimization and it’s the app’s version of SEO. The idea is to get your app’s ranking higher on the marketplace for a given keyword. It makes sense because the higher your app ranks, the more chances it has of gaining visibility. That can be backed by a recent survey, which found that 61% of users on both the Play Store and App Store utilized the search to explore new mobile apps. When doing the ASO you have to focus on such things as title, keyword, description and certain visual elements. ASO isn’t that difficult either, anyone with minimum research can get the hang of it, yet if done right it can prove immensely useful.

2. Use Of Engaging Visuals

If you’ve done your ASO right and got your app ranking higher on the search listings, you’re sure to get many people checking out your app. The first thing they’re going to notice is its visuals. They’re the app’s identity, they show what one can expect from the app’s user-interface. Appealing and engaging visuals can easily lure the user into installing the app. If, however, the visuals themselves look bland and clunky, users would be discouraged and would decide against giving a chance to the app. Design, functionality and features are the three things users are most keen to look up in any app, so make sure you are showing all of them in the visuals.

3. A Microsite For Major Traffic

App Stores aren’t the only places where people will go to find the apps. There are tons of places on the web where the app marketing drum could be beaten. A space on the internet to express your work is always worthwhile and that’s where microsites come in. You can use them to create some buzz about your app even before its launch. It can work like a Landing page with call-to-actions and fields for email addresss. The latter will allow you to get in touch with early adopters and people who’ve become curious about your app. If you keep the microsite updated with engaging apps, it will provide a constant supply of users for a long long time.

4. Promotional Videos That Speak To Your Audience

Videos are definitely one of the most ways to promote an app. They could be used to inform users about the various exciting features of your app and what makes it different from the rest. Most successful videos are creative, where a certain aspect from real world is related to app’s functionality. That offers a personal touch and makes the message seem more convincing. Through videos, a key element of marketing i.e. voice is also brought to the fore. Your message spoken-out loud in your own unique style. That’s something that makes videos all the more special. So videos, not just after the app launch but even before that can prove influential in generating awareness and increasing the audience reach.

5. Influencers, Journalists, and Review Sites

Journalists, bloggers and reviewers, the coterie of these people is always on top of anything exciting and newsworthy. What’s worth highlighting is that these people are trusted and often boast a huge fan following on Social Media.

So, all you need to do is reach out to the bloggers who write about the type of app you’re trying to create or have created recently. A blog or two by them could bring could substantial traffic to your app. Also, you could take part in online forums that discuss things related to your app. By providing a decent bit of information about how the app works and its various benefits, you can expect the community to take interest in your app.

Then there are the review websites and video channels on Youtube. Usually, these people are considered to be the ultimate authority on things they like to talk about. Getting your app reviewed by authority reviewers could bring a tremendous boost to your app’s traffic.

6. Ramp Up Your Social Media Marketing

Social Media keeps getting more and more popular. With websites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc. people don’t feel like they even need to read anymore. Everything gets updated on the social media and trending topics easily find their way to the top. So, it’s a potent marketing tool and it would be a crime not to use to use it for your app promotion. You can start off by creating a Facebook page that provides basic information about your app, this will help in generating awareness and also establish a community of your own. To ramp up the heat, contests could be initiated that are sure to create a buzz around your app.

Next, there are referral programs, in a which a user is given some kind of reward for referring the app to a friend. As you begin to get reasonable traffic, it’s important to tend to the request and queries of your customers. Prompt and satisfactory resolutions will add weight to your credibility and that’s always a good thing in the world of Social Media. Also, it’s quite important to integrate call to action across all types of social media channels. That way you’ll be able to increase user-engagement and bring home potential app users.

Last but not the least, the social media integration should be there in your app as well. It just makes it easy for people to share your app around.

Final Thoughts

So those were the key marketing techniques that being an app owner you always want to test out. In marketing, you really don’t know what platform or strategy would bring the desired outcome, so it’s best to invest some amount of effort in as many channels as possible. Did you enjoy reading the blog? Did I miss out on some elusive marketing hack? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.