It is every developer’s dream to launch an app that becomes an instant hit worldwide. But, with every passing year, millions of apps are being housed online on various app stores. And with the plethora of apps available, users decide within a span of few seconds, whether they like the new app or not.
The success of your new app depends on a number of factors. An intelligent app developer will start planning the marketing strategy of the app alongside its development process. A strong marketing plan will create the much needed hype around the launch of your app. Positive hype can increase the app’s visibility and credibility in the online marketplace. Therefore, it is important to create excitement and buzz around your app, before launching it, so that there are maximum downloads.
Here are some of our best strategies that can help you achieve a successful launch of your app:
1- Analyze your target audience
This rule applies for any new startup, regardless of whichever genre it belongs to. To create a successful app, analyzing your target audience is essential. Get in touch with the experts in the industry and get as much feedback as possible. Identify the age, gender, behavior and language of the people who will use your app. Incorporate this information in your marketing strategy, and learn to localize your app.
Another important tip is to study similar apps like yours, and identify their strengths and weaknesses. Learn from their mistakes, instead of repeating them again, in your own app. Try your best to make your app stand out in the market.
2- Work hard on your app store page
App Store Optimization (ASO) is a very important step in marketing your app to the correct audience. ASO literally means to optimize mobile apps so that they can get good ranking in an app store’s search results. Or, it can also be called the SEO of app stores. Most of the users only scroll through the first or second page of an app store, while looking for a new app. This is why, you need to work on increasing the online presence and visibility of your app, so that more people can access it. Start by working on the following points to increase your ASO:
-Keywords:
Much like SEO, the use of popular keywords can help you reach your potential users. However, before you finalize the app title, do a lot of research on which keyword you want to include, because it is not advisable to change an app title frequently. Therefore, it is crucial to pick the perfect name that strikes a balance between the app’s marketing and features.
-App description:
Even though it is really tempting to fit in as much keywords as you can in your app description, try not to do so. Remember, a user will decide whether the app is worth downloading or not, just by reading these few lines. Hence, creating a good introduction of your app can do wonders for your ASO.
-Logo design:
Don’t underestimate the power of a good design. A good logo catches the eye of potential users, and portrays your app to be professional and crisp in front of the users.
-Screenshots and video trailer:
Use both these features to tell a story. Involve your user from the minute they click on the app’s icon. Show them how interesting and useful your app is. Think of the screenshots and video trailer as another opportunity to advertise, and make sure they are engaging.
-Feedback and ratings:
Let’s be honest, most of us only download an app after reading positive reviews. This is a really important aspect of ASO, and can make or break your app! Highlight the good reviews and don’t hesitate to respond to the bad ones. It is better to ask what went wrong, and try to incorporate the feedback positively.
Once you learn to work on effective ASO strategies, you will reap the rewards in the form of consistent traffic.
3- Start blogging
Think of a blog as a voice for your app. Blogging regularly will help you reach out to your potential users, and will also create an effective online visibility for your app.
Create interesting content and put in some target keywords to create the perfect mix. You can also link your blog to other important influencers. This will not only create a buzz surrounding the launch of your app, but will also improve your blog’s search engine rankings.
4- Never underestimate the power of social media
Along with blogging, also use the power of other social media apps for maximum exposure. Identify your target audience and make use of platforms like Quora or Reddit. Social media allows the users to leave valuable comments and feedback that can be of great use for you during the app development and launch phase. Twitter is also an excellent platform to reach out to tech savvy influencers and is also a great medium for making announcements.
5- Focus on email marketing
Email is an important aspect of marketing that is often overlooked. Keep those email addresses ready that you collected from the landing page, blog, Twitter or other social media. Send emails with a personalized touch, as the charm of old school email is still strong and targets a wider category of people. Mailchimp is one our favorites.
6- Look for a good beta tester
Having a good beta tester by your side is really important. Don’t make the mistake of publishing your app before getting it tested by a reliable tester. There is nothing more disappointing for users than downloading an app with bugs. Also, the idea of being a closed beta can gather a lot of excitement for your app. Create an allure around the app, so people begin lining up to sign in, even when it is still in its beta testing phase.
If you really want your new app to be successful in the market, don’t waste time and start planning your marketing strategy. These tips will really help you in creating a powerful hype around your app, even before it is launched. Who knows, your app might turn out to be the next big thing in the app stores!
Author Bio: Kamil Riaz Kara is an HR Professional and Inbound Marketer with a Masters in Administrative Sciences from the University of Karachi. He frequently blogs on management, technology, lifestyle and health and is associated with Accelq Team. You can find him on LinkedIn
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