There was a time when mobile apps were new and there were not so many of them available. For app developers of that day, getting a new app noticed required little effort. Today, the majority of us now use a handheld device of some kind to search for news, information, and entertainment. That’s in addition to using it to communicate with and now apps are everywhere and the number keeps growing. How exactly are you going to be able to get yours noticed in such a deep-sea of competition?
Here are some things you should know about marketing your mobile app.
1 – Spend Some Money On Market Research
Sure, you may have an idea for the next best app in the world. However, that is only part of the equation. With market research, you can have the data collected that will tell you a lot more about the likelihood of your app taking flight than just what your friends are telling you. Plus, market research will help you determine where you can sell your app and who will be your potential download customers. This data can help you long before you build and market your app.
2 – Think About Adding An App Inbox
While you are developing your app you should put some serious consideration into having an app inbox as one of the features. Downloading your app is one thing, but if you intend to provide customer service and engage with your new followers, an app inbox gives them a way to reach you. Yes, you could skip that and just use old-school email but why do that if you are developing an app with new technology? Add an app inbox and use that as a bonus feature.
3 – Be Clear That It Is An App You Are Building
In case you didn’t know this part, there is quite a difference between a mobile app and a mobile website. Sure, you will save a bundle and probably do just fine releasing an updated version of your mobile website instead of an app but they are not the same. Apps function different to websites and usually do so with streamlined functionality. If you have come this far in your project development, don’t take the mobile website shortcut and release an app.
4 – Flexibility Has To Be Part Of Your Plan
Remember that you are using this year’s technology for the construction of your app. This is important to keep in mind as operating systems that are current this very moment are going to be outdated sometime soon and again after that. You have to somehow build in a flexibility factor with your app so that it can be updated when required to keep operating as smooth as it does today. Failing to do this will end up in your app getting deleted over time.
5 – Factor In Marketing Before Your Launch
We mentioned a deep-sea of competition a few lines ago. It is because of that you need to have a marketing plan in place before your app exits the development phase. This way you create a buzz that can reach out to potential customers who don’t know they need to download your app until there hear about how cool it is. With the market research, you’ve done already use data such as color preferences, preferred features, etc. to give your app some extra advance PR.
6 – Generate Extra Revenue With In-App Advertising
One great way to earn a steady ongoing stream of income to help finance your next app is to use your current one as an advertising medium. Remember, the people who have downloaded and are already using your app are kind of a captive audience. For target marketing, you can’t go wrong with this sort of access which makes a popular app a great choice to advertise all kinds of products and services. Your app could be one of those marketers seek to advertise in.
7 – Make Sharing Of Your App Easy
Nothing slows down the growth of a mobile app quite like a whole lot of restrictions. Sure, you still want to make money through the download process and hopefully with some in-app advertising but sometimes the best form of marketing is through peer-to-peer sharing. That doesn’t mean giving your app away but when you provide the tools that permit links to your app to be shared on social media, you gain a lot more downloads from friends of friends.
8 – Follow The KISS Rule
When you Keep It Simple, Silly, you save yourself and the tech department a lot of grief down the road. Once your app is launched, have peer groups test it for you. Ask for feedback and simplify your app from that. Test again, take feedback and simplify again. The easier your app is to understand and learn to use, the more likely it will get used over and over again. Try to avoid making functions, commands and graphics too complicated as well.
9 – Be There For Your Customers
Customer service was touched on briefly already but it is something so important that it required a point all its own on this list. Your app is not going to be perfect and someone somewhere is going to find an issue. If they can communicate with you (thanks to the app inbox) you should be there to respond. With personal attention to your customers, your brand reputation increases and brings more value to what you are doing in the first place.
In Conclusion
According to Digital Authority, marketing mobile apps is challenging enough with so many of them vying for attention. If you take care of some vital steps before you launch your app, marketing of it will not only be easier but your app will be a solid performer because of it. Don’t rush the development as that can be worse for you than taking the effort to ensure all pre-launch activities have been accomplished first. The world needs more apps and yours could be the next bestseller. If you need marketing assistance, check this list of expert mobile app marketing agencies.
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