The popularity of mobile apps is on the rise, with its usage becoming increasingly prevalent in different business and consumer markets.
But with over a million apps on Google Play and Apple App Store, the challenge most publishers come across is distribution. How do you reach out to your target audience?
What are the available options out there, and what are the costs? More importantly, how do you want to gain more visibility and downloads for your mobile apps?
Here are eight simple tips on how you can boost the online visibility of your apps:
1. Build An Engaging Landing Page
To improve the visibility of your mobile app on the app store for it to appear in search engines and drive more installs, you need to create an engaging landing page.
Optimize your landing page’s appearance. While it’s true that one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, if the landing page of your app isn’t engaging, this could negatively affect a user’s choice in downloading your app.
You could choose up to five attractive screenshots, as well as three video previews that would highlight the key functions of your apps and will attract more users. It also helps you work with one of the best app store optimization services in the industry.
2. Choose Category Wisely
App stores have different categories in which you can pick the category for your app. This is a smart decision as it will affect your app’s rankings in a specific category, at the same time providing your customers an idea of what your app does.
Pick a specific category that’s most relevant to your app. You also need to consider the level of competition in a specific category as well. Choose the category of apps that are quite the same as yours because most users nowadays are more aware of the categories.
Ideally, try to stay away from choosing inappropriate categories as this could penalize your app because it’s against the App Store Guidelines.
3. Have A Clear Description
If you failed to include your desired SEO magic in the app title, then you can still make it up. Don’t overload your content description with content that’s tailored to appeal to crawler bots only.
It’s still essential that you appeal to the actual person, or your target users to encourage them to download and engage with your app.
Excellent copywriting will blend the keywords with a clear description of how your app functions and what it does.
4. Allow Users To Rate Your App
Letting users review your app is one of the best ways for them to review your product before using or buying it. With this technique, you can let users recognize how your app works. This helps improve trust with the product that you’re about to launch.
Users will also suggest to their friends and network about the products that they have a positive experience with. On the other hand, if a user isn’t satisfied with your product, they simply neglect it.
So, it’s a good idea to allow users to rate your app because it helps boost your app’s visibility. It also helps them identify your app, and how well it performs by following this technique.
Don’t hesitate to ask your most loyal customers for reviews as well, to improve your overall rating. More positive ratings in your app will encourage more users to install it after learning that your app is verified and trusted by other users.
5. Let Users Know You Value Them
Take some time to let your fans and followers know how much you value them. Address whatever issues, concerns, and complaints that they might have, let them know that you heard them, and you’re doing your best to fix the problem.
Respond to user reviews as well in a timely manner, and accept both positive and negative feedback.
6. Invest In Facebook Advertising
The Install Ad feature of Facebook advertising is a great way to reach out to your target audience and achieve downloads. It efficiently targets and filters your target audience.
So, try using it in your apps, as it is extremely easy to target, track, and build campaigns.
7. Consider Referral Marketing
What do giant names like Facebook, Airbnb, DropBox, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Slack all have in common?
Well, it turns out, referral marketing turned out to be one of the most crucial channels in driving high app downloads. Referral marketing, also known as word-of-mouth marketing, its primary objective is to garner more app installs based on the suggestions of your most trusted acquaintances or recommendations.
Let’s take in Uber’s marketing referral program for instance. Most ride-sharing apps are now duplicating its tactic- a two-sided referral program, which rewards users, while the other one their drivers.
Uber’s main focus was on the driver’s referral programs because they were loyal partners. Forever new rider they get on board, they’ll receive a $5 referral reward.
8. Choose The Right Keywords
You can prepare a list of relevant keywords by also considering the keywords that are being targeted by your competitors.
In the beginning, focus on low-competition keywords as this would help you rank in the top list of keywords. Over time, when you get a good number of reviews and downloads, you could optimize further with more competitive keywords.
Take note that the App Store has a maximum of 100 character keyword field. This could affect the search results. On the other hand, Google Play allows relevant keywords from the app description to rank the app.
In Summary
Gaining visibility for your app is a continuous endeavor. Both your organic and paid endeavors will work together to maximize the visibility of your app, your search rank, as well as organic installs from high-quality leads and users.
After all, what’s the point of creating the best and most innovative app in the market if it’s going to end up buried at the very depths of your app store? So, apply these tips and tweaks, and closely measure the changes.
