Guest Post by Jonathan
Hey there ClickNewz fans, My name is Jonathan and I am a professional App reviewer. Is that even a job, you ask?
That depends on what you consider to be a job. I'm addicted to Apps, so I use them and write about it – what more could I ask for?
I wish to share some really useful information for App developers, but you could use that information even if you have always dreamed about developing that first App of yours.
Ranking your App in the App store's top paid or free Apps is just as desirable as having your website in the first Google results page. However, since you're wise and know that the competition is tough, you can assume it's not a walk in the park...
Since you likely spent (or will spend) a good amount of time and/or money developing your App, you probably plan to get rich with it.
Did you know only about 5% of developed Apps have made their owners rich?
There are 4 basic options for monetizing Mobile Apps
a. App's fixed price (0.99$ usually).
b. In-App paid upgrades (new weapons for example).
c. In-App ads (the most common option).
d. Co-operations and forming an online community.
But none of these options can earn you one penny unless your App is outranking similar ones, because App users such as myself are usually lazy enough not to scroll through more than the first Top 25 in the App store.
What does it take, you ask?
The top ranked Mobile Apps in the App store grab about 80% of the mobile users, but they earned it, and this is how:
- A free App will need approximately 40 thousands unique daily downloads if it wants to climb to the top list.
- Top paid Apps lists, on the other hand, will evolve around 4 thousand daily downloads to get included.
- If you're App is a specific category-oriented, you're life could be even easier. A game App requires your free game to be downloaded 26,000 in one day, and your paid game – 3,000.
- Which category requires the least amount of daily downloads to get into the top Apps? If you guessed photography Apps – you are correct! You will only need 300 daily downloads to get a paid app of the photography niche to the top lists.
Mobile App Marketing Strategies
Mobile App marketing is divided into two basic concepts...
First one would be paid organic promotion, which will require you to hire a Mobile App marketing agency to perform in-app advertisement campaigns for you.
It basically means that your App's ad will show within free Apps that have this as a business model; the user download the free Apps, under one condition of getting exposed to advertisements.
Personally, I'm against the in-App ads method as it's annoying, and usually the free Apps don’t last long on the back of my iPhone.
The better way is developing a social community that will eventually get engaged to use your App. Using social media to develop that community is an awesome tactic, and you must act wise on this one. Here's our quick social media tutorial to earn more App users:
Twitter Mobile App Marketing Strategies
The almighty tweeting system should be your very first stop. Own a profile carrying the application's exact title, so it will be visible for people who search it within Twitter and even Google.
Use the same design as your App's landing page or company page, so users will feel at home. Target App reviewers and big news sites and start following them, mentioning them in your tweets and re-tweets.
Facebook Mobile App Marketing Strategies
Same rules as Twitter, only here you can drop a few dimes in the Facebook piggy bank if you want a good head start.
I suggest running a full-targeted campaign and gaining your first Likes with it. Create a quick Facebook landing page that will graphically explain the users what your App is about, and what will can benefit from sticking to your page.
Create the impression that the App's page is actually a community. Be very responsive to answer your fans questions, and don't forget running weekly polls to engage them.
Google+ Mobile App Marketing Strategies
It's true that most of your future App users are using Facebook and Twitter rather than Google+, but existing in the search giant's social network is very important.
Show Google that your App is real, and furthermore – that your App's website is real by connecting all of your properties to the Google+ profile.
Join as many relevant circles as possible, and +1 your own site's content with it.
Getting your mobile application up to Apple's top lists depends not on how deep your pocket is, but how good are you at reaching a large audience.
If you create a community and get them enthusiastic about your upcoming launch, you will be in for a serious treat when it goes live.
The App development world could be cruel and un-rewarding at times, but if you do make it – you are going to make it big!
Author Bio: Jonathan is an App news reporter, covering anything that's hot in the iOS world. Writing for top social media sites such as ClickNewz is a hidden pleasure of his.
About Lynn Terry
Great one app champ!!!
Hi Jon,
Nice post for app developers, being a wp plugin creator and adobe air software maker, I'm also trying to enter mobile apps. But to being with do you advice paid apps, say for 0.99$ or having couple of free apps and monetizing them using ads? also any insight on the CTR and CPM we can expect for mobile ads?
Thanks
Jay Venka
The #1 Strategy for a successful app is make an app that doesn't fail, If you purchase a templates option you have very little chance of your business standing out. Be unique and provide utility or entertainment.
A wonderful blog on App Marketing. Its good to see social media being the target rather than mobile ads etc. Creating a stir on social channels is the major thing is what i feel. AppSurfer-Running Android apps on the web, shows great promise in creating a stir on Social Media. AppSurfer allows developers to allow users to run their apps in the browser, and before release they could create a teaser to get users excited. AppSurfer lets you run your apps on your blogs, inside the facebook newsfeed itself. Upload your apps on AppSurfer today
https://publisher.appsurfer.com/?utm_source=clicknewz&utm_medium=Comment&utm_campaign=Developer%2BPage
P.S: I loved the data about downloads required to reach the top. Cheers!
A very good posting. I like reding it and I want to learn more. I hope I can know more about mobile App Marketing Strategy. It is related closely to our daily activity because we use gadgets, mobile phones, smart phones etc. So we must learn this if we don't want to left behind in technology.
Thank you for these tips to market mobile apps. I have heard that mobile apps are now ruling smart phone industry. I am finding a developer to develop such an app. Thank you again.
Thank you, for this post, there are a lot of useful tips!
Mobile App marketing is a complex procedure that takes up a lot of time and effort for the marketer involved. You have shared some very helpful points, I really liked the Google+ Mobile App Marketing Strategies, thanks a lot for sharing.
Great idea for those who want to monetize with their mobile apps. More than 50% of the people does not make good money through their apps and they really need to use these strategies.
Thanks for the share. Do you know of any good resources where we can hire a person to create these mobile apps?
The mobile apps are developing fast today. Most of us can not avoid using those applications which support us in any activities we do. But we never know how to make or develop those apps because we are not in the field of making them and not experts as well and we have our activities with our profession. But we can learn to develop mobile applications or just hire an expert to make an application for us in accordance to our needs of course. This makes us creative or it can be a hobby, too.
I know mobile apps are coming up strong, but when all this stuff are thrown at consumers, how do you choose. It's getting harder by the minute.
Your main objective should be to try and provide your customers the maximum benefit they can ever get from the use of a mobile app. Remember, the customer is the actual key to your success, so see to it that he or she is completely satisfied with the services you have to offer.
Good post, there is a need to promote the app, like any product would be marketed in different ways. Not only giving it popularity, but also a top-of-mind position among consumers is attained.
Good post, Mobile App marketing strategy is little tuff. I think Apps are no longer a standalone entity for brands. Brands hence have to integrate apps into their marketing strategy as a whole.
Really good points you have shared, and Brands should also note that they should choose apps which will enhance the consumer’s overall experience of the device. Only then can they truly succeed in their marketing efforts.
With almost everyone having smart phones these days, mobile marketing can be really effective in promoting a business.
Really great tips, Mobile App strategy is little complicated comparatively, companies can and should develop a realistic strategy for getting into the mobile app world before they haul off and spend a bunch of money. Thanks a ton for sharing this post.
Mobile App marketing is actually very difficult. Promotion through social sharing is much difficult than paid, promotion. Most social media specialist do it in traditional way but all, efforts goes waste until the sharing does not spread like viral.
Companies need to present very well to the audience to bring out the appeal and desired results from it, the factors mentioned in the article speak a lot about the intensity of the competition existing. Good post, thanks for sharing.
Good post, the goal for anyone creating an app should be to see an initial marketing frenzy when the app is first released. Getting early attention and growing interest over time will help make that happen.
Apps appear to be the new Gold Rush. Rightfully so. I've been toying with a few ideas and my exploration of the app creation process has yielded an array of results, some concrete, others rather questionable. I have a touch of programming experience, though my strengths are more on the visual and marketing side. Within the app creation process, there are any number of steps than can be outsourced, or the whole process can be outsourced. Figuring out which parts drives overhead through the roof, or could potentially.
Thank you for sharing these mobile app marketing strategy, I recently hired a developer to build app for my waterproofing company, looking forward to get more clients through it.