Essentials of Mobile App Marketing Strategy

Is Your Marketing Strategy Good Enough to See You Through the App Store?

Most apps fail to make it to the top of the app stores. This is the hard reality that several app developers face in the mobile app world. However, at the same time, you will notice, a huge number of apps are doing great in the app store and are very popular among the users. Confusing, isn’t it? The dynamics of app world revolves around the app marketing strategy. A successful app marketing plan is your way to enter in the mesmerizing world of mobile apps. In the absence of a proper marketing plan, a huge count of apps has lost their way in the labyrinth of app world.

So what are the nuances of an intelligent app marketing plan? What are the mistakes that marketers fall prey to, while formulating their app marketing strategy?

Before launching your app in the app store, it is important to answer the following questions:

What makes your app garner users’ attention? 
Influential designs are the integral part of mobile apps. It makes your app stand out among other apps available on the app stores. Creating high quality images, bright colored catchy icons and screen shots will help in attracting users’ eyes. Apps which provide great user interface and user experience get more attention from users.

How to beat competition?

The USP of your app will distinguish you from your competition. Develop the app with the USP in your mind. Why would someone want it? What makes it stand out? Is it needed among your audience(s)?

Capitalize on this USP of your app by spinning a web of techniques around the unique feature your app is offering. For instance, you may want to position your app as a quick messenger that allows users to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS. Position your marketing techniques around this feature to beat the heat of competition.

Which marketing strategy will help you most in achieving your ultimate objective?

Understand the various new age mobile specific marketing techniques to chalk-out a clear marketing plan and use the best technique, to enter in the app world, depending on your app features and user-behavior :

1. Advertising through Ad Networks – Mobile ad networks are the bridge between advertisers and publishers on mobile websites and apps. Display your ads on the network of mobile publishers through the top mobile ad networks, such as Admob, Inmobi, LeadBolt, JumpTap, MobClix, Jampp etc. to reach the potential users.

2. Using Real Time Bidding Platforms – Real-time bidding process happens in the blink of an eye. According to fiksu, a mobile app marketing platform, “Real Time Bidding is the ‘stock market’ of selling and buying display ad space in online media – while obtaining control of your entire inventory all the way down to one impression at a time and in real time.” Platforms such as, Rocket Fuel, Ad Form, Digilant, Lucid Media, TheTradeDesk etc. allow you to bid on mobile traffic in real-time.

3. Incentive-Based Download Programs – offer incentives in the form of virtual currency to the players which they can use in their current game. The concept of incentivized downloads is to encourage users to download and try out other apps.

4. Work with a large number of traffic sources to avoid audience saturation. Work with several Mobile App Ad Networks, Real-Time Bidding Platforms and Incentive-Based Download Programs to know what works best for your app.

A successful app marketing plan includes mix of all the above mentioned techniques as well as online techniques such as, banner advertising and Pay Per Click campaigns that target desktop web, offline activities, TV and radio advertising, and even print marketing.

Marketers also track users’ post-download activities such as, which age-group is accessing the app? How many times a user is accessing the app? Which area of the app is being accessed? How much time a user is spending on the app? etc. All this information can be collected through mobile analytics tools such as:  Countly, MediaLets, MixPanel, BrandAttention, Sitespect and many more.

Based on the record of these mobile analytics tools, you can easily ascertain which marketing techniques are more useful for your app promotion. It helps you in eliminating inefficient ad spending and shifting budget to those traffic sources and campaigns that are delivering loyal users, who use your app repeatedly, make purchases, and spread the word among others.

For more information on iPhone app development and marketing strategy send in your email to marketing@ymedialabs.com