The Best Strategies to Boost App Downloads Right After its Launch

Convince users to download your app by implementing the best mobile app marketing strategies.

Mobile app technology has now become an essential need for every business to compete and grow fast in the ongoing flaming market. Our needs, demands, and attitude of expecting results instantly have made the mobile app market more extensive than ever.

The total number of mobile apps is soon to hit the 5 million mark and to stand out in the crowd; you need to come up with something exceptional. It is all about ensuring that your app doesn't get lost in the massive pile of apps.

App store optimization is one thing that most app owners do not take seriously. Many people think that once the app is developed, the work is done, but in reality, the next inevitable step follows the need to invest time and money into the marketing of the app to make sure that the app gets its due recognition among its target audience.

So, what does it take for an app to get optimized to an app store?

Considering some of the points below and implementing them during app development will take your app to the top in-app store search results that will ultimately boost mobile app downloads. You can integrate:

• Interesting and valuable share options
• Embed user-friendly ways to navigate the app
• Credits or prizes for sharing the app with others

App Download Stats and Figures

With the increase in the number of apps in the app stores, new app downloads have also shot up. According to Statista, there were around 197 million mobile app downloads, which was a jump of 50 million as compared to the 149.3 million downloads in 2016. Going by the same pace, the app downloads will reach the 352.9 million mark by 2021.

The exponential push behind the staggering number in the app downloads can be credited to the following factors:

• Regular hardware updates;
• Introduction of new features;
• App compatibility with the new types of device screens (foldable smartphones);
• Increase in the number of people using smartphones.

These stats stand in the backdrop of a recent study that has revealed that users don’t wish to have a stack of apps on their device and like to have only a handful of apps. It also gives rise to the uninstallation of apps on a regular basis.

How to Increase App Downloads?

Virality isn't about marketing your app; it's about how much users are indulging in the app’s content and sharing it with others directly. So, to make the most out of it, many mobile app development companies develop fantastic apps based on standard principles to help businesses earn increased app downloads.

Here are the best techniques that will help get more app downloads for your app.

1. Title Helps the Most

The title of the mobile app helps the most to rank it in the app store while search. According to a report, 63% of the downloads are from random search in the app store. Therefore, make sure your app title should give an idea about its functionality and also include the keyword you are targeting. 

App store focus on the keywords that users search the most and the search results are displayed accordingly. But it doesn’t mean that you stuff the keyword in the app content, as it may make your app ineligible and will result in the app rejection.

2. Target Keywords Accordingly

App Store Optimization or ASO a vital in amplifying the app downloads. ASO is divided into textual and visual parts. For the textual optimization, there is a need to pay attention to the name, description as well as keywords and for this, you should research traffic and competition for keywords.

You should select the targeted keywords according to the app’s functionality. If the app already has plenty of downloads and getting great traffic, then you should consider targeting the more competitive keywords to make the app more optimized.

But If you have just started to compete in the ocean of apps, then you should choose the keywords with low search volume and moderate traffic. To get more help in finding the right keywords for your app, you can check out the following app keyword planner tools:

• App Annie;
• Google Analytics;
• SimilarWeb;
• App Radar;
• SensorTower and more.

3. Localization

Every App store is categorized geographically by country and should be targeted according to the local audience. Every country has a different culture and language, so you should localize your app according to the targeted region to give the app an edge on the international market.

You are allowed to change metadata of your app for a different country and thus, make the most out of it. Localization helps a lot in increasing the market of the app, as it unfolds new opportunities to acquire more potential users.

You can also try to offer region-specific features for a particular audience because it will help you build more trust among the users and that further brings the app uninstallation rates down subsequently.

4. The substance of Description and App Interface

After a user discovers an app, he needs to convince himself that he has reached the right place. And the best technique to make your app content convincing enough is to embed the target keywords in the meta description with a complete overview of the app. You need to remember that the description should be short and include the functionality of the app and its key features that tempt the user to hit the install button.

When it comes to visual optimization, people pay attention to screenshots but make sure to use them with some text description. With the help of screenshots, you can show how your app looks, but for that, you need to put a clear image of your app that shows exactly what the user is looking for. So, if you know the ways to have a good user interface and design, you'll be able to have increased app downloads.

In addition, the mobile app preview video is also a significant factor, but should not be more than 30 seconds. To make it successful, describe a path which a user takes to use the main functions of the app.

5. App Rating and Reviews are Key Aspects

Have you ever downloaded a 1-star app? App rating plays a very substantial role in-app search and also convince the user to download the app. Whereas app reviews are important when users have discovered the app and looking for reasons to download it.

Positive mobile app reviews increase users' trust in the product, but it can only be obtained by pleasing the user with awe-inspiring service, features, and functionalities.

Positive mobile app reviews are essential to get app download, but if you are stimulating the user with a pop up to review the app, pay attention to the following factors:

• Ask the user when the task is complete and then ask for a review. This way you are not interrupting the experience.
• If the user is not satisfied with your app, then give him an option and encourage him to send you the feedback directly. This way, your negative comments will not be shown publicly.

Don't try to fake the reviews as the app store tracks all the details like the time span between reviews and how long the user used the app. If the app store monitoring team find any dubious activity, it may cost you in terms of decreased rating as punishment.

6. Regular Data Analyzing

No matter what keywords you have targeted and what tactics you have implied at the end of the day, all you need is the result. After implementing all these steps, test all the data and analyze the behavior.

Testing of all the collected data will narrow down your point of the strike to get downloads for your app. You will be aware of the keyword you need to work on and what your targeted user expects from you. Data never lies and it will help you to improvise in the field you are lagging.

You can analyze the app's performance to know where it's lacking behind. Based on such metrics, you can tailor your app details.

Here are some of the best app analytics tools:

• Kumulos;
• Appsee;
• Apptica;
• Trafficguard;
• Smartlook and more.

7. Opt For a Well-Designed Website

Building a website is an essential part of marketing because a strong web presence is the best way of generating initial user traffic. Hence, your app website should be awe-inspiring, and this factor can be accomplished only when your web presence has some critical elements, which should include:

• The name and logo of your app should be there, which helps you to increase recognition;
• Explain the features of the app to make it compelling;
• Include a call to action (CTA);
• Try to garner some positive reviews about the app.

Besides, there should be a right blog section on your site to engage your users with informative articles explaining the benefits of using the app.

8. Follow In-App Referral Programs

If you're thinking to integrate in-app referral program, you can only do it if your app has quality, relevance, and trust. Once done, the right in-app referral programs can be implemented to please the users by making them the brand ambassador of the app.

A good referral strategy can be made by including some essential things, which means a reward should be given to the person making the referral and the one who is being referred.

For example, if the app serves food delivery demands, you can offer a discount on the next food order for the reference. It should include the user, as well as the referral.

9. Social Media Outreach

How to market an app successfully? At a time when social media has made an ineluctable place among the new generation, it makes more sense to promote your app through social media channels like quora. Before that, you need to have a clear picture of your app; the app’s public persona and what audience you need to target.

If the app is business-oriented, then go for the bland business language and promote it over such social media platforms, which is business-specific like LinkedIn. And if the app is cool and trendy, you can think of targeting the younger generation over Instagram and Facebook.

Check out the popular social media platform, which can help you raise the apps’ voice among the relevant audience:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Youtube
• Pinterest
• LinkedIn
• FourSquare

Don’t stick to app promotion posts; try to converse and engage with the fans, as it will help you understand the users. To increase the app engagement, reply to comments and make your point clear. Do remember to follow the guidelines of every social media channel, as it may backfire sometimes.

10. Offer Your App Free at First

Making your app free at the time of launch is an excellent strategy to increase the app downloads, as it can give you a much-needed push initially. After a few days, you can make it paid, depending upon the response it gets in the first phase.

If you initially rolled out the app as paid, make it free for a few days and analyze the response rate, as this technique can surely stir curiosity among the user and will result in more app downloads.

It will also affect the engagement rate and will help boost the app ranking on the App Store and Play Store. Ultimately, the app will become more visible.

11. Make Use of Influencers and communities

It is well proven that the help of influencers and well-set communities help a number of business models in affecting the purchasing designs. In the same way, getting your app reviewed or a shoutout from an influencer will help in getting more exposure and at the same time, the trust factor will build.

Before getting in touch with an influencer, make sure that he/she resonates with your target audience. It will prove to be a beneficial drive for the app, make your app a brand, and branding will surely increase the app downloads.

12. Utilize the Service of Press

Press or media plays an integral part in keeping the people aware of all the latest updates, but why will the media cover a single app when thousands of apps are released each day.

As per Statista’s data, about 6,140 mobile apps were launched in the Google Play Store during the last measured period.

Interestingly, in an Entrepreneur.com article, the writer mentioned a story of Iliya Yordanov, founder of the personal finance app MoneyWiz. After launching an app, Yordanov tried contacting many media houses and app review sites in the US, but he didn’t get a positive reply.

But then he jumped to foreign markets like Russia, Spain, Germany, Italy, and France and shared the same press release - to his surprise, the app got a stupendous response and reached the number one spot in the finance category on the App Store.

So, do try the media angle as well and reach out to the relevant media channels.

It’s Time to Hit the Pedal

So, these were the answers to your queries like ‘how to boost app downloads’ and ‘how to get downloads for your app?’

Right now, the mobile app industry is a vast market, and competition is fiercer than ever. With the regular invasion of enterprises in the app technology, almost every business has its mobile app. To lead the market and obtain maximum downloads, you need to involve the strategies to get more downloads for your app and need to promote your app as well.

Proper marketing of your app is an indispensable part of its success, and people will pay for it only when they are aware of the app’s features and functionalities. Hence, all these growth hacking breakdowns for your mobile app should not be ignored at any cost.

These techniques to boost mobile app download don't magically provide you with tons of users overnight. You need to implement these ways to increase app downloads to make the app go viral.