Imagine competing with a mere 500 mobile apps in the App Store. It’s a mobile marketer’s dream.
This was precisely the case when the App Store was first introduced to the market in July 2018. However, things have changed drastically. Apple’s App Store today is the second-largest app store with almost 1.84 million available apps for iOS.
The growth of smartphone adoption and mobile apps to meet the needs of users presents an increasing challenge for mobile marketers.
Mobile app “unicorn” success stories happen infrequently these days. A robust go-to-market strategy is imperative for mobile app success. As app marketing becomes more competitive, you’ll need to consider a seeding (i.e., pre-launch) strategy, before going to market.
To that end, here are a few fantastic ideas to make your pre-launch app campaign successful.
1. Define buyer personas
First, define your target audience and segment that audience through the use of buyer personas. It is “a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer based on market research and real data about your existing customers.” The demographic and psychographic make-up of potential users should be at the core of your offering. You should also have explicit knowledge of the problem your application will resolve.
2. Conduct influencer outreach
Another app marketing strategy that works well is to identify and reach out to key social media influencers on platforms where your audience hangs out. Many influencers (micro and larger influencers alike) have built a targeted base of supporters. Their referral could help you obtain a considerable user base.
An influencer campaign consisting of posts, tweets, and/or mention could produce a substantial interest, as well as site traffic. Best of all, it could help your mobile app go viral.
Create a strategic value-added campaign to present to key social influencers with incentives for the influencer and their audience. Meanwhile, make use of tools like FollowerWonk, Buzzsumo, and HypeAuditor to manage, track, and measure your campaigns.
3. Examine competitors
If you have direct competitors (which is probable), it is reasonable to discover competitive data that will be helpful for your mobile app development and marketing plans. Research the following areas:
- Who are your competitors targeting?
- Which keywords are your competitors targeting?
- Which mobile apps in your competitive set are popular, and why?
4. Build a landing page for your app
It’s a good idea to develop an email list as a part of your pre-launch strategy. Simultaneously, building a dedicated landing page to drive traffic (either to your site or through a third-party landing page service, like LaunchRock or Leadpages) will encourage better conversions.
Your dedicated landing page can be promoted through paid display and/or native advertising, email sponsorship, sponsored content, social media, influencer marketing, and more. Once people land on your page, they should be able to understand the core advantages of your mobile app, features, and view any explainer videos or mobile screenshots you have prepared.
Lastly, offer a secure signup form where app users can easily join your email list – which should be the principal aim of the landing page (outside of downloads).
5. Build social media buzz
Social media is a great platform to build hype and create an active community around your mobile app. While organic reach has diminished among many of the larger social media platforms, using core social media channels alongside newcomers like TikTok, can expose your app to new audiences.
Next, develop a content creation and distribution schedule to move users from awareness to consideration and conversion — each stage playing an important role in driving users through to purchase.
Reddit and Quora, a question-and-answer website, can also be utilized to collect feedback from dynamic niches and build awareness for a mobile app by word of mouth. When using social media, be sure to:
- post regularly
- use unique and relevant hashtags
- ask for feedback on app features
- drive engagement with promotions, giveaways, and contests
- request and feature influencer reviews
Pre-launch is a crucial time for every mobile app entrepreneur! These five pre-launch strategies will help make your launch a smashing success!
Anshul Sharma, CEO and Business Head of Fluper, has a keen interest in reading and writing about the latest technological affairs, with a focus on figuring out the best tips and tricks to enhance business ROI.
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