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How to PromoteYour Mobile App

You have realized that having a mobile strategy is crucial for your business’s success, and because of this, you have optimized your website for mobile and developed your own mobile app. Now the burning question is: how can you promote your app in order for it to succeed?

It is not enough to launch it on the app store without promoting it and expecting downloads to start. In this whitepaper, we will discuss various strategies for promoting your mobile app before, during, and after it is launched and we will go over the importance of keeping your users engaged.

Abstract.

Importance ofGoing Mobile.

There is no doubt that mobile devices have become

indispensable in everyday living aroundthe world, and

the future certainly lies in mobile technology. Businesses

have been quick so far to cash in on mobile’s importance

and now it is considered the most prominent channel to

engage with customers. A staggering 69% of travellers1

begin their search online via their mobile device and this

figure will rise in the future.

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Mobile optimization can boost customer engagement, generate more traffic, and ultimately increase sales. In order to highlight the importance of your business going mobile, here are some current statistics:

→ In 2017, 5.3 billion2 people worldwide will have mobile phones.

→ In 20143, the revenue generated by mobile apps worldwide was $35 billion; this amount is forecasted to increase to $77 billion in 2017.

→ 85% of people prefer mobile apps to mobile websites.

→ Between 2014-2015, smartphone users spent 89% of their mobile media time using mobile apps and 42% of mobile sales generated by the leading 500 merchants came from mobile apps.

→ The average time people spend on their mobile apps increased by 63%4 over the past two years.

→ Between 2014 and 2015, the time spent on travel apps increased by 28%5.

1 Online Marketing Strategies in Travel 2015: 15 stats to consider, eHotelier2 Forecast of Mobile Phone Uses Worldwide, Statista3 Mobile Apps Usage, Go-Globe4 Mobile-Only Content: The Next Big Marketing Trend, The Content Strategist5 Mobile Apps Usage, Go-Globe

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Creating a Marketing Plan for your App.

There are over 1.5 million apps in

both the App Store and Google

Play; this means your mobile app

is going to face hundreds if not

thousands of competitors in its

specific market.

Even though your app has

awesome features and compelling

content you need a strategy

for promoting it before, during,

and after it goes live in order to

increase downloads and improve

user engagement.

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Part I

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Before the Launch.

App Store Optimization (ASO).

It is important to promote your app before launching

it in the App Store and Google Play. By promoting

it prior to the actual launch, you will get your app

noticed and you can create anticipation and build

rapport with potential users. These people will then

download your app immediately once it is live and

become your first loyal customers.

Here are various strategies for building up hype for

your app before it goes live.

ASO is extremely important; it is the process of improving the visibility of a mobile app in the app store. It is like SEO but for apps; the higher your app ranks in the store’s search results, the more visible it is to potential customers.

The ASO process requires a crucial understanding of your target customer base, including the keywords your potential customers are using to find apps similar to yours.

Before launching your app, you need to research these buzzwords

either in Google Trends or in Google Keyword Planner, and you need to monitor them continuously. There are two main factors when it comes to ASO that you can control: the name of your app and the keywords used to describe it.

In order to enhance your app’s discoverability, it is often a good idea to develop your app names by using a combination of branded and common search terms. The next factor is the keywords you choose to describe your mobile app.

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Every app gets 100 characters in the keywords section and it is important to experiment with your keywords to find out what works best for your app.

At GuestU, we handle ASO optimisation to assure that your app gets visibility.

Make a Short Video.

Create a promotional video for

your mobile app outlining its

highlights and features. There

are two important things to

include in your video: device-

captured footage and clear, simple

explanations.

Your video should show people

how your app works in a way that

is easy for them to understand.

Invest some time and effort in

your promotional video, work with

high-quality audio equipment, and

use professional looking footage

and graphics.

The App Store sets a 30-second

limit on promotional videos and

Google Play recommends videos

between 30 seconds and 2

minutes long.

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Create a VineHow-To Video Series.

This is a way to take advantage of the power of video

outside of the app store and on social media. Use

Vine to your advantage by creating an engaging how-

to video series. The hashtag #howto is one of the top

trending tags on Vine.

Some advantages of using Vine are that it is available

on multiple viewing platforms; clips

are short so they are more likely to be shared and

watched, and the video is in a loop - therefore it is

likely to be seen more than once before a user clicks

the “off” button.

Create aLanding Page

You should design a simple webpage for your mobile

app in order to highlight its features and benefits.

One of the major advantages to this method of

promotion is that you can take advantage of Search

Engine Optimization (SEO) as you have more

room for keywords than in the app store. Consider

including these elements in your landing page:

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→ The full name of your app as it

appears in the app store and the

icon used in the app store.

→ Your tagline, if you have one.

Your tagline should emphasize

what your app does and should be

as concise as possible.

→ Your video! This is the perfect

place to showcase that amazing

promotional video you created.

→ Screenshots. Show people what

your app will look like on their

mobile devices once it has been

downloaded.

→ Calls-to-Action to sign up for

e-mail notifications. Once the app

is live, your CTA can be an app

store button sending potential

customers directly to the app

store for download

Once you have launched your app you should still be maintaining this

page and updating it regularly with any new relevant app information.

It is very important not to forget to make your website mobile friendly.

You are trying to promote a mobile app, and most of the people who

visit your site will be doing so from their mobile phones!

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Social Media.

Engage Bloggers.

Make a list of the top online influencers in your

target market, like travel bloggers, in order to reach

them with your mobile app. Invite them to try out

your app in advance and ask them for feedback to

help emphasize the app functionality and features.

In the best-case scenario, if these bloggers test

out your app and like it, they will most likely share

this information with their readers and followers

on social platforms. Their extensive reach has huge

promotional potential for your app with minimal

work required on your end.

You should promote your app on

the social media platforms where

your target market is active.

Promoting your app on social

media can be quite beneficial

when you have a tight budget as

social media will help you reach

a wider, more targeted audience

who are going to be interested in

what you have to offer them.

Content is key when it comes to

what you post on social media, and

the content of your posts will vary

depending on the platforms you

decide to use.

Facebook is the most widely used

social media platform there is, so

it is usually a good idea to promote

your app on Facebook regardless

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Press Release

Write about your new mobile

app in your blog; create some

anticipation in advance of the

launch. Once your app is live, it is

still a good idea to mention your

app periodically in your blog.

Right before your app goes live, send out a press

release to publications your targetmarket reads. If you

can get the news of your app in the appropriate media

channels, you will reach many potential customers.

Do you have an e-mail newsletter

you send out on a regular basis?

Be sure tomention the upcoming

launch of your new app!

of whom you are trying to target. Facebook even

has specific paid advertising options for promoting

the installation of Apps, and within this, you can

specifically choose Mobile App Ads. Depending on

your target market and the nature of your app, you

might decide you do not need to promote it on all of

the prominent platforms.

Blog. E-Mail

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Part II

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During the launch.

You have promoted your app in various ways leading up to the launch,

and now it is live and the downloads have started. The next important

step is to keep your users engaged; just because they have downloaded

your app, it does not necessarily mean they will use it. It is important

to start monitoring how your app is being used right away in order to

improve users’ experiences and give them what they want.

Consider this for engagement:

→ If there are any bugs or

problems in your app, you need to

fix them immediately. This cannot

be stressed enough, a new user

who has a problem with your app

may never return, so ensuring that

your app is error-free is critical.

→ Use a software analytics tool

in order to effectively monitor

your app’s usage. Which metrics

you decide to track and which

software you select will depend

on the nature of your app and

how you intend to measure

your success. Consider tracking

session length, session interval,

and time in app, screen flow,

acquisition, retention, and

lifetime value. By monitoring

these and other factors, you can

track your users’ activity and

emphasize the app features that

are the most useful to them.

→ Giving your users what they

want will make sure they continue

to use your app over time.

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Part III

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After the Launch.

→ Check to see how you’re doing

in app store rankings and update

your keywords.

→ Monitor user reviews carefully, if

something is not working properly

fix it right away.

→ Keep your online promotions

going through social media posts

and regular acknowledgement on

your blog.

→ Add app badges to your e-mail

signature and feature them

prominently on your website.

For your hospitality business:

→ Add app badges to reservation

confirmation e-mails and reminder

e-mails.

→ Display your app information

alongside your free Wi-Fi

password.

→ Offline promotions: door

hangers, posters at busy locations

(ex. reception, elevator), stickers

around rooms, etc. Get creative!

Promoting your app will essentially be a never-ending

process. You will need to make a plan to re-engage

your users over time and this should be part of your

overall marketing plan.

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10 Ways to Promote Your App and Keep Engaging Users.

#1 Optimise ASO and plan keywords

#2 Make a short promotional video

#3 Create a Landing Page

#4 Engage Bloggers and Influencers to Download the App

#5 Explore Social Media channels

#6 Share your app story on Media

#7 Listen to your users reviews

#8 Use offline promotions like door hanger or stickers

#9 Use badges on your email signature

#10 Don’t forget to monitor your app and analytics

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Conclusion.

GuestU

It should now be evident that

mobile technology and mobile

apps are where the future lies.

In order for your mobile app to

be successful, you need a clear

marketing strategy to promote it

and keep your users engaged.

At GuestU we want to help

your app thrive. We went over

numerous ways to promote your

mobile app before, during,

and after it becomes live. We

also discussed the importance

of keeping your app users

engaged over time. Check out

our blog, website, and social

media channels for more tips

on mobile app strategies and

engagement, and hospitality

industry trends.

Portugal . United Kingdom . United States of America . Spain . China