Increasingly, companies enter the app market and are challenged with their marketing approach. If you think you can market apps the same way you market your other products and services, you will face a steep learning curve. Here are some things you should keep in mind when thinking about app marketing.
Yes, you might have a huge customer base or large consumer databases that can be utilized through traditional marketing channels to drive app installs. However, if you want to quickly reach a high volume of app installs, you have to engage with mobile advertising networks (e.g. Google’s AdMob, Apple’s iAd or Real Time Bidding Exchanges). They are the most effective way to capture high volumes of new users quickly.
The only question is how to decide which network is the right one for your needs. What methods do they use to track ads and what reporting functionality do they provide?
Due to the fact that these technologies are still relatively new, their targeting is not as sophisticated and granular as what we are used to in the digital marketing world. That means app installs and downloads don’t necessarily result in users. Only a fraction of all downloads will result in actual users and according to a recent study, over a quarter of all app downloads are used only once.
Lastly, you have to get familiar with new measures that gauge your success (or failure). With mobile apps, you have to think about a different set of goals, like achieving a certain rank within stores, download-to-user conversion rates and target cost-per-install rate.
In short, app marketing requires overall a new and different approach. Failing to realize and acknowledge this early on, will most likely lead you down the wrong path. If you have questions about mobile marketing, call us or comment below.
