6 Effective Ways to Increase Your Mobile App Downloads

So you have developed your mobile app, published it to the app store(s) and it is now out for the users to download. That’s a key milestone achieved! However, that finishes only half of the job. The challenge lies in making users download your app. The number of mobile app downloads is one of the parameters that would define its success.

You might have developed an awesome app. From its look to its features, you have left no stone unturned in making it a perfect go-to app for your target audience, but if people are not downloading it, then none of the other things matter.

But that shouldn’t discourage you. Getting your app to the notice of your users and capturing high downloads won’t happen overnight. So what should be done here? How do you increase your mobile app downloads?

Well, it will take some time and effort but if you follow the right tactics, you will sail through. This goes for both Android and iOS. So whether you are looking to increase your iOS app installs or Android app installs, this article would you accomplish it.

Before we delve into the strategies, it’s important that you have perfectly optimized your app for the app store. That’s the root that needs to be strong for the growth of your mobile app. Just like SEO helps your website and its content grow in the search engine when optimized correctly, ASO helps increase the visibility of your app in the app marketplace. The better it is optimized, the better are the chances of the app appearing on the search results for a related search.

App store optimization would include optimizing the metadata using the right keywords, using a catchy app icon, inclusion of screenshots, localizing keywords by country store,  etc. Once the basics are covered well, focus on the other strategies to promote your mobile app and get more app installs.

1. Leverage Social Media

Promoting your mobile app through social media can significantly increase your app downloads. Social media provides a great opportunity for brands and marketers to promote their products and services, and platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc., if utilized to their best, can bring in tremendous results.

So, go ahead and market your app on the relevant platforms. If your app is meant primarily for business professionals, LinkedIn and Twitter can be ideal platforms whereas if it focuses on capturing young individuals, Facebook and Instagram are the best.

Note- Avoid promoting your app excessively. Create a conversation with your followers, engage with them, tell them how your app can add value to their lives. Show your creative side.

If your app captures their attention, you will start witnessing more mobile app installs.

2. Influencer Marketing

Today, Influencer Marketing is amongst the best ways to increase your mobile app downloads. Though not something new, its effectiveness has surged in recent years.

Influencer Marketing is like a brand endorsement, the only difference being at the level they are done. While the latter is a form of advertising that involves famous celebrities who charge a high fee to endorse a brand, the former involves someone who has a good following on social media and can be looked up as a great asset for your target audience.

For example, a well-known dietician who has got a huge follower base and reputation can be reached out by a brand that is trying to promote their app based on effective diet plans and routines.

You can follow a similar approach. Find out some good influencers that connect well with your target audience. Plan how you are going to make things work out.

3. Add download link(s) to your email signature

Email marketing may seem conventional but is still a popular form of marketing used by businesses to reach out to their subscribers and announce some sort of news, updates, sale, or any useful information related to their brand. And to get more app installs, email marketing can be extremely beneficial.

All you need to do is add the app download link(s) to your email signature. For all the emails that you send, it would give wide exposure to your app.

Go to the email signature field and add the logo and link to your app which obviously would have been missing since you didn’t have the app for your brand earlier. Setting up or editing an email signature can be different for different email providers, so lookup for the one you are using.

4. Create a QR Code

Redirecting customers to the app store when they scan your app’s QR code can be an excellent way to increase your mobile app installs. What makes them a great option is they can be placed almost anywhere.

You can think of putting your QR code on your business cards, marketing posters, banners, local stores, etc. Many popular brands like Netflix and Porsche have used QR codes for different purposes, and when they can do so, we don’t find any reason why you shouldn’t.

There are many tools available that would help you create a QR code for your mobile app. Pick the one you find convenient.

5. Giveaway and Referrals

Host a giveaway prize which could be in the form of cashback, discount vouchers, gift cards, gift hampers- for people who download your app and share a word about it on social media or leave a review on the app store. Explain the process of the giveaway in the easiest way possible so that users aren’t confused as to how to make their entry successful.

Similarly, you can run a refer and earn program where users would be rewarded every time they bring in a successful referral. It can form a chain where one user would ask the other to download the app and grab some exciting rewards. To ensure more mobile app downloads, reward both the parties- one who is referring as well as the one who has been referred.

6. Create a Compelling Video

Videos are comparatively more powerful than texts or images. As per a research conducted by Wyzowl, 85% of businesses use video as a marketing tool and around 92% of the marketers believe that video is an important part of their marketing strategy. Speaking from the consumers’ perspective, 84% of the users say they have been convinced to download an app after watching a video.

This goes without saying that videos have a major influence on people when buying a product or downloading an application. People usually avoid watching long videos unless they are familiar with the subject. So, create a short explanatory video (not more than a minute) that explains what your app is about and how it can be helpful for the users. Start with a catchy intro as the first few seconds play a major role in capturing user attention. Cover major benefits later on. Make sure the video is compelling enough and pushes the user to download and try it. Promote it on multiple platforms including your website.

Final Thoughts

The strategies to boost your mobile app downloads are not restricted to a few. You may try some other options as well like writing a guest post, press release, promoting the app through your own blog, answering queries that your app can resolve on platforms like Quora and Reddit, submitting your app on app submission sites, and many more.

Getting your customers to download the app can be a bit daunting, but having patience is the key. There’s no shortcut to success. We hope the above-mentioned six strategies gave you enough insights on how to popularize your mobile app and get more app installs.