Growth Hacking Marketing: How to Boost Mobile App Downloads

Growth Hacking Marketing: How to Boost Mobile App Downloads

With new apps hitting the market daily, traditional paid marketing is not efficient nowadays and generates low conversion rates. WHY so? Because consumers do not trust advertisements anymore. Therefore, growth hacking strategies are good alternatives designed with around no or little budget. With the increasing number of annual mobile downloads, it is expected that the total app downloads number will increase to 352 billion by 2021.

 

 

7 Cost-Free Growth Hacking Tips to Increase Mobile App Conversions

Let’s imagine you have launched your brilliant mobile app, and now you want to make it sexy and distinguished in the depth of the App store. The main goal here is to generate high ROI which is possible through a well-designed growth marketing strategy. So to make an enjoyable journey with your consumers and make them trust your brand, we offer you to discover these growth hacks which will boost mobile app downloads. 

 

  • Beyond User Acquisition: Improve Your Retention Rate

While focusing on user acquisition, most startups ignore user retention. Yeah, according to Quettra’s report, after the first three days of mobile app install, the rate of daily active users drops off to 77%, after month – the percentage increases up to 90%. 

 

Your first task is to look for the best mobile app developers who will develop a custom mobile app. Mobile app development is just a part of the story; afterward, you need to proceed with a cutting-edge marketing strategy. Analyzing engagement metrics is a core technique you need to practice continually. You will see how your users interact with your app, how they behave, and why their number is decreasing or tends to churn. Equipped with the right knowledge, you can take the right steps, for example, add new features, target a new audience, or gamify an app

 

  • Build a Viral Loop of Referrals

This marketing strategy is appropriate in cases when your product is ready. To hit the ground, you might not focus on everyone,  but the most active users; therefore, there is the need to establish a loyal customer base first and then to target it. 

According to Nielsen’s report, 92 percent of respondents in the survey said they trust referrals from people they know. 

 

It’s a win-win strategy when we are talking about word of mouth – one of the most effective free tactics to promote your product among the targeted audience and increase the retention rate for a long time.   

Let’s see how Uber has driven incredible app downloads through referral marketing by referring riders and drivers. How does it work? It’s a double-sided referral scheme covering incentives for those who invite a new rider and is rewarded by $5 cash. 

Another example of a brand that has leveraged effective referral marketing is Angry Birds2 by creating an indirect app referral program. The goal was to make the addition of Facebook app invites that rewarded players with gems that they could also grant to friends.

 

  • App-store optimization: How to Get Featured

Reviews and in-app purchases can remarkably improve your conversion rates. But how should you optimize your mobile app for better ranking in the top of search results? The answer is simple: follow these ASO criteria to beat the rival:

  • Choose an attractive title for your mobile app
  • Create a captivating description
  • Leverage keywords
  • Be exceptional with icons and screenshots
  • Encourage feedbacks and reviews
  • Make frequent updates
  • Localize your listing

 

  • Promote your app via Reddit

Growth hacking is a kind of buzz marketing in favor of finding the fastest and effective ways to grow your product through unconventional approaches. And here we would like to mention such a concept as Guerilla marketing that doesn’t require you to spend significant amounts of money. That’s not the same but closely related. 

So, imagine that one of the untraditional ways to promote your product is NOT to promote it. Paradoxically you’d say! For example, this marketing technique is used on the Reddit forum where you can generate valuable content in the community built around a specific topic. The goal is to establish a reputation and get karma points which will make you an authoritative thought leader with a relevant audience. It can take some more time to develop your account and to make it a trustworthy source. 

 

  • Paid-to-free campaign (if your app is priced)

This method is focused on offering your paid app for free for a limited period. For example, think about a premium feature or a new character in your game. Such giveaways have to be combined with coverage in media outlets or in relation to public resources to get media exposure. This approach is a psychological one due to the trigger you provide to your users. If they experience free offering, they will possibly keep patronizing it even when the offering is no longer free. 

 

  • Influencer Marketing is Your Power Tool

Did you know that every dollar brands spent on influencer marketing generated an average of roughly $6.50 in earned media – an ROI of more than 500%? That’s why influencer marketing is so robust and reliable nowadays. Influencers are your weapons when it’s going about brand awareness and positioning you as a loyalty brand. Influencers are people who have a dedicated social following and are regarded as thought leaders in their niche. Create a mutually beneficial relationship. Influencers help the company exchange value with industry leaders and increase awareness of future trends.

To select an influencer leader, the following actions have to be undertaken: 

  • research influencers
  • read their content 
  • determine if outreach makes sense.

 

  • Exclusive Strategy for Public Relations

So, you have an incredible product, and now you want to get the word out about your app and flesh it out. Big media outlets are willing to create a buzz around your product release if it is exclusive and when your pitch starts at least two weeks before the app launch. 

 

Summary

Even if you get 1mln downloads of your app, that does not mean you are a winner in this battle. The thing is it means nothing if your app will be uninstalled afterward. Among the major reasons why users uninstall mobile apps are:

  1. They are no longer needed
  2. They provide no value propositions
  3. The apps take up a high storage space
  4. Users see them addictive and time-consuming

Growth hacking is definitely an efficient and cost-saving strategy when you track your results and understand your user persona. The SwagSoft team would like to outline core tips worth taking into account while promoting your mobile application:

  • Analyze your mobile app metrics
  • Feel your users and give them a solid value proposition
  • Permanently enhance your marketing strategy
  • Test all your efforts

It is worth noting that an unconventional approach and complex growth hacking strategy are extremely needed for your mobile app exposure. Do not forget that user acquisition is just the beginning; then you need to proceed with continuous improving the retention rate. If you have any questions or need some consultation please contact us.