With at least 1.5 million apps in App Store alone creating a high-quality, well-designed, useful app is no longer a guaranteed way to success – not by a long shot. In order to make your app popular and earn money through it, you have to approach app promotion and development wisely. But how does one deal with such a task? Let’s take a look at some methods you may use.
1. Online Presence
And mind you, it isn’t your app that should be present, but you personally or your company. Ideally, you should establish yourself as a specialist in a particular area before you launch an app. In a way, establishing a healthy online presence independent of any apps is a very strong preliminary step to take before creating a business model based on app distribution. If you have a noticeable following on social media or a blog, all these people will immediately see your new app once you roll it out – and if you have good relationships with them, you may expect a considerable number of them to download it.
2. App Directories
Nowadays looking for the right app for your particular set of needs directly through App Store or Google Play is akin to pointing a finger at random and choosing the first you stumble upon – there are just too many similarly looking apps doing similar things, and very few people have enough time, money and patience to test them one by one. Most resort to using online directories or tip sites covering the best apps for particular purposes – and if you want your app to be noticed, you should do your best to put it on iOS apps ratings website or two.
3. Gauge the Demand
All too often, an app-based startup fails simply because what looks like an awesome idea for its founders turns out to be a complete flop in the eyes of prospective customers – they simply don’t need it. So, before you spend lots of time and money on app development, you should find out if anybody needs it. First, check all the apps with similar purposes – there should be enough of them (to validate the market), but not too many (so that your app won’t be immediately lost among hundreds of clones). A good tool to do so is Mobile Action.
4. Create a Product Video
A funny, witty, thought-provoking or just plain weird video can do much more to promote your app than a complex multi-stage marketing campaign – if you manage to actually make it funny, witty and thought-provoking.
5. Contact Industry Specialists
A blogger writing on your niche with a substantial following on their side can be a great asset for your cause. If you believe a well-known blogger may be interested in your app enough to mention it on the blog, don’t hesitate to ask them for coverage.
Of course, app promotion is a very individual matter and largely depends on your particular situation – but still, using these tips one can hardly go wrong.