The mobile app market is a rapidly changing environment. As new tech emerges, so do updates to our best practices. It pays (literally) to keep abreast of the latest developments when you’re marketing an app. Here are three pieces of advice for acquiring and retaining mobile app users.
Don’t Forget About App Store Optimization (ASO)
After all the resources you’ve devoted to making your app a reality, the last thing you want is for it to “sit on the shelf,” so to speak. But app marketplaces are growing increasingly competitive due to the sheer volume of apps available to mobile users today.
One simple way to make sure your app has a better chance of drawing users’ attention is completing the process of app store optimization (ASO). ASO allows apps to garner more visibility when they rank for certain relevant keywords. More visibility has the potential to translate into better installation rates.
As one marketer and Forbes contributor advises, take time to understand the keywords your target audience of mobile users might use to find apps like yours. Then optimize your listing accordingly—including the title and description.
IMAGE: PIXABAY
Optimize For Cost-Per-Action (CPA)
When it comes to buying mobile ads for your app, marketers have a few options. Cost-per-install (CPI) campaigns focus on driving user acquisition, meaning marketers pay each time someone installs their app. It’s a relatively straightforward metric for assessing campaign performance because the goal is to drive the most installs for the lowest price possible.
But Dennis Mink, Vice President of Marketing for mobile app marketing platform Liftoff, recommends that marketers update their strategy here by optimizing to a target cost-per-action (CPA), which is “the cost to acquire a user who engages in a high value, revenue-producing, post-install event.” In other words, marketers pay when people go beyond installation to engage in actions that create value for the app in question.
Mink goes on to point out that, while these post-install events themselves differ based on the specific nature of the app, CPA always favors engagement. This approach aims to boost the lifetime value of customers; though it costs more to acquire users who actually engage, they also stick around and spend money within your app over time.
Here are a few examples illustrating what engagement looks like across various app types:
- Social Networking: Users create profiles, create posts and share content.
- Dating: Users create profiles, send messages and sign up for subscriptions.
- Retail: Users make purchases and enroll in loyalty programs.
- Travel: Users complete registration and make reservations for airfare and lodging.
- Gaming: Users make in-app purchases, completely new levels and unlock new content.
The main takeaway here is the importance of focusing on continued engagement and retention, even when acquisition seems like the lower-hanging fruit.
Drive Acquisition With Social Proof
Social proof is a powerful motivator for people considering downloading an app. For example, many users will check out reviews while deciding whether or not to download a new app. This psychological phenomenon is due to the fact that people tend to trust their peers more than they trust faceless companies.
Providing this important social proof for your app is a two-step process. First of all, your app simply must work well. People will only continue to engage with your app if they encounter a frictionless user experience. Invest in plenty of testing and incorporate user feedback into your assessments. Next, you have to remind users to provide feedback. It’s safe to assume most mobile users are busy. Something as simple as a push notification or incentive to leave a review may be the difference between receiving honest feedback and not.
Use this expert advice for mobile app installation to boost acquisition and, more importantly, retention.
If you are interested in even more app-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels then we have a lot to choose from.
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