What are the best marketing avenues for mobile app growth?
I have recently launched an iOS app called Sipped, now its time to marketing and grow the user base. I am a bit stunned by all the marketing avenues to choose from on the web and I am seeking advice on the best tried and tested marketings lanes for software products and particularly mobile apps.
There are the obvious giants, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram but are there any niche communities platforms to market my product, hopefully saving money and time on constrained resources.
Your help would be appreciated.
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Hi Wayne! Congrats on the launch of Sipped. It's only in beta for your home country now? I tried to find the app (US) and couldn't, I'm not sure what the app looks like or the features. Are there IAPs in the app already or will there be a subscription?
I made a free ASO reference resource based on my experiences working with each of the app stores: https://ASOchecklist.com. Give it a look over, hopefully it has some pointers to help you early on.
For paid marketing, unless you have the budget I don't see social channels being the best option here. In my opinion, running Apple Search Ads are your best bet as most people find apps by App Store Search. Apple gives a $100 free credit when you just start out, I used that to get some early users for my iOS app.
I think using social media for connecting with users & sharing valuable content to draw in people organically is a great idea that takes time & consistency. Niche Reddit communities could possibly provide an early user boost with feedback for app improvements.
It is currently only available on the South Africa store but will be available in the US and UK App Stores shortly. There are a few contents kinks to work out for the UK and US markets.
Thanks for the advice and the resources. I will be sure to check the list out. I remember seeing Apple giving away free credit but I thought that time had lapsed. That is a great starting point. Reddit I will be sure to check out.
Nice, good plan. All the best!
ASO and Apple Search Ads are the most direct way to acquire users. You need to first do a keyword analysis on what search terms are relevant and traffic generating. Then optimize your app store listing and search ads to target that traffic.
All other channels (e.g. social media, social ads, email list building, blogging etc.) are going to be indirect methods of customer acquisition and likely far less effective that ASO and Apple Search Ads. If you can find a niche community where your customers hang out, that would also be a great place to start your marketing outreach.
Last time I checked AppAnnie had a free tier that let you research keywords and track app store rankings.
Also, for ASO/Search Ads, it's super important to make sure you're getting ratings/reviews. Using the iOS review controller is a must, it's the best way to get ratings and reviews. Your first goal should be to get to a small number of positive reviews quickly – say 50 or so, then 100, then 500 then 1000. Getting your first 50-100 reviews is hard. You should ask friends, family and anyone you know to help you out by rating and/or reviewing your app. Also, if you have user emails, then email them asking for ratings/reviews. Eventually when you have sufficient organic downloads that generate enough organic ratings/reviews you can stop the manual effort.
Apple's search ranking algorithm isn't published, but from my experience, the two biggest factors for high keyword search rankings are downloads and ratings. That creates a very big "chicken or egg" problem because your goal is to get lots of downloads. But to get downloads, you need a high search ranking, which you get by having a lot of downloads. Also you need lots of ratings and reviews to rank high, and to get lots of ratings and reviews you need lots of downloads. How do you get lots of downloads? Rank high of course (or pay for downloads with ads). I've been trying to crack this nut for a couple of years with limited success – it's been very challenging and not fun.
Lastly, in my experience, Apple will give you a temporary ranking boost every time you do a substantial new release. After the boost, if Apple sees a meaningful rise in engagement (e.g. downloads), your rankings may continue to go up. But if not, your ranking will drop back to where it was before. Some people say it's good practice to update your app once every 2-3 months to show Apple and users that you are continuing to invest in the app.
That said, I also have a concern that your app's messaging is not going to be widely understood. Your website explains "what" but not "why". Is it just out of curiosity? Like some way to record your alcohol drink history?
Just looking at the app store, I think relevant keywords may include "drink tracker" and "alcohol tracker". When you do a search, there are two types of apps: tracking alcohol to help you quit drinking, and tracking water to make sure you are drinking enough water. The purpose of these apps is clear. When I read your website, the purpose is not clear to me. Is it enjoyment? Is it a journal or log for your drink history? If you're doing this as a fun project, that's fine. But if your goal is to make money, I suspect that the market for people who want to track their drinks for fun is too small to make a viable business.
Before you start spending time and money on marketing, you may want to spend time on customer interviews to make sure your purpose, messaging and app in general resonates with a large enough group of people.
Also, I hate being so negative, but in my experience succeeding in the iOS store is very very hard. You have to rank in the top 5 (maybe top 10) or so apps for a keyword to get any meaningful traffic, and that's very difficult unless your app has some sort of competitive advantage. It's a winner take all marketplace (or a handful of winners take all). The biggest problem is the chicken and egg problem – if your competitors have a head start, it's hard to catch up because they already have a structural advantage – they rank high because they have a lot of downloads, and because they have a lot of downloads they rank high. Because of this reason, I would never build a business around one platform like iOS or Android. If you have a web app, you have a lot more marketing channel options (SEO, PPC, email, social media, content marketing, etc.) to grow your business.
Again, sorry if my comments are too negative, I'm just trying to be helpful. I could be wrong but I'm worried that you're heading down a very difficult and frustrating path.
Best of luck to you!
Hi Steven
Thanks for the comprehensive response and insights. Firstly don’t worry about being negative. I see it all as constructive feedback. To answer your question on why did I make this app… Perhaps it is unclear on the website but previous apps in this space have been too complex to simply log a drink. You needed to add the alcohol percentage, volume etc. Why can’t you simply take a photo of you drink and move on with your day. This is turn heads towards the question of why… Why do people track their calories, why do people track their daily water intake. It all affects the persons wellbeing and without data a person can not understand how something affects them. Without giving too much of the roadmap away alcohol affects many aspects of your life, from fitness, to health, to mental and emotional maintainability. A correlation would exist between these aspects and your alcohol consumption.
I agree with you that succeeding in the iOS store is difficult but that doesn’t mean you shouldn't travel down that road. iOS is my passionate and my job. Yes web offers you broader fields and opportunities but you can also argue that web is a saturated space, similar to that of the App Store. Many people have built successful businesses from the App Store. Everyone that builds an app is not a millionaire but that does not mean there is no opportunity lurking on the store.
Yes the road is uphill and the “real” work is only just beginning now that the app has been released. So I guess time will tell in this case but I do think something can come of this application and that people will use it.
Thanks for your thoughts, comments and feedback once again. I full understand what you are saying and as I say time will tell. Watch this space for some results.
Hi Wayne,
Regarding your app's messaging, I do think you should clarify the "why" on your webpage. Your website clearly states "what" (an drink tracker) and "how" (you can simply and easily take a picture) but I don't see a obvious or compelling "why." It sounds like perhaps your road map will add features and clarify your app's "why". I think the "why" needs to be simple, clear and goal-oriented.
Why calorie counters? Because the user has the goal to lose weight.
Why alcohol tracking apps? Because the user has the goal to quit drinking.
Why step counters? Because the user has the goal to get more exercise, say 1000 steps a day.
Why water trackers? Because users believe the need to drink 8 glasses a day, and they want help achieving that goal.
These are clear and discrete goals that motivate people to use the app. Tracking alcohol consumption because it "affects many aspects of your life" may be true, but first, I think it needs to be more concrete. Second, if you really don't have a more concrete goal, then you should at least say on your website near the top of the page what you just told me, something like:
"Sipped makes tracking your drink consumption as easy as snapping a picture with your phone. The app identifies and records your drink, and provides you with insights on how drinking affects your life, from fitness, to health, to mental and emotional maintainability." (Not the best copywriting but you get the idea).
Regarding App Store, I agree that web is not a cure all and it's just as hard (maybe harder) to grow a web app than a mobile app. I've just been scarred by a lot of negative experiences in the App Store over the last couple years working for a small app business. But I know it's very possible to be successful in the App Store and I certainly hope you achieve that success! Just want to make sure you know what you're getting into, which it sounds like you do.
Good luck!
Best,
Steve
Thanks Steve. Yes it all has room to improve and that is what software development is about. A foundation, MVP and small iterations to create a mature product.
To be clear and it does need to be clearer on the website, Sipped is not an app that helps you stop or quit drinking. There are too many of those types of apps. I think people want an application that helps them track what they drink without the app judging them, without it saying well done for not drinking yesterday. It helps people drink moderately and in a healthy manner.
With all these planned improvements, the website will definitely showcase a more concrete and direct goal to the user. I think that is good advice and it will enter the pipeline of improvements.
Thanks again and I will keep people posted on my progress as I go along.
Sounds good. I look forward to seeing your app progress!
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