The Basics of Running a Successful App Download Campaign

The mobile app industry is thriving, thanks to 2.7 billion smartphone users all over the world. Whether it’s ordering food, making payments, finding a job, or dating, you have an app for everything. A whopping 2.2 million apps are available on App Store, whereas Google Play Store has 2.8 million apps for download. With a lot of competition on these platforms, getting user attention to download a new app can be a challenge. This is where app download campaigns can help you out.

Put your App in Spotlight with the Right Campaign

Crossing the initial hurdle of getting ranked on the App Store is the only way to ensure that the number of downloads soars. An app download campaign is designed to increase installs of a mobile app from different sources that are outside the marketplace. These ads appear on social media feeds through which users are redirected to the app within the stores. KCB Group, for instance, ran a mobile app install campaign, which resulted in 38,577 downloads (30% above the target) and maintained a CPI of $1.12 (25%below the target).

Running a Successful Ad Campaign

For every mobile marketing campaign, there are a set of elements that you need to keep in mind. So, here are some important points that you need to remember.

Decide the Budget

Before you decide to run paid ads, it’s necessary to decide the budget. Unfortunately, there’s no magic number that can help you determine the ideal budget. The ad location, platform, and targeted app category all have an impact on the cost per install. The table below gives an estimate of Cost per Install for apps.

Average Cost Per Install Statistics

(Source: Business of Apps)

Know your Target Audience

Knowing your target audience and how to appeal to them is an integral part of your mobile marketing journey. Thankfully, there are a few effective ways that can help you understand your target audience.

• Research about your competitors, market and industry
• Read the case studies, reviews of similar apps and scour social media platforms
• Build basic user personas to identify the target audience based on their age, job, and hobbies

Finalize the Platforms

Though mobile app marketers have access to multiple channels for user acquisition, Facebook and Twitter top the list as these platforms enjoy more visibility. 50 percent of the top-grossing apps on App Store and Google Play are used with Facebook mobile app install ads. As a result, the average cost per install is also lower than other platforms. Some of the other platforms that you can use are:

• Google App Campaigns
• Snapchat Ads
• Pinterest Promoted App Pins
• Reddit Ads
• Ad Colony
• Reddit Ads

App Store Optimization (ASO) is a Must

App Store Optimization (ASO) helps in maximizing your downloads so that the app is easily discoverable. As 63% of the apps are discoverable through app store searches, it becomes crucial to use ASO to increase the ranking. Factors such as the name of the app, keywords used in the name, ratings, and reviews affect your ASO.

Create Quality Content

Writing a hard-hitting copy an ad campaign is incredibly challenging, especially when you have limited characters to express your views. The thumb rule is to keep a neutral tone and at the same time have a tone of urgency. However, don’t be salesy or pushy as it has a negative impact on your target audience.

Use the Right CTA

Even if you have a great paid campaign, without the right CTA your efforts will be futile. Craft your CTAs in a way that conveys your users how they will benefit from downloading the app. For instance, when you use words such as ‘order’ or ‘shop’ in the CTA, it gives an idea about the benefits of downloading the app.

Regularly Monitor the Campaign

App Install Campaign is not a one-time strategy. To get the desired results, you need to regularly monitor the campaign and make changes based on the performance. After a few downloads, you will get an idea about the people who are a perfect fit for the app. Depending on this data, you can customize the audiences for better reach.

The Bottom Line

No matter how well-designed or innovative your app is, it will be challenging to increase the number of downloads without proper promotional strategies. With the App Store being flooded with new apps every day, paid install campaigns are a must. Considering this, advertisement has become an integral part of the app marketing toolkit.

So, if you are planning to increase the number of downloads of your first app, contact Envigo, a result-oriented digital marketing agency in India, specializing in app development and promotion. Contact us for more information.