People have used telephones to communicate with each other. It is considered as a pinnacle in communication technology. Nobody might have thought that one day the technology will advance to a point where everyone will have their own portable mobile phones. Not just that, a device which was originally invented as a communication device will perform almost all tasks related to day to day life and eventually replace personal computers!

The high usage of smartphones phones and mobile apps during the last couple of years have led to an increase in the number of mobile app development companies. These companies are launching new mobile apps almost daily. But only some of the apps are catching the attention of the end-users. 

The following survey shows the time spent by the users on different app genres.

Source: Statista.com

Here is a survey which shows a projection of worldwide mobile app revenues from 2014 to 2023.

Source: Statista.com

The above graph gives an insight into the profits that a business earns by offering a quality mobile app.

But why does a user prefer one app over another?

Some of the reasons include the following

• A user will like an app that has a lower battery consumption.
• An app that has better integration with mobile hardware like cameras, microphone and sensors is admired by the users.
• Users like an app that works online and offline.
• While navigating, users like to access information that is simple and easy to understand.
• Security and privacy are the most important factors a user considers before downloading an app.
• Users also love a guidance feature in an app that easily makes them understand the features of the app.

Below are some tips on how to make your mobile app go viral.

Tips: How to make your mobile app go viral

Title

The first thing that a user notices while downloading an app is the title. 

A title that stands out will make a user curious about what’s inside. The title like Messenger and WhatsApp also tries to give an idea of the category to which it belongs to. To know the content of the app, he/she might read the description and images. Make sure that the images and the description are attractive.

Online presence

The online presence of the business also helps with mobile app marketing strategies and to make your mobile app go viral. 

It won’t be easy to make your mobile app go viral in the beginning itself. Especially if your business has low visibility. In cases like these, you can use paid marketing to promote your business and mobile app. Social media are a good option when it comes to promoting your mobile app. Use eye catching banners and good ad copy to catch the attention of the users and make them download the app. 

Also, create a website that gives details about the mobile app and include a link for downloading the app.

Rewards

One of the most used mobile app marketing strategies is giving rewards to users. An example includes that of Google Pay, which offers a cashback for its users. Rewarding users helps in gaining new users and building brand loyalty over time.

Social media integration

There should be a feature in the app that allows users to share their app activities on social media platforms.

For example, some games allow users to gain more rewards when they clear each level and share their new rankings through social media. A predefined eye-catching image and description are also shared by the game app that creates curiosity in other users. This curiosity generated will make others download and try the mobile game. When more users download and share it with others, this will make your mobile app go viral.

Increasing curiosity

Increasing curiosity among users is an important mobile app marketing strategy.

Creating a mystery around the features of the app before the launch is a good marketing technique. A business can also promote a mobile app with the help of celebrities. People show interest when they see a familiar face. A T.V ad can also help with increasing the visibility of the mobile app..

Before the launch of the app, conducting a giveaway can increase the popularity of the mobile app. A giveaway will attract many users and it will also help with word of mouth marketing. 

Promotion through videos

You can make your mobile app go viral by posting and promoting short videos that can be shared through social media platforms. Users usually like to see a video than to read a description. If the video is successful in promoting the benefits and features of the mobile app, users are more likely to download it and try it out. They will also share it with family and friends. If done correctly, videos are the best option you can adopt for your mobile marketing strategy.

Retaining users

Gaining new users will be important for a mobile app. However, retaining the existing users is also equally important. 

By giving reason for the users of your mobile app to stay on the platform and increasing their usage time, you are not only increasing your revenue margin but building brand loyalty by giving them the best app experience. By doing so, you are indirectly encouraging them to become a brand ambassador for your mobile app and pitch it to their friends and family. As we commonly say, “A satisfied customer is the best marketing effort you can have”. The same applies for app marketing too.

Updating the app with engaging content regularly is one of the best options to ensure user retention.

FOMO

A user may download and use an app due to the fear of being left out. This phenomenon is called FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) in marketing. 

When marketed well, FOMO can be used to the advantage of a business and can help to make your mobile app go viral. Take the example of Facebook. Earlier only a few people used Facebook. Now the number has increased to a stage where people will get surprised if you say you don’t use the social media platform.

Making a user comfortable

Building a good relationship with the users is also an important part of mobile app marketing strategy. If a suggestion put forward by a user is a good one, the business can implement it to improve the mobile app. Also answering their queries and making them comfortable is an essential part of mobile app marketing. 

What are the best mobile app marketing strategies?

There are mobile app marketing services that help to make your app go viral.

The mobile app marketing strategies followed by an app marketing company include:

Referral marketing

Most of the businesses use this type of mobile app marketing strategy. 

A user shares a link to download the mobile app with their friends and family in return for rewards or points. These types of promotions are mainly done by gaming apps and eCommerce apps.

Email marketing

Email marketing is one of the most used app marketing strategies where a business uses email communication to promote a mobile app. 

Emails are sent regarding an app launch to people who might be interested in such apps. Email marketing can also be used to educate potential users about the benefits and features of a mobile app. 

If you are an ecommerce company, you can promote the products on your platform via email marketing and the people who are interested in purchasing such products may try out your platform. 

Social media marketing

Social media is one of the best and cost-efficient ways for marketing your mobile app.

There are millions of users active on different social media platforms. With a correct marketing strategy, you can attract people to your app within a short span of time. Facebook uses A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) to deliver ads to a potential user. So it is a good option to find people interested in your product. You can also use messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to invite users to your mobile app.

Offering a trial

You can offer a free trial to help potential users understand the benefits of the mobile app . If the customers find the features to be useful, they will pay for it after the end of the trial.

Call-to-action (CTA) campaigns

CTA is a successful mobile app marketing strategy. Here, many techniques are used to get the attention of the users.

The Ice Bucket Challenge by ALS Foundation is a famous example of a CTA campaign. It was created by the ALS Foundation to promote awareness of a disease- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Another example includes that of Uber- “Drive with Uber – Be Your Own Boss”. It suggests that anyone can make money with their vehicle.

App store optimization

Correct app store optimization helps your mobile app to gain maximum visibility, organically. 

If your mobile app has a dedicated website, search engine optimization can help with gaining more website visitors and increasing the app downloads. Likewise, app store optimization is an important part of app marketing. You can seek help from a mobile app marketing company to better your scores in app store optimization.

Knowing about competitors

You should have a clear understanding of your competition. This helps in developing a better mobile app that is easy to promote and easy to be accepted by the user. 

As users like to try new features and they are always on a search for the best mobile app that can make their life easier and more entertaining, there is always a chance for new mobile apps to win in the market. Having innovative features that your competitors do not possess will make your app stand out.

Planning a burst campaign

Burst campaign provides a boost to the marketing strategies. 

Before 24 or 72 hours of the launch date, a business aggressively advertises the mobile app through paid media such as T.V., social media, websites etc. This is called a burst campaign. 

Burst campaign helps the app to gain a good exposure and make the app go viral even before the launch.

You can hire marketing and advertising professionals to help you with your burst campaigns.

Hire mobile app promotion services?

A perfect mobile app marketing strategy is necessary for an app to be successful. 

Mobile app marketing is the planning and execution of a set of ideas to ensure maximum exposure for your mobile app and get more people to try it out. Some studies show that over one-third of the companies dedicate 31% to 50% of their budget to mobile app marketing services. 

About 68% of mobile companies have a fully documented and 30% of mobile app development companies have partially documented mobile app marketing strategy.

Some of the strategies employed by mobile app marketing agency are as follows.

Market research and other promotions

Market research is a vital part of any app marketing strategy. All mobile app promotional activities should be based on the latest trends in the industry. So, deep and constant market research is the first step towards promoting your mobile app.

App Store Optimization (ASO)

ASO has a vital role in making a mobile app go viral. To ensure you follow all ASO standards, you should hire an excellent mobile app development company and maybe a mobile app marketing agency.

Growth Marketing

Growth marketing is achieving a stable and maximum growth under a short time span. Growth marketing or growth hacking is a very good option for a start-up company. As usually growth marketers work based on metrics and data, you can be sure that your marketing efforts are result oriented and there is a good chance of outdoing the competition.

Generally, since an app marketing agency will have years of experience in market research and mobile app marketing, it is always a good choice to approach them for your app promotion as a failure in marketing will not only cost your marketing expenses but the app development expenses too.

Promote Android apps

Following Android design principles is essential when you promote Android apps. 

Some of the best ways to promote your Android app are as follows:

• Get the Android app featured in Android related platforms such as the Android Community, Android Developer forum etc. 
• If you are promoting a paid Android app, Google recommends starting with a higher price. Later you can cut down the price or give discounts during festive occasions to increase new signups.
• An icon defines your business. Icon and the title is the first thing a user sees while browsing the app store. So it is important to create an eye-catching icon for promoting an Android app. 
• The landing page of your app in the app store should have attractive in-app images and videos. A proper description based on the benefits of using the app will be appreciated by users.
• Google helps to promote both Android and iOS apps. You can make use of the Google app campaigns. It helps to promote your mobile app through Google services such as Google Play, YouTube, Google search etc. 
• Remarketing is considered as a strategic component of advertising by Google. Remarketing helps with increasing new registrations, sales and brand familiarity among users. If done in a proper manner, remarketing can help to make your app reach maximum targeted users.

For more guidelines on android app marketing, you can visit the official Android page.

There is a different strategy for marketing iOS mobile apps.

Promote iOS app

Promoting an iOS app may seem a bit different compared to promoting an Android app.

It is better to promote an iOS app by giving two versions- A free one and a paid one. The paid version of your app should have more engaging features than the free version. You will see more downloads for the free version. Eventually some users will turn to the paid version to get access to the full feature.

You can give discounts during the launch to promote iOS apps among the people. Building your app’s online presence is also an important iOS mobile app marketing strategy.

Apple recommends to follow these points when you promote iOS apps.

• You should always use Apple provided product images in all your marketing materials when promoting the app through supported Apple devices.
• Apple product images should be readable at the provided image resolution. The minimum device size should not be smaller than 25 mm in height for printed materials and 200 px on screen.
• You should not promote iOS apps based on Apple features. The headline and copy should focus on the app rather than the iOS platform. Apple also recommends using a clear and simple description. This along with a call to action to download the app is important while you promote iOS apps.

For more details on iOS app marketing, please visit the official Apple page.

Last word of advice: When you formulate your mobile app marketing strategies to make your mobile app go viral, you should also ensure that you have proper resources to update the app content regularly. This increases the user retention rate and will help you to build brand loyalty over time. Hiring a top mobile app development company ensures that you have a quality mobile app in your hand that will be loved by the user. A good app developer will also ensure that their development strategies will be supportive of your app marketing strategies. 

AlignMinds Technologies is an award-winning mobile app development company with a decade of success stories. We offer digital product engineering services that include strategy and design, web and mobile app development, DevOps and cybersecurity. We can help your businesses to get an edge in the competition through innovative solutions. Contact us now!