If you are a freelance mobile app developer, your ultimate goal must be reaching as many users as you can through your application.
Developing an app can open new opportunities by which you can interact with your people. App is a most liked place where your dedicated audience has continuous access to you just in one simple click.
App is a space that can be completely personalised to clients need. But what we have noticed is that even after having the best strategy, design, layout, content and user interface deployed, many freelance businesses still don’t get the right kind of app adoption they hope for.
The problem…
The problem is not the app itself, but it is the crucial step most often freelancers miss after the app is created – promotion. All of the resources are used to create an exclusive product, which is not a bad thing; in fact products should be great in quality and value-driven.
However, the problem is that the value of these products is not marketed as they should be. It’s a difficult process for freelancers.
The general thumb rule is you should spend as much time in promoting your apps as you did in developing them. Freelancers usually do not own large businesses, so most times their financial resources are limited.
Keeping this in mind, we have gathered 13 creative ways freelancers can promote their apps for free.
Check them out!!!
Create a list of people you have ever sold apps before or have been professionally associated. Send them an email and try fixing a meeting. Try finding out what your customers search in an app.
Offer them promotional discounts or value added services. Involve your customers in your app and ask their ideas, such as how can you improve your app and make it beneficial for them. Each customer has an audience, so if you are able to convince your customers, you will reach more people through them.
If you have an existing website that’s mobile friendly, use it to promote your app. Include your app on the middle or corner of the home page as well as have a pop-up menu display whenever someone visits your site. The pop-up page is the first thing viewers will see, which is also a reminder that you have an app.
This could be a great promotional tactic. You can in fact create a complete blog post that solely talks about your app. Let your audience know the story and purpose behind the app creation.
Tell them how the app can make things easier for customers. Or you can include a call to action, an invitation to download app, at every blog’s conclusion.
Videos are easiest ways to pass on important app related information. Your demo video should have a 30 second to 1 minute commercial that includes – Why, How and What aspects. Your video content should be updated weekly or monthly. Leverage your social media accounts to promote your app.
Don’t rely on Google Play and App Store alone. If you use a less popular app store to submit your app, the chances of expected downloads will increase by 200%when compared to Google Play. Other app stores include:
Participation will give you immense exposure, reviews, press, and plenty of downloads. Winning award totally depends upon your pitch and app idea; however if you hit the right chords, you may enjoy a little stardom. Some of the famous app awards sites are:
Yes, SEO matters. Your target should be showing up your app among the first 5 entries before the users hit Enter in the store search. Identify best keywords that you want to rank, analyse which keywords your app is currently ranking on and then build some quality links to boost ranking.
Google the term related to your app; let’s say “best music android apps” and wait for the results. At least 4 out of the top 6 results are quality blogs. You can contact them to get your app featured on their blogs. This can garner long-term benefits, such as great exposure, targeted traffic, link-building, more downloads, ratings & feedbacks.
This will help you to promote your app and get better exposure among entrepreneurs and app developers on Social Media Platforms, especially LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+.
Discuss trending topics, future updates, bug fixes and new technologies. Build great relationships by cross promoting each other’s app.
There are over 1.6 million apps in Google Play and more than 1.5 million apps in Apple Store. Most people choose to download an app only when they find the app icon appealing. Tips to create a great app icon:
Great screenshots of your app and dropping them in the app store can do a commendable job of getting across what your app can do or how it can help potential users.
Add more captions and visual elements to your screenshots so that just by looking at the screenshots people can fully understand the app features and make simple choice whether to download or not.
App Store Optimisation (ASO) is similar to SEO. But this is for the Google Play or App Store. It also focuses on keyword relevance, search relevance and keyword density in your App description.
App description is today the most important marketing effort. ASO is important in other App Stores as well, like App Annie where you can type something like “best app for pregnancy recipes” and see the apps that show up as per to their ranking.