Marketing is a very complex concept but, somehow, we all understand its essence: to bring the product to the user for the benefit of both, the user and the product owner. What is the main problem when planning a marketing strategy? Obviously, lack of money. Someone thinks that without a pretty serious amount of money, it is impossible to promote your product at all. This is not true. You can browse the AppStore and find successful applications built without significant financial support. This fact should not surprise you at all, because mobile app development industry is very advanced and there are many tricks to build iOS or Android app without setting up a whole team in your office – learn more. Before taking a closer look at all these techniques that allow you to achieve this effect, it won’t hurt to overview the ranking algorithms of the major mobile app marketplaces.
Mobile App Ranking Key Indicators
The top positions are always the most wanted, but how to get there? Unlike search engines that inform webmasters about each update of the algorithms and warn about the danger of crashing out of the top, the App Store and Google Play keep the application ranking algorithms under a lock. Some experts say that the price and a sufficient number of external links influence the position most of all, others argue that the most important criteria are the price and the name that includes keywords, icon design, and screenshots.
All the important ranking factors that affect the position in the online marketplace were analyzed and included in a small list:
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Number of installations
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Number of uninstalls after installation
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Reviews and ratings
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The installation activity for the last days (for the App Store 72-96 hours, for Google Play 48-72 hours)
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Regularity of use
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Number of comments and their contents
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The number of launches from various devices
But the most decisive factor in ranking is still the number of downloads. In fact, there is no exact figure, the number varies individually, depending on the characteristics of the application itself.
Create a Press Kit for Your Application
With a certain probability, your activity will attract to your project the press, blogs and other media of various formats. If this happens, they will spread the word about your product instead of you. It would be of great help to create a press kit they will be able to use when they write about you. Here’s the list of things you would want to include in your kit:
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The icon should reflect the essence of the application and not be lost on the background of competitors. It is the first thing people see. The best option helps you choose the testing environment in the competition icons.
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The name is simple for spelling and pronunciation, memorable. It is recommended to include keywords in it. logo of your product which e. It will settle in the memory so make sure it’s cool and unique and it is never getting confused with other applications.
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Engaging description of the product and its main idea to shed some light and give a clear understanding of what you offer and how it will help people (this will be needed to announce your product). Description – In Google Play, the description is taken into account when searching, and in the App Store it is not, that is, saturation with the keywords does not make sense.
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Visual attractive interface examples (screenshots) that give a better picture of the concept, the advantages of the product and, of course, its main functionality. The teaser video of your product is as effective and visual as your description. Screenshots and video are bright and attractive, they should tell the user about the application and show its strengths.
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A website, which is very similar to a press kit but in the future would give you an additional vector, directing people to your application in the App Store (after the release of the application).
How to determine that the press kit is complete and nothing is missing? Ask someone to write a normal announcement on its basis. Can this person find all the necessary materials in your kit? If no, what data is missing? This should help to cover every possible aspect.
Have a website for your app
A small website or just a landing page should be enough. It usually contains all the information about your product. Yes, you are more likely to receive the bulk of downloads directly through the App Store, but people are also looking for applications in search engines. Moreover, with the right SEO, you might increase the ranking of your app in the marketplace as well.
Pay close attention to the concept of the site and its content. It has to be brief and concise, no additional, unnecessary information. A few seconds should be enough for a visitor to understand what your product is all about. If you have a slogan, it should be no worse in terms of brevity and clarity.
Do a Keyword Research
The choice of keywords was always important. In the Apple store, it is necessary to list the keywords by a comma without spaces in descending order of importance. The easy way out would be to look after your competitors, find the most successful among them and check what keywords they use. Do the same to your website.
Test the Application Before Launching the Product
If your application is without a strict geographic binding, try to test it on a smaller number of users on the market.
Softlonch – The product is sold to a limited segment without much advertising costs to study the response of users.
In addition to the information received from the Softball, you will still be able to get a pinch mark on the market. This means that the launch will be smooth and will help to improve the product.
