How To Market your iPhone application successfully
Your app marketing woes are over: This post provides a clear oversight on how to approach app marketing in the iTunes App Store.
The App Store currently hosts over 556.000+ applications, and let's face it: standing out in such a big crowd is hard. So is getting started with iPhone marketing.
App promotion / iOS marketing rests on three pillars:
• iTunes App Store Marketing
• Review Sites
• Online Marketing/PPC campaigns
Read on for a detailed rundown of each!
1. iTunes App Store Marketing
This is the most important part of your iPhone marketing mix!
Most people look for cool new apps either on their iPhone/iPad, or through iTunes. Why? It's the most convenient! That's why iOS application developers need to focus on their in-store image most.
What's meant under "in-store appearance": (in order of importance)
• App name - This should be concise enough to attract attention, but should also contain the most important keywords. It is one of the most important factors in search result ranking within the App Store.
• Customer Reviews & Ratings - Users look at these two and instantly form an opinion. The importance of user reviews can't be stressed enough! It's hard to get users to review your app. Also, reviews only appear in the reviewer's national app store (e.g. a canadian can only see reviews left by canadian users). That's why it's important to make sure your app doesn't look like noone's ever downloaded it - no reviews = no downloads in the eyes of App Store!
iPhone App Marketing Services enable you to build a positive image for your app and attract more downloads across different country app stores.
• Cool Screenshots - Important factor in relaying info about your app
• App description - Also relevant from a search result perspective. This should start with a list of important features, followed by a text description (ideally keyword optimized)
2. iPhone App Review Sites
App review sites are a cool way to get a little bit of attention for your app. Some (but not all) users browse these sites for inspiration. It's also a nice way of link-building to you app's website if you have one.
Below is a link to a list of app review sites to submit your app to:
(Be aware that some of them charge for reviews)
Review Site List
3. Online Marketing/PPC campaigns
This is the category that people usually pay too much attention to.
While online marketing campaigns, PPC campaigns on search engines and social media (such as facebook) are certainly cornerstones of classic online marketing, they don't necessarily make sense for iPhone apps.
Pay-per-click, (Google, Facebook, etc) campaigns:
Before investing time and money into any of these, consider their payoff. Even if users see and click your link, how many are going to actually buy? How much cost does that mean for you per realized download? Are you still making money on your sales, or is it all going down the drain?
Even if your mind is set on using this option, keep in mind that most users don't use web search for finding new, cool apps.
Banner Ads:
Banner ad networks are hit and miss. Unless you can target a certain forum of users with a high likelihood of interest in your product, drop it. It is possible to get positive results though.
One possible route is to shell out for a banner ad campaign by a provider specialized in the area.
Conclusion:
Concentrate on creating an appealing image in the iTunes App Store, and create a positive impression of your app with the rating and review system. Make sure customers in the most important country app stores get the right idea, if necessary by using a review service.
Do not totally omit app review sites and online marketing. You shouldn't however expect a large effect from these channels.
Relevant articles:
iPhone app marketing guide
How to market your app
The App Store currently hosts over 556.000+ applications, and let's face it: standing out in such a big crowd is hard. So is getting started with iPhone marketing.
App promotion / iOS marketing rests on three pillars:
• iTunes App Store Marketing
• Review Sites
• Online Marketing/PPC campaigns
Read on for a detailed rundown of each!
1. iTunes App Store Marketing
This is the most important part of your iPhone marketing mix!
Most people look for cool new apps either on their iPhone/iPad, or through iTunes. Why? It's the most convenient! That's why iOS application developers need to focus on their in-store image most.
What's meant under "in-store appearance": (in order of importance)
• App name - This should be concise enough to attract attention, but should also contain the most important keywords. It is one of the most important factors in search result ranking within the App Store.
• Customer Reviews & Ratings - Users look at these two and instantly form an opinion. The importance of user reviews can't be stressed enough! It's hard to get users to review your app. Also, reviews only appear in the reviewer's national app store (e.g. a canadian can only see reviews left by canadian users). That's why it's important to make sure your app doesn't look like noone's ever downloaded it - no reviews = no downloads in the eyes of App Store!
iPhone App Marketing Services enable you to build a positive image for your app and attract more downloads across different country app stores.
• Cool Screenshots - Important factor in relaying info about your app
• App description - Also relevant from a search result perspective. This should start with a list of important features, followed by a text description (ideally keyword optimized)
2. iPhone App Review Sites
App review sites are a cool way to get a little bit of attention for your app. Some (but not all) users browse these sites for inspiration. It's also a nice way of link-building to you app's website if you have one.
Below is a link to a list of app review sites to submit your app to:
(Be aware that some of them charge for reviews)
Review Site List
3. Online Marketing/PPC campaigns
This is the category that people usually pay too much attention to.
While online marketing campaigns, PPC campaigns on search engines and social media (such as facebook) are certainly cornerstones of classic online marketing, they don't necessarily make sense for iPhone apps.
Pay-per-click, (Google, Facebook, etc) campaigns:
Before investing time and money into any of these, consider their payoff. Even if users see and click your link, how many are going to actually buy? How much cost does that mean for you per realized download? Are you still making money on your sales, or is it all going down the drain?
Even if your mind is set on using this option, keep in mind that most users don't use web search for finding new, cool apps.
Banner Ads:
Banner ad networks are hit and miss. Unless you can target a certain forum of users with a high likelihood of interest in your product, drop it. It is possible to get positive results though.
One possible route is to shell out for a banner ad campaign by a provider specialized in the area.
Conclusion:
Concentrate on creating an appealing image in the iTunes App Store, and create a positive impression of your app with the rating and review system. Make sure customers in the most important country app stores get the right idea, if necessary by using a review service.
Do not totally omit app review sites and online marketing. You shouldn't however expect a large effect from these channels.
Relevant articles:
iPhone app marketing guide
How to market your app