Promote Your Android App

How to Promote Your Android App on Social Media?

Take a look at recent smartphone usage trends and one thing becomes obvious – social media is more popular than ever. According to a survey, 90 percent of respondents visited Facebook daily, while Instagram came a close second with 49 percent. So, it’d be a shame if you let such a ready resource go to waste. Consider promoting your Android app by reaching out to people who already use them, directly on the platforms where they spend most of their time.

Really? Is It Really That Easy?

No, it’s not. Releasing a digital online product is now akin to offline entrepreneurship. Just because your app is available in Google Play Store doesn’t necessarily mean people are going to discover it. After all, recent statistics put the number of available apps in the Google Play Store at 2.6 million.

Given the fierce competition, it is no longer enough for Android app developers to simply create a great product. No, now it is also about making the program stand out from hundreds of similar applications in the market.

So, think about your long-term marketing strategy. For added convenience, check out our list of tried and proven techniques to boost your app promotion efforts.

Use Facebook Ads for Your Benefit

Begin with the most obvious – Facebook Ads. Think of this as an effective quick fix for getting closer to realizing your goals. Leverage Facebook ads to get in front of your target audience and show users the benefits of your program. Engage them and convince them to download your Android app.

Focus on Mobile-Only

Increase your chances of success by running mobile-only marketing campaigns. Think about it – there is a higher possibility of users downloading your app when it’s on mobile rather than on desktop. It requires fewer clicks and skips the hassle of having to locate their phone, navigate to the app in the Play Store, and eventually download it. Know that most users will not bother to take all these steps.

Exploit Targeting Options

Set the campaign up such that the ad is shown to users with compatible Android devices. Increase your chances of success by making the ad relevant to the user viewing it.

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Check out the image. Notice how developers can change the settings to make targeted ads visible only on Apple tablets and smartphones or Android OS, To promote your Android app, click the option marked “Android only”.

Highlight the Value of Your App

Be aware that most users already have other Android applications installed that take up valuable storage space. So, give them a solid reason to download and use your app in the first place. Showcase your app’s value in a clear way and make them understand why it’s better than the desktop version. Play up additional features like ease of use, exclusive sales or coupons, easier checkouts, etc. Here’s how McDonald’s does it:

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Consider the Facebook advertisement above. In a few words, it explains the advantages of downloading the app. It gives consumers the option of ordering food in advance, so they can pick up their food without waiting in the queue. It’s a great benefit – one that becomes the focal point of the ad.

Showcase Usage with Videos

Draw attention and demonstrate value by showing consumers how efficient and easy it is to use your app. Include images so customers know what the app UI looks like on their phones and demonstrate how it works. Also, don’t forget to highlight the advantages of the app and explain to users why they need it in their lives.

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The above image depicting diversity is a good example of what NOT to do in Facebook mobile ads. There is zero information about the service itself or how it benefits the customer.

Airbnb may be able to get away with it by virtue of being an established brand, but if this were a no-name developer with a minimal online presence, publishing a promotional content of this sort would do more harm than good.

Make videos that are short and creative

Remember 85 percent of Facebook videos are viewed without sound, so make the ad easy to understand even without audio. Ensure the video quality is high and upload detailed how-to’s on your app page. Request users to submit their feedback and comments about the ad.

Improve Engagement and In-App Purchases with Retargeting

Focus mainly on mobile app installs, but also use Facebook Ads for increasing in-app purchases or engagement. Harness the power of retargeting – show ads to consumers who’ve already downloaded or interacted with your application in some way.

  • Use Facebook SDK to form customized audiences of users depending on the way they’ve interacted with the application. The more specific you are, the more you can create targeted campaigns that trigger certain actions.
  • Try targeting active users or your app’s highest spenders with fresh offers. Also, target users who’ve downloaded your application but have not accessed it in some time. Rely on re-engagement campaigns specifically designed to get them using the app again.
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The image above depicts the selection of the precise setting for establishing a list of users who’ve previously visited your website or taken some particular action. Any ads you publish on the FB platform will be visible only to this group.

  • Don’t forget to appeal to users who’ve added items to the cart but did not complete the checkout process, or those who visited a particular page. Use re-engagement campaigns to ensure customers come back and then hook them up with relevant offers.

Be Prepared to Spend

Shell out money if you want to launch a full-fledged mobile app install campaign on Facebook. Promoting Android app downloads will cost more than lead gen ads, impressions, and link clicks, usually between $1 and $16. So, establish a budget that appeals to your target audience and helps you fulfill your goals.

Remember Social Media is More Than Just Facebook

With a monthly active user base of 2.32 billion, it’s easy to see why you’d equate social media with Facebook. However, please note there are other platforms that equally demand your attention when you’re trying to promote your Android app. So, get ready to embark on your social media adventure by establishing a strategy comprised of the following elements:

  • Define the message you’re trying to send to consumers through your app
  • Settle on a consistent tone throughout the campaign, like sophisticated or fun
  • Estimate the budget
  • Know your competition
  • Understand your consumer base and know where to find them online
  • Develop a rock-solid social media strategy and start setting up company accounts on different platforms
  • Post neutral content in the beginning and take your time to build up a rapport with major influencers in the app’s niche.

Instagram

Think Insta, think visual social media marketing. Consider the improvements in smartphone camera technology and the advent of new visual trends like augmented reality, and you will understand why social media platforms like Snapchat, Pinterest, and Instagram are gaining traction.

With 1 billion monthly users, Instagram is the largest visual social media platform and you’d hate to miss out on the promotional opportunities. So, take your content in a bold, young, and vibrant new direction to appeal to this user demographic.

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Example of a typical Insta post promoting a particular service, in this case, an   platform. Notice how the word ‘Sponsored’ pops up below the Insta handle of the brand; this indicates the brand has entered some sort of financial plan with the social media network to have its content featured on user timelines.

  • Regularly post photos, stories, and videos showcasing your app and the program’s value.
  • Keep in mind that the majority of Insta users fall between 18 and 29 years of age, followed by 30 to 49. So, adjust your promotional content accordingly to match the mindset of the audience.
  • Collab with influencers who share the same target audience as you and get them to speak about your application. Set up contests and giveaways to sweeten the pot.

Quora

Do not make the mistake of underestimating the potential of Quora. This Q&A platform can give your app the visibility and popularity it needs by garnering upvotes on relevant topics and answers.

Keep in mind that Quora users seem more interested in getting B2B insights and discovering powerful new tools for growth. And this is precisely where your product steps into the picture.

  • First, select someone in your Android app development team to represent the product.
  • Use real names, job titles, and other information.
  • Then search for relevant discussions or questions in your niche that you’re able to answer.
  • Look for popular threads that get loads of attention. Use these questions to get more views and leverage the high traffic potential.
  • Find the correct question and then create a detailed, professional, and brief response.
  • Answer the question properly to provide users with great value.
  • Then, tie-in your Android application to the remainder of the answer and add relevant download links. Then, it’s all about garnering upvotes for your answer.

The greater the number of upvotes, the higher rank you will secure on the page. This rank determines the leads and views your app will get.

To make things easier, use the Promoted Answers feature introduced by the platform last year. It gives marketers a chance to promote organic content added to the website. Consisting of a question, a link that directs users to the full answer, or part of an answer, a Promoted Answers ad may be targeted like the other units present on the platform.

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Check out this typical example of a Promoted Answer on the Quora platform. This is as good as it gets for marketers who want to push a particular narrative organically. The simple question-and-answer format works wonders when it comes to increasing the credibility and legitimacy of the Android app developer.

Twitter

Use Twitter to get “shoutouts” and boost your networking efforts. Harness the full potential of this platform to reach out to almost every user by mentioning them in your tweets, becoming part of an ongoing conversation, or tagging their handle.

  • Exploit the increased character limit (280) and invite influencers to retweet posts promoting your Android app.
  • Also, getting them to participate in conversations can impact your app greatly and reach a huge audience in minutes.
  • Boost your tweets with a paid campaign to benefit from the greater engagement rates and higher visibility.
  • Use third-party apps like Slack and Mention to receive notifications whenever someone tweets about your app, or a particular keyword set by you. Engage with possible influencers or users at the right time to gain maximum visibility.

Please note that customers often use Twitter as a kind of feedback platform. So, they might use it to contact you in case they have issues or queries with your Android application. So, make sure all user queries are addressed immediately.

Satisfy them with your prompt service, and they might reward you with a mention in their tweets. This serves as additional promotion for your application.

Use the One-Click Rule

Ensure that downloading your application is no more than a click away from the content you post and share. Consider the content a part of the user experience, and do not make it difficult for people to find your app in the Play Store.

If they get distracted by something else while downloading the app, they might lose interest in your app altogether and thwart your goal of securing a mobile app download.

Improve the Visibility of Your App

Carve out your personal space on the Internet and make sure your app gets seen

Cultivate a Distinct Visual Identity

Make users understand what sets your app apart from others in the marketplace. Create a strong online visual identity and make sure it’s consistent with your UI. Stick to specific design choices in your posts to make your app more credible and distinct.

Feature your app logo in image borders, profile images, and cover pictures. Opt for similar typography when adding text to your posts. Maintain a certain color palette for graphic design that complements the icon used by your app.

Utilize User-Generated Content

Repost content from the users who mention your Android app in the form of customer testimonials.

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When you repost or screenshot on Instagram, retweet on Twitter, or create graphics on LinkedIn or Facebook, it’s necessary to let the world know how well your program works by using customer content as digital word-of-mouth.

Play Around with Branded Hashtags

Make it easy for both you and your target audience to locate content related to your app by developing a branded hashtag. This hashtag may be simple like your app’s name or account name, but ensure that it’s original.

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#StartWithSnowe – the brand hashtag featured here – went on to do quite well for the company with 858 posts published as of the writing of this article, bringing considerable visibility and exposure to a small business.

Reinforce your hashtag to make tracking easier, and quickly discover contest entries whenever applicable as well as user-generated content. Incorporate your branded hashtag when creating captions.

Keep an Eye Out for Ratings and Reviews

Platforms like Facebook allow users to post ratings on products. This works as a great lead generator.

  • Utilize interesting reviews to highlight key features and benefits of your Android app.
  • Work with influencers and send them an overview of your app along with links to the app store
  • Ask them to create a review.
  • Try getting a feature in specific lists of similar apps if you apply to tech blogs like Thenextweb or Hongkiat. Feature in such platforms to bring in new users.
  • Use the audience feedback to understand loopholes in your product and personalize it further to suit your target audience.
  • Benefit from more app downloads for your efforts.
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Higher reviews and ratings for your app will help you climb the charts faster. So, request your audience to rate the app and spend a couple of minutes writing a short review for your product. Provide incentives for their efforts like unlocking new content to gather quality feedback.

Wrapping Up

A survey by Social Media Today revealed that marketers want to invest more in social media platforms from Instagram to Facebook. 68 percent want to spend more on social media ads this year, and you can bet there are several hundred Android developers in the mix. After all, why not pour money into a tactic that pays rich dividends? Despite the financial investment, social media promotions quickly yield plenty of results.

 

Jesse Ali

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