Mobile apps have become more important than ever before. In April 2020, the average user spent more than a quarter of their waking day on a mobile device.
Businesses need to be where their customers are, but with 2.87 million apps on the Google Play store alone, it’s tough to stand out from the crowd. We look at how to create well-marketed mobile apps, through optimized descriptions, social media strategies, app localization services, and more.
Optimize your app for the store
- Use the right words
You need to optimize your app for wherever it’s being sold. The higher your app ranks in app store results, the more likely customers are to tap on it. An app’s title and description play a key factor in how it ranks and its immediate impact on users.
Because every word counts, Apple suggests avoiding generic descriptions and highlighting unique features of your app that will resonate with your audience. Their developer page also gives key advice on choosing the correct keywords and images.
- Offer free content
Whether or not you offer a free version of your app depends on your monetization strategy. The freemium model divides uses into two tiers, free and premium. The free version provides access to limited features only. Limitations could be placed on features, use time, support, or online/offline access.
As a mobile app marketing strategy, the freemium model works to acquire users who would otherwise be put off by an initial paywall. In 2019, a survey of 400 app developers in the UK and US revealed that 54% used a freemium model.
- Keep up with comments
As the ratings start to flood in, it’s important to keep up with comments both good and bad. Being on hand to reply to issues and queries from frustrated users will set you apart from the competition. It’s also a useful way of monitoring the usability and the general opinion of the app.
- Market via social media
There are so many avenues to consider with mobile app marketing on social media that it could easily become an overwhelming task. To save time, consider automating your posts and concentrating on increasing engagement.
The best engagement will come from careful planning. So it’s important to spend a while analyzing which customers are on which platforms and the types of posts they engage with. This is true for both paid and organic reach.
In today’s uncertain climate, influencer marketing seems to be faring well. In May 2020, 96% of US and UK customers were “engaging with [influencers]…more or to the same extent as before the coronavirus outbreak” despite the pandemic.
- Market via a website
However big or small your app is, it can benefit from a website with a dedicated landing page. You could incorporate a blog related to your app, using keywords to boost SEO and attract new potential customers.
It’s important to focus on the features of the app that the user cares about. They want to know which problem the app solves and what its premise is before they find out the details of how it works. For inspiration, search for the websites of some of the best-selling apps.
Use app localization services
App localization services make an app ready for foreign markets. While translation simply changes words from one language into another, the localization service transforms the app so that it appeals to international users.
App localization focuses on technical aspects (such as incorporating date/time formats or currencies), visual features (colors, user journeys, etc.), and linguistic elements (modifying cultural or inappropriate references).
The process can be done in-house. However, more than technical skills are required. The localizer should understand the target country’s culture, user habits, language, and local customs. Professional app localization services take care of all of this, using a team that may include highly qualified linguists, designers, and coders to seamlessly engineer your app.
At Future Trans, we have over 25 years’ experience in the translation and localization industry. Our dedicated app localization services team is here to support projects launching into the MENA region and beyond. To find out more about how we work, contact us now!
