a customer wants to increase app downloads An Ultimate Guide to Building an Effective App Marketing Campaign in 2018. The world of mobile app marketing is rapidly evolving. Is your brand ready to implement strategies and build campaigns that will help you sail in 2018? A new report from app intelligence firm Sensor Tower predicts that by 2020 there will be over 5 million active apps on the app store, worldwide. While this number is an indicator of the stiff competition that lies ahead for app businesses, the present day scenario is not much different. The mobile app ecosystem is showing no signs of shrinking, and that’s why app businesses constantly invest in app marketing campaigns to pull the market share in their favor. But the truth is that things move fast in the world of marketing, and when it comes to app marketing, it’s even faster. Thus it requires a unique approach. This article is full of tips you can use to build marketing campaigns that are not only relevant for your users but will also help you skyrocket your app growth in 2018! Before we go ahead and evaluate the various tactics, let’s look at what makes 2018 different, and why it requires a revamped strategy for app businesses. 2018 – Understanding The App Marketing Trends. In his yearly marketing predictions , Ashley Friedlein, Founder of EConsultancy, advises a change in focus towards real-time customer experiences and suggests a multi-channel approach to winning user attention in 2018. Some marketing experts speak about one-time single use apps , and others, like Steve Young, propose a focussed approach on retention and post engagement strategies. Clearly, there’s a lot that’s different about 2018. It is much more crowded, channels are more saturated, and things that worked in the past no longer work or provide similar results. It’s a no-brainer that app marketing campaigns this year need new ideas and approaches in order to stay relevant and forge new relationships with users. Most campaigns in 2018 have to address one or more of the three main recurring challenges faced by app businesses: user acquisition , user engagement , and user retention . Each of these campaigns is unique in nature, so we’re highlighting unique tips to win over them. These tips are influenced by current trends that, if applied prudently, can help businesses gain the most this year. Let’s evaluate each of them separately. #1 How To Build A Successful App Marketing Campaign Focussed Towards Acquisition. App install rate and the total number of app installs are two significant metrics that define app acquisition; stronger acquisition metrics are a good way to judge the interest and value that users derive from your app. With an increased number of apps on the app store, the user has no dearth of options. In fact, a winning app marketing campaign steered exclusively towards acquisition can help your brand increase app downloads significantly. Here are three tips to acquire new users in 2018. # Create Campaigns That Shake Your Users. With hundreds of apps to choose from, businesses will have to work to strike gold with their campaigns. There are numerous tried and tested acquisition strategies to win new users. However, in 2018, one cannot stay mainstream . App businesses need to step out of their comfort zones and test ideas and build app acquisition campaigns that can literally shake the user. One of the most exciting ways to do this is by infusing concepts of augmented reality into the mobile app. The trends for augmented reality are promising, and this approach has been touted as the next big enabler in content consumption . A couple of years ago, IKEA launched an app that used augmented reality to allow users to imagine 3D versions of IKEA furniture in their homes. The mobile app was used as a vehicle to improve the selection and purchasing process and led to massive user engagement and resulted in over 8.5 million downloads. Starbucks has used augmented reality since 2011 . However, it has been the success of Pokemon Go, which enjoyed 100 million global users in 6 days, that brought augmented reality to center stage. The latest entrants to leverage its benefits are beauty brands . Augmented reality concepts are in line with a user’s expectation, and therefore a great app user acquisition tactic to be used in 2018. #Stay Focussed On Creative and Cost-Effective Campaigns To Woo Your App Users. A major deal breaker in planning app acquisition campaigns is their cost. For a significantly long period, app acquisition costs were on the rise. H owever, a recent report published by Fiksu states that these costs are going down . “While apps dominate consumers’ time on mobile devices, that time is being spent in fewer apps, as the typical smartphone owner now spends more than 88 percent of their app time on just five apps.” – Fiksu. App acquisition costs will continue to oscillate, however, the best approach to attracting new users without losing marketing dollars is to maintain a medial approach that encompasses a focus on creative and cost-effective campaigns. There are numerous strategies that can be used; what’s critical is to choose the one that complements your user base for instant identification . It should also be creative and distinct enough to attract and push them to download your app. Bride Story – a marketplace for wedding planning based in Jakarta – launched their app and used Instagram ads to attract new users. Not only was Instagram the right creative platform for them, but it also helped them achieve 50% lower cost per installs compared to other channels. Kevin Mintaraga, Bride Story CEO, explains how their Instagram-led acquisition campaign helped them attract new users. # Use Incentive-Based Ads to Increase Acquisition. The Mary Meeker’s trends report suggests that marketers should stay away from mobile pop-up ads. However, they do favor incentive-based ads and skippable ads. 68% of users also showed a positive outlook towards mobile app rewards. Appsflyer looked at the top 25 US non-gaming media sources quoted in the Appsflyer Performance Index, an industry go-to report card for mobile marketers. Appsflyer found that more than half of them offered some sort of incentivized ad format in their portfolio . Using an ad model that incentivizes an app download is a great strategy to be used in 2018, and a one that can significantly boost user acquisition. #2 How To Build A Successful App Marketing Campaign Focussed Towards Retention. A study published by Appboy in the second quarter of last year states that retaining new app users isn’t easy, with more than 75% of users, on average, failing to return the day after first use. The trends in 2017 are no different, and a report published by Appsflyer confirms that retention challenges lie ahead for businesses this year. Clearly, 2017 is the year that app businesses need to double down their retention efforts. Here’s what app businesses can do to achieve favorable retention numbers this year: #Use Push Notifications in Innovative New Ways. Leanplum – a mobile marketing platform – found that brands are overspending on acquisition, but not directing enough attention and dollars towards retention, which leads to major churn issues. As an antidote, the team suggests push notification-driven campaigns to increase app retention. The team also proposes that instead of sticking to a random pre-scheduled push notification campaign, app businesses should focus on an optimal time-driven approach which will ensure that messages are sent to users when they are most likely to open them. There are numerous ways to use push notifications. Here’s a great example used by the QuizUp app to re-engage a user. If you unsure of how to create the right push notifications, this article from our team can help you get started. # Build an Effective Communication Strategy. Open communication is key to user retention. The more you interact with your users, the more you’ll understand what’s working for them and what’s not. Brands that have an effective communication strategy would be expected to be consistently on top of things. Consider these numbers: a typical business hears from only 4% of – unsatisfied – users, the remaining 96% of users do not voice their opinion. In fact, 91% of users simply do not come back . This is a clear indicator of flawed communication. By building an effective communication strategy, app businesses can turn negative churn upside down. All that’s required is to effectively seek feedback from the user, and tailor communications that are contextual and engaging for them. Apptentive proposes a strategy which that’s tied to the customer journey. “As a best practice, we’ve found the best way to engage customers is at key ‘mobile moments’ throughout the customer journey. These moments are tied to events such as the completion of an in-app task, such as after a customer has made a purchase or watched a video. In practice, this means communicating with customers via prompts and surveys at strategic times so as not to bother them. In contrast, attempting to engage customers before or during a specific task can be seen as intrusive and leads to higher exit rates and lower response rates. Your customer opened the app with a goal or task in mind—let them accomplish this goal before sending them a message linking to another part of the app or distracting them from the task at hand. When customers are engaged in an intelligent manner, the results speak for themselves.” The company also found that an effective communication strategy can boost retention numbers positively, as shown in the graph below. #Work Towards Improving SDK Fatigue. Most apps today are heavily dependent on SDKs. While they open the world of integration for developers, multiple SDK integrations can lead to unnecessary crashes, expose the app to bugs, drain the battery, impact user privacy, and lead to SDK fatigue (a term coined by the team at Appsflyer). Here’s a quick snapshot of the average number of SDKs within apps. Multiple mismanaged SDKs can seriously impact retention numbers as they can prevent users from having a crash free experience. This is one aspect of user retention that needs attention in 2018. How To Build A Successful App Marketing Campaign Focussed Towards Engagement. The data around app engagement is gut-wrenching. 70% of users churn within 30 days, despite an overall increase in the time spent on mobile apps. A lot of this could change in 2018 if app business align their app engagement campaigns with the available data. We’ve listed a few strategies that can help you make adjustments to your app marketing campaigns. #Increase Focus on Location-Based App Marketing. Location-based marketing is a great way to keep a user engaged, and with the right data, it is one of the best strategies we can use to win hearts. Reports suggest that the percentage of marketers who favor location-based tracking as a mobile marketing technique has drastically improved in the recent years, and a clear focus on it will be a big differentiator in the long run. In 2018, however, the approach should be focussed towards building more real-time experiences. Steven Rosenblatt, President of Foursquare, is a great advocate of location-based app marketing. “In 2018, marketers will realize that it’s no longer sufficient to just “check the box.” The smartest brands and companies will turn good quality data into smart, actionable consumer insights and business strategies. These leading brands will want to have more ownership of and expertise in their own location data.” Your users are on the go and a location-based engagement strategy will complement and delight them more than a regular in-app message or push. This strategy can be can be applied to various app categories, and is, therefore, a brilliant way to create a unique experience and boost user engagement. Henry Cipolla, Co-founder & CTO at Localytics, explains at length in the video below why location services are critical for mobile app. Sephora employs blended location-based data to improve the mobile experience for their users. The brand sends pre-emptive messages to users by tracking their location. Starbucks uses location data to promote special offers and order ahead services. #Explore the Gaming Route. Mary Meeker’s report noted an interesting trend this year. The report found that “video games” per se are one of the fastest ways to maximize user engagement, and an average user spends 51 minutes a day on “video games.” The report also states that this is one platform that demands attention in ways that nothing else does. App marketers have a great opportunity here. While it’s true that not all apps can be gaming apps, by bringing in “video game-like” elements into the app, such as in-app rewards, badges, splash screens, virtual gifts and redeemable gifts, marketers can supercharge engagement levels. DatePlay , a new dating app, gamifies the online dating experience by having users work through a series of quizzes and mini-games. This is yet another way of bringing video game-like features into an app. Brands with sufficient marketing budgets can also invest in building a parallel gaming model, like Snapchat with its recently introduced ‘filter games ’. #Optimize Your App for Voice Search. Forbes states that 2018 will be the year of app search. Voice-based search is fast becoming the way users find information, delegate tasks and more. A recent data by Google states that 20% of mobile queries are voice searches. Voice search within apps will help boost convenience for users who are on the move. Imagine being able to buy groceries via a voice command! Most voice recognition systems run via the cloud and do not impact app performance in any negative way. Here’s how a fitness app has integrated voice search. #Provide Avenues to Incorporate User Generated Content. Users today are constantly sharing images, videos and text within networks that can be incorporated into your app to boost engagement. The benefits of integrating user-generated content into your mobile app are multifold. Incorporating user generated content helps build personalization, helps create a connection between the brand and the app user, and encourages promotion through word of mouth, which in this model might not always occur in-app. Wrapping It Up. As a whole, 2018 has brought unique opportunities for businesses to scale their app growth. The trends and forecasts are interesting and seem to encourage experimentation and out-of-box strategies. The above-mentioned tips and strategies can help app businesses gain a lot of perspectives, and make the remaining quarters memorable for the users while bringing in high revenue for themselves. 14 Smart Marketing Tactics to Encourage App Downloads. In the mobile-first era, it seems that every business has its own app to enhance the customer experience. While there may be legitimate value in offering your customers an app, you may face some stiff competition: When there's an app for everything, how can you convince people to download yet another one to their smart devices? We asked fourteen entrepreneurs for the best ways to promote your brand's mobile app and encourage downloads. Check out their answers below: Market Your App Up Front. Sometimes customers don't even know a mobile app is available. By informing new users of all the services available to them upon registration, you can increase the number of people signing up for additional apps. Include information about the web app in their welcome email with a link to the App Store for easy access. – Dave Nevogt of Hubstaff.com. Make Your App Vitally Important. Your app should be more than just a conduit to your brand message; it should offer something that's vitally important to your prospects and customers. If they see your app as providing something of value they can't get anywhere else, they'll be more motivated to download. Too many apps are being designed just for the sake of having an app; make yours count. – Nicole Munoz of Start Ranking Now. Send Them a Text Message About It. Bring the app to your customers by sending them a text message or email with a direct link to the mobile app so that downloads are easy and efficient. – Murray Newlands of Sighted. Offer an Insightful Look at Your Brand. There are plenty of creative ways that you can make your brand accessible to your customers through social media, without resorting to building your own app. But if you've already built one and prefer to have it as a base platform, make it a place where they can get a more insightful idea of your brand. Think about celebrities who've built apps: Fans receive a more intimate look into their lives. – Cody McLain of SupportNinja. Give Incentives for Downloading. Why should customers download your app? Of course, they'll enjoy the benefits it offers, but only after they start using the app. How are you paying back for the effort of downloading? Give them incentives. Offer a coupon/gift card/trial service on every download. Introduce referral discounts. This will encourage consumers to share the app in their network and you'll get more downloads. – Pratham Mittal of Outgrow. Prioritize the Mobile Experience. If you think of your mobile app as secondary to the desktop or web experience, so will your customers. Make mobile the heart of your business: The app should be the primary focus of development and marketing. This can be a difficult perspective change for many companies, but mobile is now the dominant computing platform, and it makes sense to put the mobile experience front-and-center. Write a Blog Post About It. Write a post about the app with features, benefits and high-quality screenshots that showcase it in the best light. Even better, include a demo video. The more informed users are and what's in it for them, the more interested they will be. Just remember to add a call-to-action so they can download it directly. – Humberto Farias of Concepta. Make It Well-Designed and User-Friendly. When you make the decision to develop a mobile app for your company, always remember the two golden rules: 1) Design your app so that it will work on almost any mobile device, and 2) Strive to make the app as user friendly as possible for your customers. – Luigi Wewege of Vivier Group. Provide a Trial Run with Tutorial. Give customers a trial membership to try the app out and a tutorial that explains what they can do. Follow that up with an introductory rate if you plan on charging a subscription or other type of pricing model. – Cynthia Johnson of Ipseity Media. Try Paid Campaigns That Encourage App Downloads. Facebook and Instagram advertising offers a campaign objective to encourage mobile downloads. This is a great way to get your app out there in front of the target audience and allows them to download it with just a couple of taps. – Duran Inci of Optimum7. Make Good Use of Welcome Emails and Thank You Pages. For many entrepreneurs and businesses, this is “throwaway content.” But if you aren’t using it right, you’re missing out on some huge opportunities! When someone subscribes to your email list, they should get an email right away, and that email should tell them where they can get your app. When they are brought to your “thank you” page, you should remind them again. – Ismael Wrixen of FE International. Show the Pain Point You're Solving. The overwhelming majority of apps are downloaded once and never used again. It’s better to build something that people actually need – an app that actually solves a pain point – than just building an app to build an app. If you can do that successfully, you won’t have to encourage customers to download it: they’ll do it themselves. – Kevin Yamazaki of Sidebench. Provide Pop-Up Links for Potential Users. We launched our app at the beginning of 2016, and for a year we've included a link to it in every email sent. We also have a pop-up on our website that invites visitors to download the app for a 15 percent discount. Finally, our app has exclusive offers for users, and we send push notifications to encourage more customer interaction. The incentives within the app along with access to the app work well. – Ashley Ferraro of Dona Jo, Inc. Talk to People Directly. The best way to encourage new people to download your app is to do things that don't scale, like knocking on your neighbors' doors and asking them to download your app. When you get started, direct feedback like working directly with your customers, and going up to everyone you see and know is the best way to get started. – Eden Chen of Fishermen Labs. The answers above are provided by members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) , an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. How to Get More App Downloads: Five Free Ways. If you’re reading this post, it probably means that you are about to launch a new mobile app. Maybe it’s your first one? It could also mean that you have an awesome app idea and you’re wondering how much work you will need to put in, in order to succeed. But either way, we bet you’ll be looking to find out how to get more app downloads – for free! Read on and we’ll let you in on the most effective, free mobile app promotion strategies that will help you to get more app downloads. With a tremendous amount of competition on both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store (over two million apps and counting), convincing users to download a new app is extremely challenging. And when budgets are tight, it’s even more so. But the good news is, there are several free (or very cheap) methods out there to help you out. Find our top five free ways to boost your app downloads effectively below. 1. Improve Your App Store Optimization (ASO) First and foremost, we could not start this list without mentioning App Store Optimization (ASO) and its benefits. ASO is the process of improving a mobile app’s visibility in the store by optimizing each metadata element (app title, description, keywords, screenshots, etc.) according to the store and trends’ best practices. Ultimately, the point is to make the app more visible in the charts and to increase its discoverability. By doing so, app users are more likely to find the app in the store, and consequently, the number of downloads will increase naturally. But what actually determines if your ASO is up to scratch? There are a number of factors that impact ASO, and each one relates to how visible your app is in the store. This means you’ll find the following factors will all have an impact: Social proof Number of positive reviews Number of app starts User retention Relevance of keywords in the app title and description Regional- specific rankings. These factors will not only impact how your app is ranked by the app store algorithm, but it will also play a big role in how potential users will perceive your app when it comes to choosing what to to download. This is why ASO is the most important way of getting more app downloads. Although ASO is becoming more and more popular, it remains underused by many app developers and marketers. So now is the time to take advantage of this extremely cost-effective technique to increase app downloads. There are many online ASO tutorials that teach the best practices for beginners. You can download the ultimate ASO Cheat Sheet for free here and find out exactly how to get more app downloads without spending a thing. It is also possible to use some free resources to get keywords inspiration, like the Google Keyword Planner or Apple Search Ads recommended and related keywords. Of course, you can also use some ASO tools like AppTweak. This platform provides all the insights you need, and it even offers a seven-day free trial. Use all its available features for free, including the Keyword Tool. Image: AppTweak Keyword Tool. 2. Start Building Your Online Presence. Want more app downloads? Start by increasing your brand awareness. Push your app everywhere you can on the web and you’ll soon find out the secrets of how to get more app downloads. First, create a unique website or a landing page for your app. Don’t worry; there’s no need to master web development. You can use free software like WordPress , which makes it very easy to create your own website. Ideally, you’d only have to pay for a brandable domain name and a hosting space (about $10). Building a website or a landing page will help you share useful content about your app. Having a central point where visitors can learn more about your app is essential. Make sure that your design is creative and personal; you want it to show off your app’s identity. Use your app’s color palette and specific fonts to create an immediately recognizable brand identity. If you don’t have one already, it’s time to define your brand’s visual look. Try using your website and/or landing page’s URL wherever you can, and make sure it’s prominent in all of your communications, from emails and signatures to marketing collateral. Along with your website, you can also create a specific blog, which would be part of your website/landing page. The point is to offer some news about your app, like new available features, a new design, etc. You can also create some valuable and shareable content that circles around your app’s universe. If you have a travel app, you might want to provide interesting content on places to see over the world or a practical guide to being the perfect backpacker. Kayak’s blog does a great job by providing tips and trends about various destinations. The point is to feed your community with relevant content that eventually will be shared across the web via social media. Image: Kayak’s blog. Speaking of which, it is also essential to build your social presence. Make sure you have a Facebook page, a Twitter account, a Google+ and a LinkedIn profile, an Instagram, and a Pinterest account. The greater your social presence, the better. They are all free! However, it is important to keep each channel updated, so don’t use too many channels if you don’t have time to handle them all. Social media management demands a lot of work, especially if you want it to be effective. It’s about finding a different strategy for each platform and, most importantly, finding unique ways to stand out from your competitors. Again, the point is to benefit from word-of-mouth and virality to get your app known. Make sure you encourage users to share your content. Use your website/blog URLs or your app’s page URL (using deep linking) in all your communications. Ubereats Facebook Page is a great example of how to leverage the power of social media. Getting more visitors, followers, and engagement on your web channels will definitely increase your app downloads. Image: Ubereats Facebook Page. 3. Make Your App Free at Launch. Wondering how to get more app downloads? Why not make your app free at launch? This might sound like a simple suggestion, but it will drastically increase your chances of getting more downloads by boosting your visibility from day one. If it was already live in the store as a paid-for app, make it free as a special promotion for a set period of time. This will inevitably stir curiosity and drive more downloads. If your app is free but offers in-app purchases, make your IAPs free for a little while. This will increase your number of downloads and encourage people to use your app more. Engagement rates will increase and the App Store/Play Store will reward you by boosting your app rankings. Your app will therefore be more visible and therefore you’ll see your app installs increase. 4. Ask Your Users to Rate & Review your App. Another great way of getting more app downloads is by securing plenty of glowing reviews. This is effective in a number of ways. Not only will the algorithms reward you with better rankings, but users will be more tempted to download your app if it has a good reputation. App users rely on other app users’ opinions before downloading an app. If you have bad reviews or a low number of reviews and ratings, you can be sure that your conversion rate will be very low. Plus, both the App Store and the Play Store algorithms take reviews and ratings into account in order to rank apps. In the case of multiple negative ratings, an app can be strongly penalized in terms of rankings. By contrast, if the app shows a lot of positive reviews and ratings, it will be favored and pushed straight to the top of the search results. An effective technique to encourage users to rate and review your app positively is to use push notifications at the right time. We usually recommend prompting users after five or 10 sessions in the app. Take a look at these push notification strategies that’ll show you exactly how to get more app downloads and increase engagement. Image: Yoni Heisler. Of course, you should do all you can to avoid negative reviews and ratings by providing the best experience possible to your users. Start by correcting bugs as quickly as possible. Also, make sure you’re providing users with a point of contact to reach out to, in case they have complaints. An email address or a help form on the app itself will do. 5. Put Your App in the Spotlight! Last but not least, it is essential to try getting other people to mention or talk about your app . This will reinforce your brand awareness and reputation, which will inevitably bring you more downloads. Going to the media is a great technique to drive attention. The first thing you should do is to build a complete press kit including some visual and written materials (download URL, app icon, screenshots, boilerplate, PDF presentation, etc.). Make your assets as attractive and engaging as possible. The next step will be to send a great press release to all tech journalists and influencers that you can find. Try reaching out by email. Don’t forget about your subject line: make it unique! The point is to convince them to talk about your app. If your app is not live yet, give them access to your beta version. Describe and explain why your app is one of a kind and why they should cover it over an article. Make sure to show off your best features and functionalities and before long you’ll be getting more app downloads. Influencer marketing is becoming increasingly popular, and that’s down to the great results that it invariably achieves. It’s currently one of the most effective ways to get more app downloads for free. Image: Stocksnap. Reach out to bloggers who could find your app interesting for their audience. If you’re launching a fitness app, aim to connect with health influencers and bloggers. Use a creative and unique pitch to build a strong relationship with them. Hopefully, they will love your app and expand your reach by showcasing it in their upcoming articles or videos. Finally, you might want to try to get your app reviewed on various specific websites. Check this list of 200 app review websites for iOS and Android apps to see which sites would be most relevant for your target audience, before launching a campaign to have your app featured. How to Get More App Downloads: Start Now. No matter how great and well-designed your app is, if you don’t put enough effort into promoting it, no one will ever download it. With today’s increasing competition, it is crucial to find innovative app promotion strategies to make sure you get more app downloads, and your app is a success. Although app promotion is always easier with money, it’s definitely possible to get more app downloads without having to up your advertising budget. There are several highly effective free ways of raising awareness of your app and ultimately getting more downloads (and there are even more here!). While you grow your audience, prioritize retention to secure the ongoing success of your app. Read Leanplum’s post to discover some kickass strategies for improving app retention. 14 Smart Marketing Tactics to Encourage App Downloads. In the mobile-first era, it seems that every business has its own app to enhance the customer experience. While there may be legitimate value in offering your customers an app, you may face some stiff competition: When there's an app for everything, how can you convince people to download yet another one to their smart devices? We asked fourteen entrepreneurs for the best ways to promote your brand's mobile app and encourage downloads. Check out their answers below: Market Your App Up Front. Sometimes customers don't even know a mobile app is available. By informing new users of all the services available to them upon registration, you can increase the number of people signing up for additional apps. Include information about the web app in their welcome email with a link to the App Store for easy access. – Dave Nevogt of Hubstaff.com. Make Your App Vitally Important. Your app should be more than just a conduit to your brand message; it should offer something that's vitally important to your prospects and customers. If they see your app as providing something of value they can't get anywhere else, they'll be more motivated to download. Too many apps are being designed just for the sake of having an app; make yours count. – Nicole Munoz of Start Ranking Now. Send Them a Text Message About It. Bring the app to your customers by sending them a text message or email with a direct link to the mobile app so that downloads are easy and efficient. – Murray Newlands of Sighted. Offer an Insightful Look at Your Brand. There are plenty of creative ways that you can make your brand accessible to your customers through social media, without resorting to building your own app. But if you've already built one and prefer to have it as a base platform, make it a place where they can get a more insightful idea of your brand. Think about celebrities who've built apps: Fans receive a more intimate look into their lives. – Cody McLain of SupportNinja. Give Incentives for Downloading. Why should customers download your app? Of course, they'll enjoy the benefits it offers, but only after they start using the app. How are you paying back for the effort of downloading? Give them incentives. Offer a coupon/gift card/trial service on every download. Introduce referral discounts. This will encourage consumers to share the app in their network and you'll get more downloads. – Pratham Mittal of Outgrow. Prioritize the Mobile Experience. If you think of your mobile app as secondary to the desktop or web experience, so will your customers. Make mobile the heart of your business: The app should be the primary focus of development and marketing. This can be a difficult perspective change for many companies, but mobile is now the dominant computing platform, and it makes sense to put the mobile experience front-and-center. Write a Blog Post About It. Write a post about the app with features, benefits and high-quality screenshots that showcase it in the best light. Even better, include a demo video. The more informed users are and what's in it for them, the more interested they will be. Just remember to add a call-to-action so they can download it directly. – Humberto Farias of Concepta. Make It Well-Designed and User-Friendly. When you make the decision to develop a mobile app for your company, always remember the two golden rules: 1) Design your app so that it will work on almost any mobile device, and 2) Strive to make the app as user friendly as possible for your customers. – Luigi Wewege of Vivier Group. Provide a Trial Run with Tutorial. Give customers a trial membership to try the app out and a tutorial that explains what they can do. Follow that up with an introductory rate if you plan on charging a subscription or other type of pricing model. – Cynthia Johnson of Ipseity Media. Try Paid Campaigns That Encourage App Downloads. Facebook and Instagram advertising offers a campaign objective to encourage mobile downloads. This is a great way to get your app out there in front of the target audience and allows them to download it with just a couple of taps. – Duran Inci of Optimum7. Make Good Use of Welcome Emails and Thank You Pages. For many entrepreneurs and businesses, this is “throwaway content.” But if you aren’t using it right, you’re missing out on some huge opportunities! When someone subscribes to your email list, they should get an email right away, and that email should tell them where they can get your app. When they are brought to your “thank you” page, you should remind them again. – Ismael Wrixen of FE International. Show the Pain Point You're Solving. The overwhelming majority of apps are downloaded once and never used again. It’s better to build something that people actually need – an app that actually solves a pain point – than just building an app to build an app. If you can do that successfully, you won’t have to encourage customers to download it: they’ll do it themselves. – Kevin Yamazaki of Sidebench. Provide Pop-Up Links for Potential Users. We launched our app at the beginning of 2016, and for a year we've included a link to it in every email sent. We also have a pop-up on our website that invites visitors to download the app for a 15 percent discount. Finally, our app has exclusive offers for users, and we send push notifications to encourage more customer interaction. The incentives within the app along with access to the app work well. – Ashley Ferraro of Dona Jo, Inc. Talk to People Directly. The best way to encourage new people to download your app is to do things that don't scale, like knocking on your neighbors' doors and asking them to download your app. When you get started, direct feedback like working directly with your customers, and going up to everyone you see and know is the best way to get started. – Eden Chen of Fishermen Labs. The answers above are provided by members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) , an invite-only organization comprised of the world's most promising young entrepreneurs. 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