A well-designed mobile app can drive sales much faster than a classic online store, especially if we’re talking about photo products. The reason is quite simple: mobile photography is at its peak, therefore, creating personalized photo gifts on the same device is easier than transferring data from a phone to another device. However, the launch is not enough. Over 4.5 million apps are competing for our attention in App Store and Google Play. That is why today we are revealing a few tips for successful app promotion.
Start with app store optimization
More than half of phone owners are used to search for new apps through the stores themselves. App store optimization (ASO) includes a few tactics that will improve store rankings and make your app easier to find. To achieve great results with ASO, you need to take care of both text and visual optimization:
- App name – should be unique and include the brand name
- Keywords – search for relevant keywords with Google Keyword and other tools
- Description – briefly explain your app value and keep it updated
- Screenshots and/or video demo – add 3+ feature screenshots or a video tutorial demonstrating core app functions
- Localization – if you deliver photo products in a specific country(ies), make an individual ASO for each region and keep in mind cultural and linguistic differences
- Ratings – work on a high rating and make sure it’s not below market
In addition, we recommend doing a soft launch before promoting the app to the public. In other words, you need to find a similar audience and conduct a campaign aimed at attracting users and analyzing feedback.
Encourage to leave reviews
Ratings play a huge role in promotion as they prove to the public that your product is popular and other users are not disappointed. A key strategy is to offer a ‘Rate the app’ pop-up after the user completes the main action. For example, you could prompt the user to leave a review right after a photo book is successfully created or the purchase is finalized.
Publish a demo video
It’s hard to imagine today’s marketing without video content. Hubspot study shows that more than half of customers want more videos from companies they support. To gain more attention, create a 30-second video on YouTube (for Android) or App Preview (for iOS) showing how users can benefit from your product. Post it on social media channels and the main page as well. Add graphic elements, such as touch hotspots to demonstrate how navigation/interaction works. Moreover, you can include some app features that are not available on the web. For example, how to quickly select photos from the ‘Images’ folder, and compose an individual photo album.
Maintain customer loyalty
The growing number of downloads is not the main indicator of success. According to Statista, 25% of apps downloaded worldwide were only accessed once. Users often uninstall apps right after a few minutes of use. As part of the marketing strategy, you should have a long-term customer engagement plan. Discounts, a loyalty reward system, personalized gift selection, push notifications, and of course, no third-party advertising is what you need. Don’t forget about feedback and in-app communication. Work with negative reviews and respond to them as quickly as possible. When potential users see that you have professional support, it will positively impact their loyalty. Plus, it’s always a good practice to analyze customer preferences for new products and app features.
Build an attractive landing page
Earlier in our blog, we shed some light on how to make a successful landing page for photo products. The same concept can be used for app promotion. Being the first contact between your brand and visitors, the landing page should clearly explain why customers need your app and how to use it. Colorland, one of the leading Polish photo products companies, uses 1-2-3 steps to explain the process:
Print QR codes on product packaging
Since the main target of QR codes is a phone user, this is a convenient and simple way to give a direct link to App Store / Google Play and encourage customers who received an order from your store to download the app. QR codes can be placed both online and offline. Brands from different industries print codes on pamphlets, banners, wrapping, or add them to email footers.
For inspiration, learn online more about Amazon-branded codes called SmileCodes. They help shoppers access some benefits by scanning QR printed on Amazon boxes, for example. Of course, SmileCodes can only be activated via the app.
Include social media to app marketing strategy
Social media is a powerful tool for any type of marketing. When you launch a mobile app, it’s a big achievement not only for the brand but also for your audience. Don’t forget to inform followers about significant updates and new features. Use this channel to get their feedback on the app performance, publish special offers available for mobile users only, and even run a contest – it all depends on your creativity and marketing budget.
In addition, you can use social media paid ads to reach out to more people. Facebook Business, for example, has different tools for this purpose, including ‘the app installs objective’. Your ad with direct links to App Store / Google Play will be shown across Facebook and Instagram.
Promote unique app store features
A successful app isn’t just a web extension or another version of an online store. Get creative and come up with something that grabs the public attention and makes the user experience better. Just one example: in-app integration with Facebook and Instagram simplifies uploading photos, and as a consequence, customers can design and order personalized photo products faster and easier.
Moreover, you don’t have to worry about hiring a software development team or building the app from a technical point of view. We’ll take care of it. If you are interested in launching a mobile app to boost photo product sales, reach out Printbox team to discuss the details.
