So, you've spent countless hours designing your app, putting time and thought into it; now you need a way to get people talking about your product. Outside of talent, hard work, and chance -- by being in the right place at the right time, succeeding at building an app that will take off can be influenced by other elements.
Here are some tips that may help you cut through the clutter and get your product out to the masses:
1. Present a free test version of your app -- how do I know I like something unless I try it? This also helps in promoting via social networks by giving you something to generate content. Along with this, once it's launched, share free copies of your app with test sites. With so many bloggers that have a platform to share their opinions, give them something to talk about.
2. Advertise with mobile networks -- to make money is to spend money. In any social gathering, the cell phone is an essential tool either to look up facts or to avoid interaction. Getting your name out via mobile networks is like a seed seller selling straight to the farmer.
Prices are widely ranged; here are some sites that would assist in launching mobile apps:
- Smore - offers you a free trial, contact for rates thereafter
- AdLeads - contact for rates, but can start for as little as $100
- Branded Business Apps - development costs start at $399, and monthly management at $39
- Eachscape - licenses start at $2,500 per month
- Canvas - 50 cents per use of each app, $20 for unlimited monthly use, and $210 for unlimited yearly use
- CloudSpokes - rate set by client
- Red Foundry - offers free trial, contact for rates thereafter
- Canva - offers a simple, drag-and-drop, design software that’s completely online and free to use
Sites like Adobe give free tutorials on how to build a mobile app.
3. Attractive advertising to hone in on your demographic -- part of the appeal of the product is in the presentation and who you are marketing to. If you are launching an app to help someone locate stylish boots, it may be best to advertise via fashion blogs and not through a platform specializing on quiltmaking. While mass marketing is easy and yield smaller results, direct marketing will help you find your niche market. Research may mean work, but it offers better results.
4. Have a product that delivers -- this is the most important part of marketing. There's no point in marketing a product that does not work. Promise what you deliver. You know how Angry Birds got to be so big? People tried the free app, then told their friends about it and it spread. Granted, it's a form of entertainment, but it delivered in the sense that it kept people entertained. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful ways to market your product, so keep in mind: happy customers are your best advertisement, earn the respect and recommendation of your customers and peers, and ethics and good service come first.
5. Follow up once your app has launched -- marketing doesn't end once the product is up and running. Check your data to find out what's working and what's not. Have a weekly check-in with your developers to work out any bugs, and follow up with customers -- perhaps via a survey or email blast offering an incentive -- to get feedback. Make sure your app is living up to your and your customer's standards.
