Addiction to mobile applications has reached fever pitch, with users spending 85% of their time on smartphones within apps.
But while rising demand presents unprecedented opportunities for mobile applications, competition is heating up too.
So, how can marketers optimise their apps to increase user acquisition, maximise downloads and outpace the competition?
Here are five key optimisation strategies to boost reach and dominate in a crowded mobile marketplace.
1. Implement in-app advertising
By allowing advertisers to share content within apps, marketers can keep downloads free while driving consistent revenue. This enables publishers to not only enhance retention and downloads, but also collect valuable data as tracking user activity produces detailed insights that can improve targeting and advertising appeal.
2. Offer in-app purchasing
Using this method marketers can either turn their app into a sales channel for physical goods or a mobile storefront for virtual goods to be used within the app. It’s a low-risk but high-profit model that creates a new revenue stream for marketers and increases engagement by encouraging users to spend more time using the app.
3. Make apps paid-for
Making apps downloadable only when users pay for them is a simple and effective way to ensure that revenue is instantly generated. It is important to note, however, that the emphasis on a single payment means marketers must focus on achieving maximum reach and appeal to keep revenue strong.
4. Embrace freemium
Arguably the best of both worlds, freemium enables users to download an app for free, but charges to unlock additional features. Particularly popular within mobile gaming, freemium can be used to implement nominal pricing to ascend to a new level or gain extra abilities, creating a constantly replenishing source of profit.
5. Optimise using external sources
Last but not least, marketers can pay to advertise their apps on other sites or apps — and no platform is more effective than social media.
Users spend 25 minutes each day on social networks, which makes advertising options such as Facebook’s App install ads and Google’s app promotion options an extremely worthwhile investment to ensure ads are as targeted and impactful as possible.
Growing app usage is driving a flood of new app publishers, and with revenue due to hit $77 billion by 2017 marketplace fragmentation is set to increase. App marketers need to develop robust, global monetisation strategies that bring apps to new audiences and locations, boosting longevity and success.
After all, if marketers have a strong user acquisition strategy in place, they can reach the right audience and ultimately boost brand awareness and market position as a result.
Justyn Lucas is the sales director at Appcoach