Promote Your App For Free Using Simple Yet Efficient Ways

Learn about the hidden tricks used in free app promotion

Building an application is not enough, especially when you want that particular app to perform well in the market. So, in case you are wondering why is that? I am going to go ahead and answer it for you along with an explanation.

In order to get the word out for your app, you need to promote it first. Without proper app promotion, one can not uncover the true caliber of their web and mobile application. That's why after in-depth research and immense amounts of hard work. We have curated a total of 99 ways of promoting apps for free because what's better than free promotional methods.

The app promoting ways that we have come up with are not just limited to be implemented by established companies and organizations. These promotional tactics can be effectively used by innovative startups as well as SMEs i.e. Small to Medium-scale Enterprises.

Did you know that one in every four app user discovers a web/mobile application through the process of online searching? In simple words, the app owners and developers should try to make their app appear in high ranking search results on different platforms. And this can be achieved by the means of marketing your product and services.

The term marketing can be defined as an action or business practice of promoting and selling products/services with market research and advertising tactics. To learn more about marketing strategies keep on reading the article.

Creative Ways to Promote Your App For Free

1. Implementation of ASO strategies

As the name suggests, App Store Optimization (ASO) helps you in optimizing your app so that it can rank among the top search results. Basically, a high ranking in searches signifies better chances of discoverability and visibility of your web or mobile app. On average, more than 50 percent of app discovery and installations are contributed by two of the most popular app stores: the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Techniques that benefit from App Store Optimization Strategies:

Now that we know what other techniques are benefitted by performing ASO strategies, let's have a look at the different aspects of optimizing an app:

• Meta Descriptions: The meta description of an app is simply a brief introduction related to what the application is all about. With a well-written meta description, you have higher chances of targeting potential users for your app. Write down your app description in a simple language that can be easily understood by an average user while mentioning unique features about the app. 

Note: Don't forget to mention at least one of your focused keywords so that your app shows up in search results related to that keyword.

• App Keyword Fields: When it comes to search engine optimization (SEO) techniques, the keyword is a vital element that cannot be left out under no circumstances. So before you start to optimize your app page, write title and description as per your target audience and encourage them to install your app. The search algorithm considers keywords as well as the app's customer conversion rate.
• Meta Title: During the process of creating an enticing meta title for your app, keep in mind that long titles get trimmed down in the SERPs i.e. Search Engine Result Pages. Write an app title that's short, catchy and meaningful in regards to the nature of your application. And it would be great if you could fit in a primary keyword as well without making the title lengthy.

• App Icon Optimization: First thing first, both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store follow different standards when it comes to the size and color of the app icon. For example, in the case of iOS icon needs to be at 1024 X 1024 pixels whereas, for Android apps the minimum app icon size is 512 X 512 pixels and that's almost half the Apple app store requirement.
• Preview Screenshots: The screenshots and images used in the app's introduction page, they can range from 4 to 7 in number. With each image you have the opportunity to showcase a feature from your app, this will also help you in getting potential customers. But nowadays, adding a short promotional app video is also being preferred by different companies as people tend to focus more on the video content.

Some other fundamental aspects are app reviews as well as ratings, which basically provide validation about your app's quality and performance. Mainly there are two types of reviews, which are positive and negative, both of these types of reviews bear an equal amount of importance.

For example, a positive review (or good rating) will inform the developers about the features that users like the most about the app. On the other hand, with the negative reviews (or bad ratings) the functionalities that are needed by the users come to light. These reviews are also responsible for building a brand’s credibility. Branding is something that needs equal attention its help in app promotion as well.

2. Using Content Discovery Tools

The Content Discovery Tools are a great option for attracting potential leads, followers, sales opportunities, subscribers and traffic in general. But before moving forward with these advanced tools, the user needs to ensure that the content that they will be promoting is worth sharing that is useful and has an authoritative tone. Some of the most useful Content Discovery Tools are:

• Post Planner: Post Planner is a great content discovery tool that is created around the whole concept of boosting audience engagement. This tool helps the user by bringing together a number of different sources and predicting what content is capable of bringing the highest user engagement.
• TagBoard: This content discovery tool revolves around the concept of hashtags. because hashtags are something that has become an essential part of the internet. Twitter was the first social media that bought hashtags into the social media game and after that other platforms followed the suit. With TagBoard, users are able to discover the best trending hashtag content from all networks in one place.
• EpicBeat: EpicBeat is among the most well-known content discovery tools that help the app owner in sharing an optimized piece of content on more than one platform. The user is also able to see a different type of content that is gaining popularity with valuable insights across various platforms.

Apart from the above-mentioned names, there is another content discovery tool that is very common for marketing and promotional activities is Disqus.

3. Create Social Media Following

There are several social media platforms that can act as another way to gain visibility in a short span of time. Some of the best known social media channels for promoting your products and services are Quora,  LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. These platforms allow users to connect with entrepreneurs, customers, clients, and companies which can further transform into a profitable business partnership.

The above image is an example of how Facebook, a famous social media platform, is used by companies to promote their products and services.

These are some of the most effective ways to promote your app on Instagram, a powerful social media platform that is currently trending:

• As discussed earlier, use hashtags that are trending.
• Don't forget to include the website or app link.
• Try to engage with the audience as much as possible.
• Use the 'Story' feature and create frequent stories regarding your app.
• Instead of being obvious, promote your app with your competitors.
• Initiate the app install campaigns and app launch contests.
• Create a particular theme in your profile with the content that you post.
• Collaborate with Instagram Influencers for shoutouts and app reviews.

Using different social media platforms will not only help you in promoting your app to a larger audience but also provide them an opportunity to try out your web/mobile application by downloading it from the mentioned link.

4. Redefining of Home Page

The home page bears a great deal of responsibility because it mainly acts as a landing page for the application that you are promoting. When it comes to redefining your homepage, try to follow a minimalistic and simple approach that can offer clear navigation to your visitors. Focus on mentioning content that is informative for the audience.

The above image shows the seven vital elements that are required to deliver a seamless user experience.

When you are searching for different ways of promoting a mobile and that too for free, it is very important to maintain a stable presence online. This stability can be achieved with the help of a promotional website that solely focuses on providing information about the app and details regarding its features.

5. Building Your Own Blog

Today, in the field of app development it has become a complete necessity to own a blog. Without their own blog, the app developers/owners won't be able to convey their message to the targeted audience. With blogs, you can easily share updates regarding your apps along with its feature explanation on a regular basis. Try to build a posting schedule like posting once a week or once a month etc.

If your goal is to gain a high number of organic traffic, then a blog can help you achieve it. These are the three most common ways that can help you in promoting your app through blogs:

• Press Releases
• Guest Blogging
• Online Interviews

6. Develop Interest With Teasers

The user clicks are directly proportional to their interest level in that particular piece of information. The interest of a user can be peaked by using teasers to release bits regarding the topic you are targeting. You can also build a teaser landing page before launching the app officially, that can also help in collecting basic user details like emails, name of the user, etc.

7. Releasing a Demo Video

There's no denying the fact that videos are currently one of the most popular media for product promotion techniques, this has also resulted in more brands involving video marketing in the promotion strategies. You don't need to create a complete voice over video of 5-minute duration, starting with a 30-second demo video that gives a brief overview of your app.

The above image shows the effect of using video content for marking purpose to promote a product or service. Videos are also convenient because with video content, there is no need to regularly update the information provided like in articles.

The 'Mobile Video' is claimed to be the trend of 2018 and a great example of mobile video trends can be seen in the concept of Instagram's IGTV. In fact, IGTV is an excellent emerging video streaming platform that has the potential to skyrocket your user engagement rate which will also be beneficial for your app.

8. App Review Websites

Last but not least, there are app review websites and portals that can majorly contribute in promoting your app to a much wider range of audiences. But there are hundreds of these app review websites in the market so choosing the best app review portal can sometimes be overwhelming. That's why we have listed below the top five app review websites that offer excellent services.

Top App Review Websites

• MobileAppDaily: With MobileAppDaily, you can get your Android or iOS app reviewed by leading industry experts which will not only add more credibility to your app but also increase the value of your business.
• AppBrain: This is a website that solely focuses on reviewing Android mobile applications by providing a brief introduction about the app along with explanatory screenshots of app functionalities and demo videos.
• AppsZoom: The AppsZoom was previously known as AndroidZoom which is a catalog-based app review site that allows users to search, browse, and also rate the apps. This website is one of those websites that act as a great platform for app developers to share their app reviews.
• TechCrunch: TechCrunch is a well-known name in the app industry, as an online publisher that consists of technology news, business reports, tech trend analysis inducing products and services, etc.

By contacting these app review websites, you are promoting your app while gaining honest analysis of your mobile application which is a win-win situation.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways

Below are some of the most important takeaways from the entire article on promoting your app for free:

• Free app promotion techniques are a great option for startups and SMEs.
• On average, one out of four users discovers an app via an online search.
• ASO strategies are the foundation in today’s world of app marketing.
• It is a must to add the main keywords in the meta description as well as meta title.
• Content Discovery Tools like EpicBeat and Post Planner is worth trying.
• At present, Instagram is one of the most powerful social media platforms.
• Social Media allows you to target more people in less time.
• Today, video content is referred to as the most reliable form of media.
• IGTV is here to transform the traditional way of consuming video content.
• Use the curiosity factor for your benefit by releasing teasers for your app.
• Build a promotional website for your app consisting of information regarding it.

I hope that with the help of this article, we have shared some informative insights on app marketing while answering the question of ‘How to promote your app for free’. At MobileAppDaily, we focus on solving readers queries related to the mobile app industry via our articles. So, if you are someone who is interested in uncovering the secrets of the world of mobile apps then click on that ‘Subscribe’ button to get onboard!

And don't forget to let us know via your comment, which free app promotion strategy will you be trying out next?