A 2021 report by the Statistic Research Department indicated that in India, there were 696 Mn smart phone users in 2020; this number would grow to 760 Mn in 2021 and 820 Mn by 2022. This exponential growth surge (despite the current health crisis) is due to cheaper internet costs, cheaper device costs, customer desire to 'stay connected' and a rising disposable income. Generation Z (16 - 24 yrs old) would contribute 37% of these purchases as they spend between 5 and 6 hours a day on their phones; followed by Generation Y - Millennials (24 - 35). The average Indian spends approximately 3 hrs and 14 minutes on the phone every day.
With these staggering numbers, it would seem to make sense for businesses to develop their own mobile apps to promote and sell their products and services, right?
In this article we explore what are the reasons to consider developing an app, the benefits of having your own app, how to promote the app, strategies and techniques to meet your first 1 lac downloads, along with a few other secrets to making this worth the time, effort and money.
Real reason businesses should consider building a mobile app
The marketing landscape and consumer behaviours are constantly evolving. Consumers move across platforms in their search for entertainment, experiences, value derivation and simplifying their lives. Having a mobile-responsive website does not equal to a mobile app. The former is predominantly for awareness, information dissemination and traffic lead capture; the latter allows brands to foster customer relationships and increase retention. Simply put, if your business desires to ...
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Increase Customer Accessibility & Engagement
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Direct Personalised Content - Marketing Channel
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Build Brand Awareness, Visibility and Recognition
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Encourage Brand Loyalty
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Increase Customer Service, Satisfaction, Support and Loyalty (i.e. boost profits)
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Create a Competitive Edge/ Remain Competitive
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Capture Consumer Insights
... then investing in a mobile app is worth considering.
Interesting Facts
5 Strategies & 9 Techniques to grow your app downloads
App Store Optimisation (ASO)
Investing time, effort and money into developing a business app without getting the basics of ASO right equals Dead on Arrival.
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Choose your name wisely (ensuring that it’s Relevant, Simple, Available and Visually Exciting)
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Choose the right keywords and monitor them for their performance. Use variations in keywords to see what works best for your app. Leverage Tools like: SearchMan, AppMind, AppCodes and SensorTower
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Write a clean and concise description for your app, indicating its Value Proposition, Pain Points that it solves to ensure that customers download and keep the app
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Encourage and reward authentic ratings and reviews for your app
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Resolve negative reviews and feedback by fixing the problem and informing the reviewer
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Language can be a big barrier especially in a country like India that has 21 official languages, 121 languages and 19,500 dialects. Localise your app’s language to other languages for better adoption and downloads
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Pictures speak 1000 words. Don't use simple screen grabs on the App Store. Instead design the screenshot to highlight the main app features
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'Pay to Play' does not work as the biggest challenge is getting people to download your app. If you want to reach 1 Mn paying customers you need to get 1Bn to use the app. Leverage a 'freemium' strategy' - i.e. keeping the core of your app free while charging only for advanced features ensures that prospects try the app without having to ‘pay to play’
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Price your app intelligently keeping in mind your competitors’ pricing and the fact that you might want to run special discount promotions from time to time
Cross Platform Advertising & Promotions
Leverage platforms like Youtube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter and other AD networks to promote your app. Showcase these videos on your website as well.
Use Videos to tell your App's Story
People prefer to consume information via videos. Tell your app story in a concise, engaging and entertaining manner.
Create short How-to Videos
Create short 6 - 10 second videos on how to accomplish a task within your app.
Leverage Bloggers and PR to get Publicity, Backlinks and Social Proof
If limited with advertising media spends, consider leveraging alternative media routes to build Awareness, Social Proof and Backlinks.
Conclusion: A mobile app may not save your business; it will however make it future ready. To overcome the single biggest hurdle i.e. no one is downloading your app, requires effort, marketing and media budgets and the right know-how to bring attention to the masses. Understanding what the customer wants, giving it to them in the app for free, providing advanced features as a paid solution, and maintaining a personalised and open dialogue goes a long way towards building loyalty and advocacy.
Trigger Worldwide is a Brand Marketing Agency, built specifically for businesses to create Sustainable Growth. Our proprietary tools and process methodologies harness Technology, Creativity & Innovation, leverage Economic Drivers and Consumer Beliefs to help businesses overcome marketing inefficiencies and achieve their Growth Agendas.
“CREATE AN INSPIRED FUTURE FOR YOUR BUSINESS”
~ Trigger Worldwide