Mobile User Acquisition is Hard
Once their idea has been brought to life, however, many app developers think they are easy street and the users will come thanks to word of mouth or some very strategic marketing.
Unfortunately, it just doesn’t work like that anymore. The app market is now saturated with variations of just about every fun app idea out there and it is tough to make one particular app stand out above the others without app store optimization and paid acquisition, both of which cost money. In truth, once the mobile app is actually created it really doesn’t get much easier at all for developers because their products rarely go viral anymore. However, there are ways to get new customers to use an app without having to spend a lot more money that many developers are out of by this stage in the game.
- The first thing that can be done is that developers should try out the full range of acquisition channels out there. Try everything that appears reasonable and could help draw new users at least a few times and see which of these channels results in the best numbers of new users. If you are going to do this, it’s also important to properly track each of the new users who downloads your app. This way you can learn even more about each user and really figure out the makeup of your core customer base.
- You should also go beyond just the install of your app, but include things in the app itself that encourages users to engage with it. An app people download and only use once or twice does little for your business; but one they download and use on a weekly or monthly basis helps to build it’s value greatly.
- It’s also important to find a mix of users, so one version of the app should be free, while another more optimal version should cost something.
These are just a few cost effective ways for developers to acquire new users. With the help of a company who knows how to survive within the new burgeoning app marketplace, developers can see their creations not only survive but prosper.
