When Steve Jobs famously said “there’s an app for that” he had no idea that quite soon there will be an app for everything, from private clinics to news and media services. Right now, there is a huge competition among developers and companies to persuade consumers to use their app. And a lot of this competitive battle takes place on the social media. In this article we will show you how to win at Facebook marketing for app promotion.
So Many Apps, So Little Patience to Try Them
The fact is simple: unless you are in a highly specialised niche, there are dozen other apps that (at least on the face of it) have the same features and functionalities as yours. What makes some apps boast millions of installations is marketing (complemented by doing what they promise).
Thus, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, as the most prominent social media platforms, became the battleground for promoting app installs. Many users give in and install an app. But this is not enough. According to recent statistical data:
- 28% of users uninstall an app on the same day when they installed it;
- 70% of users uninstall an app within a week after installing it;
- 85% of users uninstall an app after 2 weeks.
As you can see, within 2 weeks, you may lose virtually all the users who installed your app. Besides doing the best to improve and optimise your app, you must have an increasing flow of new users who install your app.
Facebook to the Rescue for App Owners and Developers
As things stand, your most effective and reliable source of new users for your apps is the largest social media platform: Facebook. Let’s see a few ways in which you can use the social media platform to promote your app.
1. Add the “Use App” Button to Your Facebook Page
This is the simplest and most basic way of promoting app installs. When you set up your Facebook page, add the “Use App” button to the top. It appears just below your cover photo, so it has a privileged position.
As mobile phones have already become the number 1 source of internet traffic globally, apps are very convenient for people. They have a simple interface, designed especially for small screens and one hand use. Thus, many followers may choose the Use App option because they perceive it as more convenient than going to your website.
2. Promote App Installs with Facebook Ads
At a point, you will have to start investing money if you want to grow the number of app installs. You cannot count on organic traffic anymore – not with so many competitors around and the need to monetise social media platforms.
On a positive note, Facebook makes it very easy to create ads with the precise purpose of encouraging app installs. Once you select the campaign objective, you will receive adequate guidance to create a compelling ad.
3. Reach Out to Influencers
Influencers are useful, if you reach the right ones with the right offer. Of course, we do not mean top celebrities – you are not playing in the same league with them. However, there are popular tech vloggers and content creators who enjoy testing new apps and telling their followers if they are any good.
With a short video showing how your app works, an influencer can boost your app installs overnight. It is your turn to make sure all the new users keep the app and continue to use it.
4. Create Live Video Tutorials
Every app has specific shortcuts and productivity features that allow users to do what they need with minimum efforts. You can promote app installs on Facebook by creating a live video showing these specific features of your app.
Why does it work? First of all because people learn faster if they see how it’s done than if they read about it. Secondly, because live videos on Facebook are extremely popular and have the potential to convert many viewers into app users.
5. Install the Facebook SDK
This SDK was developed specifically for app creators. It collects data about how users interact with your app and transfers it to your Facebook account. Thus, you can measure the level of satisfaction of your users and step in with remarketing strategies to retain them.
You can get started with the Facebook SDK here.