Operators must-see: 19 ways to promote your app for free

It is very easy to develop an app, but difficult to download it. Master Cicada believes that in most cases, it takes a lot of work and patience to continuously increase the downloads of the app. We all know that there are more than 2 million apps on the App Store, and the average app is getting harder and harder to be seen by users. And without any popularity, an app may die slowly until it disappears.

In fact, there are many ways to help an app improve brand reputation, rankings and downloads without spending a lot of money. We all know QQ and WeChat, these applications have generated a huge buzz in social media and are ranked first in the APPStore all year round.

It is difficult for us to become the next QQ and WeChat. Their success is difficult to replicate, but it does not mean that we cannot succeed in the mobile Internet. Among them, the primary condition for success is not only to have a good product, but also to think about how to launch the APP. Let’s take a look at the 19 free APP promotion methods summarized by Master Cicada for everyone.

Create a unique website for the app. This will make our APP have a strong amount of information, and can provide content support for the application. Unlike the APP application description page (in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store), the website is completely customizable without any restrictions, so you can use the website to introduce our application as much as possible.
Build a blog. In addition to the website, it is recommended to create a blog (attached to the website) to regularly publish news about the app or valuable content around the app. Interesting and touching. That way, articles may be shared via social media, and when potential users enter the site…the app will remember it.
Build a social presence. Try to choose 3 or 4 of the most popular and relevant social media, such as Sohu We Media, Toutiao, Zhihu column, etc. And develop different content strategies for them. Finally, using these resources to share the wonderful content and news of the APP gives us more opportunities to let the APP be known and spread by users. Word of mouth is a powerful weapon in applied marketing strategies, and these channels can also be used to disseminate information on our website and blog.
SEO optimization. Strive to improve the SEO ranking of your website, continuously obtain free long-tail traffic from the PC side, these traffic can be our potential users, and continue to improve the user experience of the website, I believe that as long as these two points are achieved, the website traffic There will be quite a few converted into our APP users.
Create a promotional video. While trying to make a creative and attractive promotional video. Put it on various video sites and share it on social media and your website.
Ask your friends to tell their friends. As we said, word of mouth is very powerful and can spread anything online and offline very quickly. You just need to start now, use your close relationships as a starting point, and ask to start spreading your app out. If you can’t let yourself spread it, how can you let others spread it for you?
Social groups. Social media is full of specific groups, post content and share your website URL wisely. and find groups of people with common interests related to your app. Such as QQ group, WeChat group, etc., because their interests are related to your APP attributes. Therefore, they may be interested in what you have to say, remember! The most primitive way is often the most effective way.
Get well-known bloggers to talk about your application. Get in touch with their editors and try to do an interview. If you are a game APP, you can try to contact a more well-known game information website and sell your APP in a creative way. At this time, resources are still very important.
Use the media to send out great press releases. PR is very important, use it to announce your app and its core functionality. It will increase your visibility, especially if you are handed out by the mass media, it can be very effective, use screenshots in press releases, and leave a link to download the app.
Make your app free at launch. If your app is paid, start it free. The goal is to get as many customers as possible to download your app. After the free time, it will incite the curiosity of users and drive more downloads.
Ask for comments. Do everything possible to ask users to review apps. Reviews and ratings affect an app’s ranking in the App Store. It’s best to use the pop-up message asking for a review after 5 or 10 uses of the app, but not too often.
Try to get VIP referrals. The VIP here refers to people with a certain influence, try to get them to use our APP, and write a small gift. Then showcase it on our website, blog, social media.
Participate in relevant APP competitions. By participating in the app contest, you will gain visibility and awareness, as well as some press coverage. If you win, you get an award, which makes your app even more credible.
Promote APP anytime, anywhere. A good (and very simple) way to mention your app is in our email signature. Put your website URL or download link next to it. It may not be very useful, but what if your team, employees, friends all do this? It will always work, more or less.
Hold relevant competitions. Several creative competitions can be organized within the APP to promote the APP. For example, dating apps allow users to post their funny love experiences in the app and on social media, and mention the app. The winner is given a certain reward. This also encourages user interaction within the app and increases the app’s visibility.
Regularly upgrade your application. Keeping the freshness of the APP helps to increase the user’s stickiness and activity to the APP. and notify audiences directly using social media, and also to describe updates in the app store and in the app
Always react to negative or positive reviews. Whether users comment on social media or directly in the official QQ group, always respond to negative information as soon as possible. Don’t leave unanswered content, always find a solution for your users and tell your users. Be honest and transparent during this period. If your reply makes users happy, they may tell the world how good you are.
Try answering questions on various popular forums. Answering potential users’ questions with valuable content and relevant answers will increase your app’s exposure. The premise is that you are a problem solver, otherwise, don’t be too self-promoting, it is easy to cause resentment.
Reward your most loyal customers. The important thing is to nurture fans’ interest in the app’s sustainability and thank them. It’s actually quite simple. Send a congratulatory email or text message on your birthday to show your fans that you’re happy for them to use your app and hope They become ambassadors for our app, in short, get as close to them as possible and build a strong relationship.

Well, that’s all for this article. I hope these 19 free APP promotion methods are useful to everyone. Finally, don’t forget that ASO optimization is also absolutely necessary. I hope everyone will have a very good result in the upcoming 2017.