How to Create an App Install Campaign

How to Make an App Install Campaign | AdAction

How to Create an App Install Campaign

Your app may have great features and UX, but that doesn’t always correlate with a steady stream of downloads. Users need to become aware of your app and find it relevant enough to install. Creating this visibility requires a smart, targeted, and savvy app install campaign. 

There are lots of options when it comes to getting more app installs. The tactics and approaches you select will consider your category, audience, budget, and more. We’ve pulled together some of the best ways to launch an app install campaign, and one or more of these could give you the spike in installs you desire.

Building an App Install Campaign: Solutions That Drive Visibility

As with an advertising campaign, app install initiatives should leverage multiple tactics. Diversification and relevancy will provide you with reach and the ability to target users looking for an app like yours. The following strategies and recommendations can yield significant results.

Align Your App Store Profiles with the Campaign

No matter what ad formats you deploy, potential users will all land on your app profile page. You have them interested, and now you need to close the deal. ASO (app store optimization) can help you do this. In this real estate, you can make a great pitch for your app with messaging that includes keywords, benefits, and more. 

Visuals matter here, too, and should include high-quality screenshots and short videos. These should tell a story of why your app is the one to solve a problem or deliver entertainment. You’ll also want to work on your ratings and reviews. Most people look for social proof that the app provides a good experience. Gaining more of these can be part of your big-picture campaign. Inserting offerwalls or other CPE (cost per engagement) ads can drive more reviews. 

On iOS, you can create CPPs (custom product pages) to align specifically with a campaign. Personalizing these based on your audience can increase app installs, as well.

Once you work on ASO, there are many other opportunities to boost app downloads.

Launch Keyword Burst Campaigns

App marketing can leverage keywords just like SEO for websites. After all, app stores are searchable, and that’s how most people find new apps. There’s an opportunity for you to capitalize on searcher intent with keyword burst campaigns. Basically, you spend a concentrated amount over a short period to show up in results for specific keywords. This move again increases visibility. 

The keywords you choose can be basic ones that describe your app. However, these will be the most competitive. To get a higher return, consider longer tail keywords that focus on your app’s features, its category, and those searching. Some examples include “financial apps for parents” or “video editing apps for beginners.”

These can kickstart an app install campaign, driving lots of traffic to your profile pages. This growth of downloads can also improve your rankings in the app stores. As a result, more people will see your app, leading to an organic uplift and more installs.

Advertise Your App in Other Apps

Most free apps come with ads. These ads can be banners that display continuously at the bottom of the screen. They can also be interstitial ads, which are full-screen, and play during natural transitions of the app’s flow. If you place ads on apps that have the same user attributes you seek, you could generate interest and clicks. What’s vital in any in-app ad is that the content and creative are relevant, high-quality, and engaging.

Apply Digital Advertising Ad Mixes

Digital advertising can get your app in front of the right crowd. If you’re going to invest in these tactics, you should focus on the ones where your ideal users will be. For example, if your app is in the fintech category and designed for Gen Z, you should use social media platforms like TikTok and Snapchat. Another channel to reach Gen Z would be OTT (over-the-top) ads, which play with ad-supported streaming services. 

There are many other options in the digital advertising portfolio, including:

  • Digital display ads, which have many targeting options, from demographics to behaviors
  • Geofencing display ads, which play to individuals in a “virtual” fence or geography
  • SEM (search engine marketing) on Google or Bing.
  • Native advertising
  • Retargeting with display ads

Creating a good mix of ads with consistent messaging and audience targeting can move the needle on installs.

Partner with an Influencer Who Has Your Audience’s Ear

Influencer marketing continues to be a growing tactic for apps to gain more users. However, it can be expensive and lack a positive ROAS (return on ad spend) without the right approach. To get the best return, you’ll want to work with a micro-influencer with a larger-than-average following with expertise in your category. With this type of campaign, you can reach your desired audience with someone who has their respect. 

Another key to better returns with influencer marketing is to use a CPI (cost per install) model. The influencer gets paid based on people downloading the app from their unique link. You can learn how to do this with AdAction through the Stacks platform.

App Install Campaigns: Reach, Target, and Diversity

Each of these strategies has a place in an app install campaign plan. They can provide you with great reach and targeting. Diversifying your approach also helps find those users you covet. You’ll need a mobile app marketing partner to execute like AdAction. Our ad network focuses on Qualume™, quality users at volume. Find out all the ways we can support you by downloading, A Complete Guide to AdAction Solutions.

Most Popular

Laravel Continuous Integration with GitHub Actions
12 minutes
Examining the State of Mobile App Fraud
10 minutes
Beyond the Click: AdGem’s Journey to 1 Billion Interactions
2 minutes
Innovating Privileges Governance: AWS CDK Constructs for RBAC
9 minutes
AdAction’s Fiesta Maya: A Staff Retreat in Paradise
2 minutes
Can’t Stop Chronicles: Matt Swim, Strategic Account Manager
3 minutes

Subscribe

Subscribe to the AdAction Connect blog for industry updates, UA tactics and best practices, and more! Get tips that you can apply to your existing strategy, and feel confident that we’ll never serve you ads.

Social Links