Incentivized app downloads can go a long way but only organic downloads can sustain the growth of your app. Here are eight ways to boost organic app downloads:
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Good ratings and reviews.
Ratings are often used as a basis for an app download. Most users won’t even give apps with below 3.5 rating benefit of the doubt. Often, poor ratings are coupled with isolated review/complaint about a technical problem. You can avoid these type of reviews/ratings from surfacing by providing in-app feedback and great support for your app. Not only does poor reviews/ratings affect organic downloads, it can also be a sign of user dissatisfaction.
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App previews.
Apps get to have their own trailers too! Introduced in September 2014 by Apple, App Previews gave an opportunity for app publishers to showcase and market their apps in a new dynamic approach. Show how your apps work and the screen flows. Users are more likely to download apps that they know works according to their expectations. In the end, it’s all about impression. The app with the best impression gets downloaded most.
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Regular app updates.
Regular app updates help in keeping your app visible in the app store. It also assures users that there is an active technical support for the app. Bugs and other technical issues are often the subjects of negative reviews so it ties up with other factors that boost app downloads. Regular app updates do not only increase the app’s user base, it also increases retention and contributes to app ranking.
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Viral loop through social media and other channels.
A viral loop is a marketing strategy in which users become the product’s own marketers through the power of social sharing. It starts with a call for attention that then encourages users to share information about your app. It soon becomes a cycle, something that keeps on giving. About 77% of app users downloaded apps recommended to them by friends or family.
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App localization.
We’ve discussed app localization before. App localization is a driving force in increasing app downloads. It enables an app to extend its reach to a previously untargeted market. With localization, there’s much room for scaling.
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ASO for every iOS update.
For almost every iOS update, there’s also changes in the App Store algorithm. This is especially true with iOS 9’s deep linking and search capabilities, ASO practices need to also upgrade in order to adapt. Optimizing content and not only the app’s copy is now the forefront of ASO. It’s not only about visibility in the App Store anymore.
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App indexing.
In iOS 9, ASO emphasis falls on in-app content indexing. An app content index may include events, screens, and even user-generated content. App-related search triggers are now more common. Therefore, app content is would a common sight in mobile SERPs. A high ranking in mobile SERPs is also believed to produce the same conversion rate that web pages enjoyed in the heyday of SEO.
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App Website.
A website for your app is important, not only for support and promotional purposes but also for ranking in mobile SERPs. Google also crawls content from an app’s website. As a result, more app website content rank in SERPs. It is important to design your app website so that it is mobile-friendly. Provide a description, screenshots, previews and download links to further convince the site’s visitors that your app is fit for download.
