Photo credits - xupler.com

As an app developer, it is super annoying and frustrating if your newly launched app doesn’t work immediately and skyrocket as among the top installed apps. However, this doesn’t mean that you lower your developing expectations, as acquiring users to your new app is a seemingly bumpy ride. Similarly, retaining those who have already downloaded your app for the first few days as the hype fades might be difficult.

When faced with such, growth hacks do work wonders for your mobile app. The hack covers every aspect ranging from customer acquisition, retention and engagement. To retain and engage your customers, you ought to get them through the first step. For most developers, this is the most challenging part.

Note that the initial traction is by far much the basis of success for your mobile app. Getting early traction determines the market fit for the mobile app. It helps developers understand what your customers engage within your app and the updates required to bring more users onboard.

To achieve enormous downloads and app usage, consider the following tested and proven growth hacks.

1.    Create a superb landing page

Most users often read the about section of the app before making a download decision. Therefore, you need to make your app landing page convincing and compelling enough. The landing page should encompass a brief description of the app, how it works, and interesting feature highlights. Be specific when doing this and include some call to action pointers. Use tools such as Wisita, Impact, and Unbounce to do this.

2.    Invest in its design

The design of the app is what turns off many people. Users easily cancel the downloading a poorly designed app. Therefore, invest heavily on having high-end features, workflow, and a perfect user-interface. Tools like Apptimize may come in handy in this step.

3.    Collect Emails

In every step of your design, you meet people who either sign in from the landing page or meet them in person. Well, take advantage of this and collect their email addresses, update them with your leads and send them new features updates, tips, tricks and offers presented. Tools like Sumo and MailChimp can streamline this process to help you get to your target audience quickly.

4.    Work on reviews

Just before launching your mobile app formally, have it reviewed by various websites. The reviews will not only drive in massive exposure and a big follower base but will also highlight some aspects that correcting them will enhance the app. Websites such as AppAddict and AppApes can review iOS mobile apps while Android Central and Android App Labs can review your android apps.

5.    Blogging

Starting a blog provides another opportunity to explain your app further. From the blog, a potential customer will get the app insights, tips and tricks. You should also provide a 24/7 customer support from the blog for users to report the problems they encounter with the app. Blogs are priceless content outlets that get users onboard and converts them to loyal app users. It also enhances internal and external mobile app SEO.

6.    Create a homepage tutorial

It is overly important to have a simple video detailing your mobile app. There are several tools including Powtoon, Raw Shorts and WeVideo you can use to create this. When doing this, be as much personal as possible to tell a story about your app that users will easily relate to. In the tutorial, explain how users will benefit from the app, explaining its feature highlights and unique components.

7.    Use promo codes

Regardless of whether you are launching the app or have already launched it, promotional codes are ideal for both new and existing users. They not only entice new users but also encourage existing users to interact with the app more often, aiming to utilize their codes. For instance, display ads on various relevant websites, enticing users to try the app for free, or with a discounted code.

8.    Cross promote the app

App developers seldom have only one mobile app. If so, you definitely know somebody who develops mobile applications. Therefore, promote your new app through old apps. You can also bring complementing applications on board to promote your app. For example, photo and video editing apps can easily complement each other.

9.    Have a rewarding referral program

If you want to know exactly how this works, take an example of how Uber did it. Instead of giving incentives yourself, let the app users refer to their friends for a reward. For Uber’s case, it offered discounts to users who refer their friends. Uber gave a common promo code where users get a huge discount if they refer users and their referral promo code gets used.

10.  Leverage YouTube

There are several ways you can take advantage of YouTube as an app developer that doesn’t involve making a video or uploading series of videos on YouTube. For starters, YouTube has several established content creators who own channels with massive subscribers.

That said, this hack involves identifying, getting in touch and capitalizing on these people for mutual benefits. Talk to such YouTubers, requesting them to feature your mobile app in their content. That could be a recipe for massive traction. Analytics addon for YouTube might help you on that.

11.  Use directories

Directories such as Craigslist and Yelp can come in handy in boosting your recently launched mobile app. To leverage on it, created associated app advertisements, submit to such directories, and classified sections of some popular industry and mainstream publications.

This growth hack is industry specific. Therefore, find directories that are specific to your industry. For instance, Tripadvisor is a good choice for a travel industry related app. Such websites have high keyword rankings that potential users looking for such keywords can be directed to your app instantly.

12.  Launch on Android first

If you review the background of most currently popular apps, they began their journey by launching on Android devices first before moving to iOS. The main reason behind that is it reduces the cost per installation by approximately 60%. That implies that it is pretty easier and much cheaper to get your first Android user.

Photo credits - 60secondmarketer.com

Secondly, Google Play allows app developers to publish changes in their apps within hours compared to App Store that takes few days. From this, note that you can cheaply and easily acquire users, run tests, gather data and make changes to your app with Android. You can fix bugs, make changes and improve the app quickly compared to App Store.

Final Thoughts

Each of the hacks mentioned above can get your mobile app growth to explode instantly. However, what ultimately determines its usage are the specifics of the mobile app. When putting each of these growth hacks into use, ensure that you set goals, analyze and compare results using various metric analyzers. That helps to evaluate what’s working and what doesn’t. Additionally, here's a list of marketing tools for Twitter to get you started.