The Marketing Strategy for mobile apps: the past and present

Mobile apps have been a big deal since the Nokia 6110 introduced the app “Snake” on mobile in 1997. Twenty-seven years later, you will not find a phone without a mobile app downloaded on it. I have many mobile games downloaded on my phone, including Fruit Ninja, Clash of Clans and Angry Birds. Mobile apps also extend beyond just games. I am able to access Google, Instagram, my email and Spotify, as well as other services such as Uber and PNC Bank. I can deposit checks and make payments from my phone, something that would not be possible without a mobile app. With there being so many mobile apps available, that begs the question: how do companies effectively market their app to make it stand out amongst millions of others?

Sona Dabaghyan wrote an in-depth article on how to make a marketing strategy that will make an app stand out. She broke it down into three separate stages: the awareness stage, acquisition stage and retention stage. 

The awareness stage is outlined as a prelaunch stage and a time to get people to see your brand. The steps to this include figuring out your ideal market, thoroughly researching that target market, deciding on a launch date, creating connections and creating a website. The main objective of this stage is to generate excitement and plan for when you launch your app.

The acquisition stage is about generating outreach once your app has been launched. Dabaghyan defines this stage as a “continual process that requires regular refinement and follow-up,” (Dabaghyan, 2022). You can do this through paid ads, optimizing the app store with keywords, icons, screenshots and videos.

The retention stage is the final stage. While it is very important to attract new users, you will not last very long if users do not continue to use the app. The best way to keep users engaged is to use notifications, use AI and chatbots, keep the app simple and continuously communicate.  

While there is a very good system for marketing mobile apps, future technology is beginning to push marketing in a different direction. The increase in machine learning and cookies will help people easily find apps they are looking for. When scrolling through websites or watching videos, ads will pop up that will be tailored to the interest of those watching. This will increase the probability of an app getting downloaded that would not have been downloaded before. The use of chatbots will also begin to increase. Many times when faced with a problem with an app, people will immediately delete the app because it is difficult to get ahold of customer service. It will help with customer service with an immediate response and prevent people from immediately deleting the app when there is a problem. People are also more frequently using mobile wallets. Since people are keeping their debit and credit card information on their mobile devices, they are more likely to pay for something when it appears without the hassle of pulling out a card and repeatedly typing out the information (Emeritus, 2023). 

Nahai states that more than half of online traffic comes from smartphones and tablets (Nahai, 2017). This is important for mobile apps because it gives more of an opportunity to market to a specific target market. If you are designing an app that heavily relates to football, you will target people who interact with NFL pages online more than anyone else. You can pay for ads to appear on websites that football fans will visit, thus reaching out to your intended demographic.

Mobile apps have come a long way since 1997. It has moved away from just games, and can now do a wide variety of things that is very convenient for those who take advantage of it.

Dabaghyan, S. (2022, March 11). A complete guide to mobile app marketing. Smashing Magazine. https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2022/03/guide-mobile-app-marketing/ 

Emeritus. (2023, February 16). What is mobile app marketing and how it drives growth for a brand. Emeritus Online Courses. https://emeritus.org/blog/sales-marketing-mobile-app-marketing/ 

Nahai, N. (2017). Webs of Influence: The Psychology of Online Persuasion (2nd ed.). Pearson.