Creating and launching an app is no easy task. Countless hours of designing and programming all lead up to the creation of a single application, which is then placed into stores to compete against millions of other apps for downloads. In order to succeed in the app market, developers and marketers need to utilize every App Store Optimization tool at their disposal. Even then, marketers still often wonder: is a paid campaign really necessary?
The short answer is: yes, you do need paid marketing. Paid marketing campaigns are important tools for reaching users, both in the app stores and through other channels.
The app market is very competitive. The Apple App Store and Google Play Store are filled with apps for every consumer need, from calculators to mobile games, and users can only download so many. Marketers need to use every edge they can to stand out from the crowd, and paid campaigns provide an indispensable edge.
Paid marketing ensures that your app is reaching the people who have the best chances of downloading it. It puts the app front and center for interested users, improving visibility and the odds of conversion.
Paid campaigns can take many forms, including Search Ads, advertisements on Google websites and even social media marketing. Marketing on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store is essential for an app to grow – users are already searching the stores for apps to download, all they need is for the right app to appear. Along with organic ASO, paid mobile search marketing like Apple Search Ads and Google Ads provide another opportunity for users to discover your app in search results.
Increased downloads from healthy traffic sources like Apple Search Ads and Google Ads can help with your category and keyword indexation, sending signals to the App Store and Play Store that engaged users are using your app. Paid campaigns from Apple Search Ads are particularly beneficial, as positive click-through rates on a Search Ads keyword can improve your app’s organic ranking for that term. This can make it easier to capture users organically, without having to pay. Insight from what works well in ASO and ASA go hand-in-hand as these can help you determine how to structure and iterate both campaign strategies.
Targeted marketing has become more advanced. Ad campaigns can identify demographics by age, sex, location, interests and more so that they can target the exact audience. Paid campaigns such as Facebook Ads or Apple Search Ads can be set to target specific demographics with specific ads or creative sets designed for them. Marketers can create campaigns for each audience and group they’re targeting and ensure that they’ll reach the exact people they’re intended for.
Paid campaigns are also growing more affordable. Ads are typically pay-per-click, so the money put into a marketing campaign will only be spent if the user engages with the ad. This helps ensure that the marketing budget is being spent wisely, rather than thrown at ineffective advertisements.
Investing in a paid campaign is essential, but throwing out ads and money without a plan will yield sub-optimal results. When launching a paid campaign, you need to consider several factors. This includes the ads you create, how much you spend per click and what channels you use.
Consider your target audience wisely when designing your ads. Research and test your creative sets to see what appeals to which audiences best and set your marketing campaigns to show the right ads to the right people.
Make sure you’re not overspending or underspending on your ads. Bidding too much will result in a reduced return on each ad, while too little will result in other apps outbidding you. You can use tools like the bid suggestions in Search Ads to help identify what price range you should target to get the best returns from your ads.
Certain channels are better for reaching certain demographics. For instance, 71 percent of users aged 18-24 frequently use Instagram, compared to 40 percent of users aged 30-49, so apps targeting an older audience may want to try another channel instead.
Paid marketing is an important aspect of App Store Optimization. While it may seem daunting to allocate money on advertisements and Search Ads campaigns, they will help ensure your app reaches users and gains downloads.
The saying “if you build it, they will come” does not apply to app stores. Users will only come if they see the app, and that won’t happen without proper App Store Optimization. While App Store Optimization is the foundation for your app marketing strategy, paid campaigns are pillars that build upon your ASO. Apps competing for clicks and downloads need every advantage they can get and using paid marketing as part of your ASO strategy will make you more competitive in the marketplace.
Want more information regarding App Store Optimization? Contact Gummicube and we’ll help get your strategy started.
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