Tag: Mobile App Marketing

Exploring Techniques for Implementing Mobile Deep Linking: Comparing Firebase Dynamic Links, Apple Universal Links, and Custom URL Schemes

Exploring Techniques for Implementing Mobile Deep Linking: Comparing Firebase Dynamic Links, Apple Universal Links, and Custom URL Schemes

Introduction

Mobile deep linking has become a crucial aspect of app development, enabling seamless navigation and personalized experiences for users.
Implementing deep linking requires selecting the most suitable technique to create links that direct users to specific content within mobile apps.
In this article, we will compare three popular methods Firebase Dynamic Links, Apple Universal Links, and Custom URL Schemes.
We will specifically explore the advantages and considerations of each technique and explain why the URI scheme method,
which includes Custom URL Schemes

       1.Custom URL Schemes: The Foundation of Deep Linking

Custom URL Schemes were one of the earliest methods used for implementing deep linking. With this approach, developers define a custom URL scheme specific to their app. When a user clicks on a deep link, the operating system recognizes the URL scheme and opens the corresponding app, directing the user to the desired content. Custom URL Schemes offer flexibility and customization options, allowing developers to create unique deep links that align with their app’s navigation structure

Advantages of Custom URL Schemes:

a. Compatibility:

Custom URL Schemes have broad compatibility and work across various platforms, including iOS and Android. They provide a reliable deep linking solution that ensures consistent user experiences.

b. Customization:

Developers have complete control over the deep link structure and can tailor it to match their app’s specific functionalities. This customization enables a seamless and intuitive user experience.

Considerations:

a. Fragmented Implementation:

Custom URL Schemes require separate implementation for iOS and Android platforms, which can lead to fragmentation and increased development effort.

      2.Firebase Dynamic Links: Cross-Platform Deep Linking(Google shutting it down !!)

Firebase Dynamic Links, a service provided by Google, offers a cross-platform solution for deep linking. It simplifies the process by providing a single link that directs users to the appropriate content, regardless of the device or platform they are using. Firebase Dynamic Links automatically detect the user’s device and handle the deep link routing accordingly.

Advantages of Firebase Dynamic Links:


a. Cross-Platform Support:

Firebase Dynamic Links work seamlessly across iOS, Android, and the web. This simplifies the deep linking implementation process and ensures consistent experiences for users across different platforms.

b. Fallback Mechanism

 In cases where the user does not have the app installed, Firebase Dynamic Links can redirect them to the appropriate website or redirect them to the app store for installation. This flexibility increases the reach of deep linking campaigns.

Considerations:

a. Dependency on Firebase:

Implementing Firebase Dynamic Links requires integration with the Firebase platform, which might not be suitable for apps that do not utilize other Firebase services

     3.Apple Universal Links: Deep Linking for iOS

Apple Universal Links are specifically designed for iOS devices. They associate specific domains with an app, allowing for seamless navigation from web content to the corresponding app content. Universal Links leverage the App Search API, enabling deep linking even when the app is not installed on the user’s device.

Advantages of Apple Universal Links:

a. Seamless Web-to-App Transition: Universal Links provide a seamless transition from web content to the corresponding app, enhancing the user experience and driving engagement.

b. System Integration: Universal Links are deeply integrated into iOS, enabling a smooth user experience and consistent deep linking behavior across apps.

Considerations:

a. iOS Exclusive: Apple Universal Links are specific to iOS devices and do not offer cross-platform support. Separate deep linking solutions need to be implemented for Android and other platforms.

consistent deep linking experience for users across different devices.

  1. Customization: Custom URL Schemes allow developers to have complete control over the deep link structure and customize it based on their app’s specific requirements. This customization enables tailored and intuitive navigation within the app.
  2. Simplicity and Flexibility: Implementing the URI scheme method is relatively straightforward, requiring minimal development effort.It offers a flexible solution that can be integrated. into apps without dependencies on external services

Conclusion:

When it comes to implementing mobile deep linking, various techniques are available, each with its own advantages and considerations. While Firebase Dynamic Links and Apple Universal Links offer cross-platform and iOS-specific solutions, respectively, the URI scheme method, which includes Custom URL Schemes, stands out as the best choice for its compatibility, customization options, and simplicity. By utilizing the URI scheme method, app developers can create powerful deep linking experiences that enhance usability and drive higher conversion rates across platforms.

Looking for CrossPlatform and stable deeplinking ?check Appgain Smart Links

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Unlocking the Potential of MENA’s Digital Future

Embracing Mobile Revolution: Unlocking the Potential of MENA’s Digital Future

The Middle East and North Africa ( MENA’s Digital Future) region has seen significant growth in mobile usage in recent years
and this trend is expecte d to continue into 2022 and beyond.

With advancements in technology and the increasing availability of affordable smartphones, more and more people in the region are relying on their mobile devices for communication, entertainment, and commerce.

Mobile usage in MENA

Mobile subscribers in the MENA region are expecte d to reach 425 million in 2025, up from 391 million in 2020,
according to GSMA Intelligence..
The penetration rate now stands at 65%, up from 59% in 2020. By 2025, there are estimated to be 1.1 billion SIM connections in the region, up from 990 million in 2020

Mobile commerce in MENA

Mobile commerce is spreading in the MENA region, as well as consumers who use their mobile devices to purchase online.
Visa reported that the value of online transactions in the region increased from $49 billion in 2018 to $69 billion in 2022.
Every day mobile commerce gets more and more popular as 48% of consumers use their mobiles to make online payments.
Retailers and financial institutions aim to invest more and more in mobile payment solutions so this trend is going to continue.

Mobile apps in MENA

What plays an extensive role in the lives of people in MENA future is mobile apps. App Annie reported that the average person in the region spends more than three hours daily on mobile apps and especially social media apps.
The report also includes an increase in mobile gaming apps popularity as the average person spends longer than 20 minutes per day playing.

Localized content for the region is being created by game developers so this trend is expected to continue.

Live streaming

In 2021, time spent in the top 25 live streaming apps in MENA outpacedthe
social market overall year over year by a factor of 12.5.
TikTok was a standout winner in per user engagement among the top 5 social apps
especially in Saudi Arabia as it saw a 7x increase in time spent per user compared to 2018.

Food and drink apps

Since the pandemic started, food and drink apps noticed a lot of traffic across the world as people had a lot of spare time and they were working from home. Sessions in food & drink apps reached 6 billion in MENA in Q4 2021, up 85% year-over-year.

Conclusion

To summarize the above points, people in the MENA region depend highly on their mobile phones for communication, entertainment, and commerce. As long as smartphones evolve and become more and more affordable, we expect this trend of relying on mobile phones to continue in the upcoming years.

Ready to unlock the full potential of MENA’s mobile revolution? 

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Seamless Integration: Introducing a Plugin that Links Mobile Apps with Google Merchant Ads and Facebook Catalog Ads Without Coding or E commerce Platforms

Introduction:

In the ever-evolving world of mobile marketing, reaching and engaging users on their smartphones
has become a top priority for businesses.

With the rise of mobile apps and the popularity of platforms like Google and Facebook, harnessing the power of these advertising channels is crucial.

However, many businesses face challenges when it comes to integrating their mobile apps
with Google Merchant Ads and Facebook Catalog Ads

The good news is, there’s now a solution that eliminates the need for coding or an ecommerce platform. Introducing our revolutionary plugin that seamlessly connects mobile apps with these advertising giants, unlocking new possibilities for mobile marketing success.

  • The Power of Google Merchant Ads and Facebook Catalog Ads:

Google Merchant Ads and Facebook Catalog Ads are highly effective tools for promoting products and driving conversions.
They allow businesses to showcase their products to a vast audience, target specific demographics, and measure campaign performance.
Until now, integrating these ad formats with mobile apps required technical expertise and a dedicated ecommerce platform. However, our plugin simplifies the process, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes and technical backgrounds.

  • Seamless Integration without Coding:

With our plugin, businesses can now link their mobile apps with Google Merchant Ads and Facebook Catalog Ads effortlessly.
You no longer need to rely on coding or hire developers to implement complex integrations.

Our user-friendly interface empowers marketers and app owners to connect their apps to these advertising platforms with just a few clicks. This means that even without coding knowledge, you can harness the full potential of mobile app advertising.

  • No E commerce Platform Required:

Gone are the days of depending on a separate E-Commerce platform to sync your product inventory with Google Merchants and Facebook Catalog.
Our plugin eliminates this requirement, saving you time and resources. You can now manage your product listings directly
within the plugin, making updates and changes as needed.
This streamlines the entire process and gives you full control over your mobile app advertising campaigns.

  • Benefits of the Plugin:

  • Simplified Integration: Connect your mobile app with Google Merchant Ads and Facebook Catalog Ads in minutes, without coding or technical expertise.
  • Cost-Effective Solution: Eliminate the need for a dedicated E-Commerce platform, reducing expenses and streamlining operations.
  • Time-Saving Automation: Easily manage and update your product listings within the plugin, ensuring accuracy and saving valuable time.
  • Improved Campaign Performance: With seamless integration, you can run targeted mobile app ad campaigns that drive higher conversions and ROI.
  • Accessibility for All: Our plugin is designed to be user-friendly, making mobile app advertising accessible to businesses of all sizes and technical backgrounds.

  • Conclusion

Integrating mobile apps with Google Merchant Ads and Facebook Catalog Ads has never been easier. Our innovative plugin empowers businesses to harness the power of these advertising giants without coding or the need for an E-Commerce platform. Seamlessly connect your app, manage your product listings, and unleash the full potential of mobile app advertising. Stay ahead of the competition and take your mobile marketing efforts to new heights with our plugin.

Ready to unlock the full potential of mobile Marketing? Request a demo

 

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Marketing with QR codes: Measure your success!

Any marketing campaign is as effective as the knowledge used in their construction. Without information, you can’t form a useful retail strategy. You need to know your target audience, what do they like, where are they, when they are most active, etc. You try many different channels and campaigns, but which is more effective and which doesn’t quite work? Do you know that you can measure the marketing success of your efforts, just by doing some marketing with QR codes?

marketing with qr codes measure marketing success
Marketing with QR codes is a great way to bridge your online and offline marketing efforts.

Using QR codes with your campaigns is a great way to introduce users to your digital marketing funnel. It is easy and convenient for users to scan them and get an offer or find out more about the product. You in return can get a measure of your marketing success if you use the right tools.

But how can QR codes help me measure marketing success you ask?

Well with using the modern marketing automation and analytics tools of course. Since a QR code links to a digital resource, this can be used to gather attribution and analytic information. When you have a person scan your campaign QR code, for example, it is possible to learn valuable information like their location, time of scanning, the platform they are using, etc. You can also use this to geofence your campaigns to specific areas.

Another simple trick to try would be using different QR codes for variations of the same campaign to test the effectiveness of the variables you change.

OK, I want to do some marketing with QR codes… So what do these platforms do for me then?

In our case, Appgain will embed a smart deep link in the QR code generated for you. This link will grab all this important data for you, and you will see this info in neat reports in your Appgain panel.

The links will also make the users’ experience much more convenient, as they are context-aware, and will take the user to the right link depending on their platform. This ease of onboarding and favorable user experience led our clients to enjoy greatly improved conversion rates!

Another bonus is that you can use QR codes to link people to another feature we offer: the mobile landing page! So that they will be greeted by a nice, mobile-friendly and content-rich page where you can deliver your message with effect. But the real beauty of these pages is not even this! People who get to your landing page can subscribe to notifications from it, thus you will have a database of users interested in the campaign without collecting any contact details! You can remarket with a high degree of precision thanks to this user list. Moreover, these web push notifications do not need to have an app installed, and they work on desktop systems in addition to the mobile ones!

Finally, using a platform with Appgain for QR codes will allow you to efficiently run both traditional and digital media campaigns together at the same time.

Don’t forget, the more information you have, the better your retail strategy can be.

So, marketing with QR codes can bridge your offline and digital marketing spaces into a physical one, thus let you measure marketing success.

Still, got questions? Do not hesitate to reach out and Contact Us! Request Demo now.

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QR codes in marketing: Phygital bridge between online & offline!

 

 

 

Today, both online and offline media are vital to your marketing campaigns. They both have wide reaches into different audiences, and one can cover where the other may not be easily visible. Although they are virtual vs physical in nature can make it difficult to run them together seamlessly. So can you even bridge your offline and online marketing together? Of course, you can, just use QR codes in marketing! Let us have a look at how!

QR code in marketing pyhgital marketing
“Are QR codes dead?” we often hear being asked. On the contrary, the use of QR codes in marketing is the bridge between digital and physical media! Hence the term “phygital”.

QR codes in marketing: Connection between the worlds!

Are QR codes dead? This question seems to be a popular one… Well, QR codes in marketing are quite alive and kicking 😉 They have this important position of being the bridge between online and the offline. They are, the heralds of phygital marketing!

Since pretty much everybody has a smart device nowadays, they can scan and use the QR codes pretty easily. Just incentivize them, offer rewards for using the QR code to let them into your digital marketing funnel.

These codes can be printed on any media: flyers, coupons, billboards, bus stops, or even on digital signage… Where you will use QR codes is only limited by your imagination!

These codes allow you to link people from any offline media to any digital content, and, with use of the right platforms, also give you ability to retarget these users, and gain valuable information from them like where the best buyers come from, which campaign performs best, etc.

Now, yes, online and offline marketing campaigns are connected great! But what’s the benefit? How can I use QR codes to bridge online and offline marketing?

There are multiple things that you can do, let’s look at them one by one.

Do you have an app? Use offline ads and get them to download it!

Apps can be either the meta or a channel in a marketing campaign. Since smart devices are everywhere, apps are always with us, so they are a great marketing channel.

However, for an app to be profitable, you need many downloads. There are many ways to achieve this. ASO and SEO efforts being the first two that comes to mind.

However, you can get people to know of, and even directly download your app even when they aren’t browsing the internet or app stores.

Let’s say that you hand out promotional items, perhaps in an event. Brochures, or a nice, branded notebook. Feature your QR code link there with an offer for additional benefits to app users.

Someone who is already positively influenced with the experience in the gift item will be more likely to check out the offer of the app, and you can gain users easily like that.

By turning QR codes into Dynamic and Trackable QR codes, Smart Deep Links technology makes it easy for users to get onboard within the apps. These context-sensitive links provide the following benefits:

  • They will take the user to their destination regardless of the platform they are using.
  • Let’s say they don’t have your app and are using an iPhone, the link will take them to download the app from App Store.
  • If they are using an Android device instead, the same link will take them to Play Store page of the app.

Handout coupons

Coupons and vouchers are a great way to build bridges with potential customers. It is even better if you get them to scan a QR code to enjoy the benefits. This way you will be able to track the success of your campaign, and even potentially build a database of users for later remarketing.

qr code coupon marketing appgain
Coupons and vouchers are a popular customer loyalty and marketing tool in many industries, such as retail market. When used together with smart QR codes, they are the incentivizes of the phygital marketing.

This is usually a great option for food and beverage venues for example. But it can be used in other services and products as well. The retail market would be one of those, for example.

Do you have a great landing page? Well, let people see it!

While a flyer or a billboard is great in their own right, a web page can feature so much rich media content that can not.

This way you can really get two types of media to mutually support each other. People can see a physical ad anywhere, in public transportation, in a cafe, just anywhere… You web content, on the other hand, can include many images, videos, text, and even interactive elements. These can help you convey the message of your product/service much more strongly.

Just put the link to your web content inside a QR code and feature this prominently on your offline ads, and reap the rewards.

Know what your ads are doing

Information is the greatest strength in marketing. You need to know many things to achieve the most successful campaigns. Who is the best audience to target? What do they want? Where are they? What time they are most likely to buy? Do they respond better to this or that kind of campaign? Marketing is hardly the cheapest thing when you don’t know what is working and what isn’t! Are you doing it right, or are you just losing money? Information is paramount in knowing this and adjusting accordingly.

However, collecting all this information may not always be the easiest thing to do. Well, at least it wasn’t always, but now marketing automation and analytics tools let you have this power at the tip your fingers!

Though, unless you integrate offline and online campaigns, their powers will only work in the digital realms.

This is where QR codes come to play! They can help with getting data from your offline campaigns too.

Retarget people who look at your offline marketing materials

Giving people an incentive to scan that cool little QR code on your ads will make it possible for automation platforms to retarget them later.

First off, you may ask the user to fill out a contact form to enjoy the benefit you offer. They may give an email or phone number.

Almost uniquely among the platforms, Appgain also enables you to get a database of interested users without even asking their contact information. As you may know, some users don’t quite like giving personal info to marketing campaigns. With our web push notification feature, they can just subscribe to your notifications and then you will be able to retarget them with notifications even if they are on a desktop system.

How can you use offline and online marketing together? How do you employ QR codes in marketing?

qr code in marketing appgain phygital marketing
QR codes will let your online marketing efforts work on physical media too, here you can see how it would work for a retail market case

Well of Course With Appgain! Appgain gives you the opportunity to make the best use of the QR code’s powers, and adds more to the pack! The answer to “are QR codes dead?” is a resounding no, and our platform is ready to provide you with all the benefits phygital marketing and more.

Retarget your customers on social platforms, with notifications, SMS or email. With Dynamic, Colorful and Branded QR codes, our offer is feature-rich, and besides, we offer not just a QR code platform, but a whole marketing solution!

Still, got questions? Do not hesitate to reach out and Contact Us! Request Demo now.

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Mobile App Marketing Strategies – How To Acquire, Engage and Retain Users? – Part 2

 

To acquire, engage and retain users, you need to know the rules of the game. And to win the triumph of this game, you will need to take each phase of it by storm! What we are tackling here is the steps you need to follow. Previously in part 1, we addressed step no.1 “Know more about the game” where we enlighten your path with some real-time statistics about mobile consumer behaviors, mobile experience and install attribution. Then we tackled step No.2 “Understand your user journey” where we introduced the AARRR model and its benefits for your mobile marketing process. Now moving to step no.3

Step 3: Utilizing the AARRR Model in your mobile app marketing plan

I- Acquisition

– How do users find your app? (your app discovery)

Having more than 1.2 million apps in app stores, your mobile app acquisition process is not such an easy task to accomplish. After double-checking on your users’ persona and segmentation, and making sure that you are targeting the exact right audience to your app, you need to start researching where exactly to hunt these audiences. And the question here is “From where can you start?” The answer is right in this insight 

These are the most active mobile users’ acquisition strategies and channels. After thoroughly checking it, you need to do the following:

  • Determine which channels of these you are using the most
  • Determine how common/successful it is according to the graph
  • Check out your app acquisition insights (aka mobile attribution) from each channel and document all the findings
  • Compare between the insights of each channel you analyze and determine which ones work for you the most

    After doing this exercise, you will definitely find out that the most effective channels/strategies on your list is one of these: social media, video ads and ASO. These three are the top channels to acquire audience, but do we know how to approach them correctly? Let’s see…

– Social Media

Social Media is ranked as No.1 channel on the “most effective channels” list for a reason; it’s a magical channel if you just used it right! Evolution of social media throughout the years is impressing. Nowadays it is marketers’ no.1 channel to reach and acquire the broadest possible base of audiences, and to network with them as well!

So here are you some Do and Don’ts when you start setting your social media strategies:

The Dos
  • Create a worth spreading app content: Wants your mobile app go viral? Then listen to this. The fastest and most effective way to spread your latest news/updates about your app is to get people to share it. The easiest way for people to share these news/updates is to find them right there on their timeline. So create that shareable and engaging app content and let your audiences do the rest! It can be a written post, a GIF or a video
  • Interact: think of social media platforms as your online PR. Reply to your audience’s’ comment or engage them through a game that is related to your app, and most importantly, act like a human being, not like a robot! Collaborate with influencers: Social media influencers are talking marketing by storm, forget the old school strategy of focusing all of your budgets on paid ads, save some to the right influencer who is in the same field of your app and collaborate to advertise for your mobile app.
  • Hashtags: watch the most used hashtags closely on each platform you are using post regularly on those platforms. Choose what is suitable for you and use them wisely.

As for the Don’ts, this chart says it all:

Here are you some tools that can assist you:

Socedo: “Automate Social Media Lead Generation Machine”

Hashtagify: “Find and Analyze Top hashtags.”

Hootsuite: “Manage Multiple Networks and Measure your campaign results.”

Edgar: “Social Media Scheduling Tool That Manages Itself”

Crowdfire: “Grows your audience and build up the brand

That’s where can you start from regarding social media mobile marketing. Follow appgain.io step-by-step guide to acquiring. Engage and retain users – part 3 to explore the rest of the channels.

want help in mastering the phases? use our platform to ease things up for you and help you get more customers! start your 45 days of free trial now! 

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Mobile App Marketing Guide – How To Acquire, Engage and Retain Users? – Part 1

Mobile apps are not a “set-and-forget” thing, you don’t just create it, and that’s it! Building the app is your start line; it’s when you start the game.

The real case here is to go through all the challenges you face until you reach the finish line successfully, and then go to the next level and so on. 
Accordingly, we are providing you with what you need to win this mobile app marketing challenging game;

“Appgain.io step-by-step guidelines in  Mobile App Marketing and how to acquire, engage and retain app users.”

Throughout this guide you are going to learn more about mobile app user journey, how you can trigger them in each phase of this journey, and how to successfully pass each phase till you reach the triumph!

To see how you can boost your acquisition with Appgain, visit our acquisition for mobile apps page.

Step 1: Know more about the game

Before taking any step forward in the game, you need to study its related facts and figures first. So here we go. Researchers found that “Four out of five smartphone users check their phones within 15 minutes of waking up, and 44% admit to sleeping with their phones beside their bed.” Huge huh? And the ugly truth is that users don’t even spend this time equally between different apps. A mobile app user has an average of 26 apps, but s/he uses only 5 of them for 80% of the time!

These insights will tell you more about that:

  • an insight on app categories share and average time spent in each

  • While you have a dominant top 10 apps of all times

  • When you try to introduce a new app, these are your chances

 

  • But knowing what your users expected will help in a million

using these facts and figures, you can now map most of the challenges you may face and get prepared.

Time to learn how to win them all! 
Moving to step No.2

Step 2: Understand your user journey

To win users’ attention and to stand out despite all of the above challenges, you need to know your users’ lifecycle starting from the minute they hold their digital device and start navigation.
Growth framework “AARRR” is your best enlightenment model for that aspect. Invented by Dave McClure back in 2007, AARRR was and still that simple and clear way which well-illustrated how exactly your users move from a phase to another and get you one step closer to the understanding of their behavior. AARRR states that mobile app users go through 5 stages; acquisition, activation, retention, revenue, and referral, as shown in the diagram:

Your task now is to master every single phase of these; to understand how to encounter each one, to know the best strategies to be used, and to discover the suitable tools to analyze and manage your strategy… Let’s dig deeper! 

want help in mastering the phases? use our platform to ease things up for you and help you get more customers! start your free trial now! 

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How will iOS11 Updates Affect Your App Store Optimization (ASO)

 

More discoverable, more intelligible and beautifully redesigned; these are the words that will jump right into your head when you start navigating Apple new IOS11 App Store!

“Now, we are taking everything we’ve learned from the App Store over the past nine years and putting it into a stunning new design. Every element of the new App Store is richer, more beautiful and more engaging.” – Philip Schiller Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

Such changes are highly affecting apps’ rates of discoverability, engagement, and downloads. And as an app developer or a mobile marketer, you need to get ready to restructure your whole ASO strategy accordingly. So, let’s dig deeper into these revamps?

TODAY

Remember the old “Featured” tab? It’s now replaced with a very advanced tab, and it’s now called “Today”! Today is a unique feature where users can daily view the latest apps and news in their IOS11 app store. So, every morning when you check your store, you will find the app of the day, the game of the day, the news of the day, etc. there will also be a wide range of stories shared by developers from all over the words. Such a tab has raised the bar too high; it’s not easy to get featured in the today’s tab, but when you do, it will be one of the most powerful booster tool ever made for your app.

APPS AND GAMES

The old days where apps and games were all stuffed in the same place is gone! The new IOS11 app store is categorizing both now, which reflects a great understanding of how different they are and how much better it is to separate them. This separation thing is giving developers their own space to work specifically and thoroughly on the marketing of both and presenting an easier tool for users to reach their purchasing destination with the minimum effort.

PRODUCT PAGE

Now, this is a whole new story with lots of details that can benefit you the most! So let’s take it one by one:

1- App Name

Your app name is now shortened to be only 30 characters instead of 50, a problem? Not at all. iOS11 is now giving you a chance to skip all the long boring app names and encourages you to grape your purchasers’’ attention with a short, attractive and sample names

Apple tip for you: “Choose a simple, memorable name that is easy to spell and hints at what your app does. Be distinctive. Avoid names that use generic terms or are too similar to existing app names.”

2- App Subtitle

The same thing is applied to your app subtitle.

It’s a new additional bonus from Apple, where you are offered an extra 30 characters in the form of a short subtitle that appears right below your app name.

It’s your extra chance to tell more about your app; and here is where you should include your CTA and your app’s added-value.

But watch out, you can only change your subtitle with an update.

Apple tip for you: “Avoid generic descriptions such as “world’s best app.” Instead, consider using your subtitle to highlight features or typical uses of your app that resonate with your audience.”

3- App Promotional Text

More promo characters to use, a 170-character promotional text to describe your app and will appear on the top of your description area.

This promotional text is an extra way to highlight the most important aspects of your app.

In that particular feature, there are no watch-outs.

You can change your promotional text with no need to re-update your app.

But the pair in mind that this text will not be part of your ranks-higher strategy in the app store search.

Apple tip for you: “Consider using promotional text to share the latest news about your apps, such as limited-time sales, upcoming features or content, or other events within your app.”

 

4- App Previews – Videos and Screenshots

More bounces from iOS11, a very attractive gift that consists of three video app previews and five screenshots for previewing your app, what a gift!

Now you do not just have title, subtitle and a written description, you also have these to make empower your app.

Each video of these can last for 30 seconds, and it will be localized according to the country your user is viewing the video from.

Another watch out in here these app preview videos will be auto-played with muted audios when a user enters your product page, which means that your first few seconds of the preview need to be the most captivating and attractive one for users to open and download.

What will happen if there are no video previews? Your screenshots will jump in, where the first one to three images will appear in the search results

Apple tip for you: “Think about using your first app preview to show an overview of the app experience, focusing on the app’s core features and content.

Aim to tell a cohesive story that gives users a sense of the journey they will experience when using your app.

Then create a second or third preview to highlight additional features or specific content that users might not know about.

Make sure that each video shows users something new about your app.”

 

5- App Rating and Reviews

Forget all the low rating you once worried about. Now IOS11 is only displaying the overall rate of your app.

Not just that, you can also reset that average rating whenever you want. Which means that you can delete the old unpleasant rates when it exists, for your app to convey the ongoing quality only.

Regarding the reviews, you can promote the reviews’ requests for your app up to 3 times per year.

So, you need to restructure your new strategy to get the max out of such some limited promotions.

Apple tip for you: “ask users to rate and review your app at appropriate times throughout the user experience. Make the request when users are most likely to feel satisfied with your apps, such as when they’ve completed an action, level, or task.”

 

One last watch-out tip for apps that haven’t been updated for so long: Apple is no longer supporting 32-bit

summary

 

Lots of exciting changes and gifts to utilize, lots of attractive features to use, and surely Apple will not stop. So what should you do now regarding ASO new strategy? We got one advice for you….

“USE. YOUR. CONTENT. WISELY.”

It’s all about content. If your description, app name, promotion videos/screenshots, etc.

didn’t attract your user’s attention in the very first 10 seconds, then you are wasting all these gifts IOS11 app store is offering to you.

Remember that, less is more. This is the real trick in here. 

Still, got questions? Do not hesitate to reach out and Contact Us! Request Demo now.

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ASO Checklist: Your 2018 ASO Strategy Guidelines

 

ASO matters for your app exactly as much as SEO matters for your website! ASO is your gateway to optimize your app and ensure the highest ranks for it.

What is ASO?

ASO is a process to optimize your mobile app to be highly ranked in app store search results. Higher ranks in search results increase your app opportunities to get discovered by potential customers, which accordingly deliver more traffic. With ASO, app users can take action, download your app, and get you more engagement.

So, we will go through a quick mind-mapping for your ASO strategy together, to guarantee you are using ASO to the max. While we are going along ASO Checklist, check off points you are already covering and mark the ones you are missing.

1. Understand your customer

This is where you must start from; to determine who your customers are, what their persona is, and accordingly, what strategy needed to reach them. But how to do so? Here is a persona-mapping exercise that will help you a lot.

Imagine that your target customer is walking right now into the room, what do you see now?
Is it a man or a woman? What is the age? How does she/he dressed-up?
What is the job title? Do she/he has a car? Which type?
Which social class is she/he belongs to? Which language is dominating the speech?

Keep asking yourself so similar questions and write down the all the answers, by the end of this exercise you will have an actual and precise visual image to the segmentation and interests of your most suitable customer. Now you can confidently set your marketing strategy.

2. Monitor your competitors

Monitoring your competitors is your best guideline!

Determine who exactly your competitor are and who your benchmark is. Monitoring your competitors will give you a clue about what is working with a particular audience and what is not, it will also guide you to the most common keywords in the field you are in. While Monitoring your competitors will give you a clue about the best practices in the area and the most suitable style, techniques and channels to communicate with your target audience.

3. Maximize your keywords

A study stated that Over 65% of all downloads on the iOS App Store come from search, which means that the discoverability of your app and your apps organic reach are highly depending on choosing the right keywords. So, besides monitoring your competitors to determine which keywords to use, you need to take care of the following: 

  • Always use Keywords in the title of your app, it gives more weight.
  • Use descriptive keywords besides your app name. It will help your target audience to get the purpose of your app and will rank higher because it is placed in your app’s’ title.
  • You have got 100 characters in the App Store keyword field, why to waste any? Use them all. 
  • Google play store is just like SEO; it scans keywords from your description, which means that you have got 4,000 characters. Embed your keywords logically into it. 
  • Create a balance between your keyword difficulty and its traffic.

4. Localize your app

Which language do you most commonly use in your apps? If the answer is English, then you need to reconsider it. According to Onesky, “Today, only 31% of app revenue is generated by North American consumers. And of those consumers outside the English-speaking world, 72% prefer to use their native language when shopping, even if they’re fluent in English.” See how many audiences you are missing by not localizing your app? Some nations are so restricted to their mother tongue, so why don’t you localize and communicate with your audiences by their home language?

5. Standout with a unique icon

Always pare in mind that some of your users are visual people; they don’t like to read, if your visuals didn’t catch their attention, they would ignore your app. Your top visible item is your Icon, so make it unique! Your app icon needs to stand up among all the other apps stuffed in the store. 
But watch out, it’s not just only about the design and how creative it is, it’s also about which design is suitable for which store. So always remember to read the icon designing guidelines presented by the store you are publishing your app at.

  • Side tip: there are so many things connecting to the way you are presenting the app that you must master, such as choosing the right app name, creating a compelling description, Including screenshots and videos, and watching out for your rating and reviews. In case you missed reading them in the “How to get the max out of ASO” part in our preview article, check it out from here: What is ASO and why it is important for App Discovery

 

 

6. Promote your app on social media

Who doesn’t use social media platforms nowadays? The power of social media is magical if you just used it right! Create a page for your app on Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram and so. It gets you closer to your users, empowers your online presence, drives more traffic to your app and helps it get highly ranked.

7. Frequently analyze update and support your app

“App Store Optimization is not a set-and-forget activity that you do once and run with it.” Yes! Your app is your baby, and you are the parents, it’s not once, and that’s it, it’s a 24-hrs job. You need always to keep your eyes on your app; analyze its performance weekly, reconsider your ASO strategy with each new trend or upgrade, keep tracking your competitors and continuously refine your keywords. You also need to convey to your audience that your app is interesting enough for them always to check and pursue; brainstorm for new ideas for your app, promote it through push notifications and others, and don’t forget to do the actual app update frequently. That’s how you give your audience a reason always to come back.

One more tip, and then you are free to get back to your app and utilizing all the above: A/B TESTING what may work for others may not work for you, always test till you reach what works for you the most.

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