marketing for mobile apps - tips and tricks
TRANSCRIPT
Marketing For Mobile Apps - Tips & Tricks
Matthew Ho, CEO
1Monday, 3 December 2012
Intro• My company is Native Tongue.
• We make language learning fun fast and effective
• Our apps: Mandarin Madness, Spanish Smash, English Eruption, LP Cheat
• 12 apps in app store: iOS, Google Play, Amazon Kindle Fire, Nabi
2Monday, 3 December 2012
Rule #1
• There are no tricks
• Just blood, sweat and tears
• A year of learning
3Monday, 3 December 2012
Why did you download your last app?
4Monday, 3 December 2012
Content1. App icon
2. Screenshots
3. Reviews & Ratings
4. App store assets
5. App store optimisation
6. Analytics
7. Translations
8. PR5Monday, 3 December 2012
Many products competing for attention.Why will your product stand out?
6Monday, 3 December 2012
1. App icon design
7Monday, 3 December 2012
8Monday, 3 December 2012
Instantly recognisable
9Monday, 3 December 2012
App Categories
• Icon is first thing that a consumer sees
• Displays icon, ratings, name, price
• Consumers are attracted to visually appealing icons
10Monday, 3 December 2012
• Design - texture, colours, red banner, star, 3D effect
• Stands out visually and can be recognised
• http://dribbble.com/shots/114537-Wunderlist-Icon
Wunderlist
11Monday, 3 December 2012
http://dribbble.com/shots/200993-Boxing-Glove-App-icon
http://dribbble.com/shots/150614-Boxing-Glove-iPhone-Icon
Look at icons on dribbble
12Monday, 3 December 2012
iOS icons• iOS automatically:
• Rounds corners
• Adds gloss.
• Can opt for no gloss and add your own
• See Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines
• http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/#documentation/userexperience/conceptual/mobilehig/IconsImages/
13Monday, 3 December 2012
Tips
• Stand out visually in a sea of apps
• Don’t need words
• A/B test app icons
• http://iteratingfun.com/post/26646957216/ab-testing-your-app-icon
• http://blog.kissmetrics.com/mobile-app-ab-testing/
14Monday, 3 December 2012
Tip: Study app icons
• Study popular app icons on:
• app store (look at top app categories)
• dribbble.com (http://dribbble.com/search?q=app+icons)
• scoutzie.com
• How does it stand out?
• Consider the overall design of the app
15Monday, 3 December 2012
2. App Store Screenshots
16Monday, 3 December 2012
17Monday, 3 December 2012
Bravo (Temple Run) Uses text annotations to describe features
18Monday, 3 December 2012
Epoch by Uppercut Games (made in NSW, Australia!)
19Monday, 3 December 2012
iOS search results display
20Monday, 3 December 2012
21Monday, 3 December 2012
iOS6 mobile app store• Change in iOS6 app store search
results presentation
• Previously: stacking the apps up. Vertical scroll.
• Now: visual card style. Horizontal scroll
• First screenshot is even more important
• Consumers can decide based on image
22Monday, 3 December 2012
Tips
• Study what works for the top apps
• Communicate unique value proposition visually
• Tell a story with the screenshots
• 1st image is very important
• Can display 5 screenshots on iTunes
23Monday, 3 December 2012
Tips
• Use text annotations to communicate features / benefits
• Consumers look at images first before app description
• A/B test images
• Process of constant improvement
24Monday, 3 December 2012
3. Ratings & Reviews
25Monday, 3 December 2012
What influences you when you buy from a
vendor on ebay?
26Monday, 3 December 2012
Need to be 4 or 5 star app
27Monday, 3 December 2012
3.5 stars doesn’t cut it
28Monday, 3 December 2012
29Monday, 3 December 2012
30Monday, 3 December 2012
Request ratings• Typically bell curve distribution -1 or 5 star
ratings
• Request ratings from users
• Could be 5 plays or 50 plays
• Get more 5 star ratings from people that love your app
• Use Appirator (http://arashpayan.com/blog/2009/09/07/presenting-appirater/
31Monday, 3 December 2012
Customer feedback• Have a way for people to contact you -
send you their questions / feedback
• Listen to app store reviews
• Post feedback online - facebook, twitter, blog
• Post positive AND constructive feedback
• Address constructive feedback
• Turn negative reviewer into an advocate
32Monday, 3 December 2012
4. App store assets
33Monday, 3 December 2012
34Monday, 3 December 2012
Video has5,500 views
35Monday, 3 December 2012
Google Play Assets
• Hi-res app icon
• Screenshots
• Feature graphics
• Promo graphics
• Video
• http://xayin.com/thisisatest.html
36Monday, 3 December 2012
37Monday, 3 December 2012
5. App Store Optimisation
38Monday, 3 December 2012
Optimising name & description
• App name
• 11 - 14 characters incl spaces will display on iTunes app store
• Relevant keywords
• Do you appear in search results?
• “Mandarin Madness” to “Learn Chinese with Mandarin Madness”
39Monday, 3 December 2012
App Store Description
• Elevator sales pitch
• First two lines are critical
• Keyword density
• Reviews from articles, prominent people
• Separate paragraphs with symbols e.g ****
40Monday, 3 December 2012
http://www.apptamin.com/ASO_Cheat_Sheet-v2.2.pdf
41Monday, 3 December 2012
More resources
• http://copyhackers.com/2012/06/how-to-write-an-app-store-description-for-itunes/
• http://www.quora.com/What-are-some-tips-for-writing-amazing-App-Store-descriptions
• http://www.apptamin.com/blog/optimize-play-store-app/
• http://www.internetmarketingduru.com/app-marketing-how-to-write-a-killer-mobile-app-description/
42Monday, 3 December 2012
6. Analytics is your friend
• In-app-analytics: Flurry
• Sales analytics: App Annie, Mopapp, App figures
• App Annie: iTunes feature listings & daily email report of sales
43Monday, 3 December 2012
AppAnnie
44Monday, 3 December 2012
Mobile Metrics
• Retention rate
• # of sessions (weekly vs monthly)
• Time spent per session
• Comparison to industry averages in Flurry
• Upsell rate (dropbox 4%, evernote 3%)
45Monday, 3 December 2012
7. Translations• Not all app stores are in English
• Your customers might not understand English
• Need to translate your app description & in app text to multiple languages
• Use gengo.com for human powered translations
• From 6 cents (basic) to 17 cents (professional) per word
46Monday, 3 December 2012
How we use Gengo.com
• Native Tongue is a language learning company
• So we choose professional translation:
• Translator passes higher level of language testing and proof read by 2 translators
• API for string text (translate directly from website or app without manual effort)
• Can do 30+ translations from English
• 1 day delivery
47Monday, 3 December 2012
8. How to get PR
• Journalist don’t usually write about one app
• Write about segments of apps
• Introduce yourself to journalist
• Targeted and customised approach
• Follow up articles about other apps
48Monday, 3 December 2012
Media kit• Media kit can contain:
• Product pics: app icon, screenshots
• Photos of “everyday” people using the app
• Company logo
• FAQ & press release
• Enables journalist to have the info and assets they need for an article
49Monday, 3 December 2012
http://www.zillaapp.com/press/
50Monday, 3 December 2012
Mobile Marketing Meetup
http://mobilemarketingmeetupdec2012.eventbrite.com/
51Monday, 3 December 2012
How to contact me
• Matthew Ho, Native Tongue
• Email: [email protected]
• twitter.com/inspiredworlds
• Personal blog: http://inspiredworlds.com
52Monday, 3 December 2012