The 5 Biggest Mistakes in Mobile App Marketing
Mobile app marketing has become a marketing field all on its own thanks to our reliance on mobile technology. Since mobile apps are a big portion of digital life, you have the means to easily connect and communicate with your customers. However, with this ability to easily interact with customers, you are also equally given the ability to lose customers. There are so many ways you can help or hurt your app’s chances at success. So, to avoid negatively impacting your app, let’s look at the 5 biggest mistakes in mobile app marketing:
Mistake #1: Thinking mobile app experience equals desktop experience
Have you ever visited a website and noticed it looked and functioned differently than that same company’s app? I know I have! The purpose of a mobile app is to simplify and condense a company’s website features, so that the user can quickly navigate and complete their business in a timely fashion. So, assuming a mobile app experience will be the same as a desktop experience is a huge mistake!
To avoid this mistake, keep in mind that an app is supposed to present the functionality of the website in a simple, organized matter. It is NOT supposed to be a miniaturized version of the website. Too many graphics (all of which may be present on the website) will slow an app down and discourage users. Make sure you understand what makes an app successful and how that differs from a successful website.
Mistake #2: Having no marketing plan for your new app
Now that you have an idea for an app and have a team of developers on standby to bring your idea to life, you need to come up with a marketing plan. A big mistake is made when you develop an app without a marketing plan. This mistake can end up costing time, money, and effort that could’ve easily been avoided. Your marketing plan is just that: It is what you will do to make sure your app is successfully advertised and marketed pre- and post-release.
To avoid this mistake, meet with professional mobile app marketers to determine which marketing strategies will benefit your type of app the most. For example, you will need to consider placing online ads on social media, Google, etc. so that people will know your app is there and will be beneficial to them. Marketing can be tricky, but with the right research and marketing team, you can successfully make it through the mobile marketing forest!
Mistake #3: Pretending a mobile website launcher is the same as an app
If you build a mobile website launcher and try to convince users it’s an app, you are making a gigantic mobile app marketing mistake. Users are smart and know when they are being lied to. They will know the difference between a mobile website launcher (an icon that directs the user to the mobile version of the company website) and an app. I know it may seem so much easier and cheaper to go with the mobile website instead of an app and still pass it off as an app, but it sends the wrong message to your customers. When you do this, you are basically saying that you are incompetent in your understanding of mobile apps.
To avoid this mistake, invest in a genuine mobile app. Hire an app developer to create, launch, and maintain your app. Hire a mobile app marketer to market your new app. Give your app the chance it deserves to succeed, regardless of costs (financially and time-wise).
Mistake #4: Relying on customers to return without a reason to
When you have launched an app, you may think you can just “let it run” without updating or maintaining it in any way. This is a big mistake! App maintenance is a big part of an app’s continued success. You cannot expect customers to download your app, use it a few times, then remember to use it in the future without some sort of encouragement. We live in a world where attention spans last an average of 7 seconds. The rate of retention without encouragement? I would wager those odds are as low as one in a thousand.
To avoid this mistake, continually analyze data and see what aspects of your app need to be updated to increase user engagement and retention. Always keep this number in mind: 90% of the users that download your app won’t stay with your app past 6 months, unless motivated to do so. Push notifications, marketing emails, in-app messages, and more are all ways you can recruit, engage, and retain customers. Oh, and don’t forget about rewards programs, discounts, etc.! These are also very powerful marketing tools that can keep your users coming back for more.
Mistake #5: Not listening to your customers
If you have a problem with a product, but the store associate doesn’t even acknowledge your complaint, what do you do? I can imagine feelings of impatience, anger, frustration, and worthlessness will creep up inside you until you finally begin yelling at the associate. You need to listen to your app users and respond accordingly. Ignoring your customers is sending them the message that you don’t care about their opinions (good or bad), which in turn leads them to the dreaded “Uninstall” button.
To avoid this mistake, have an easily accessible way in your app for customers to send you positive, negative, and/or neutral feedback. Then, take each piece of feedback, reply with a personalized acknowledgement, and assure the customer that his/her feedback is important and will be dealt with accordingly. Just letting the customers know that they matter can make all the difference in your relationship with them.
Whew! Congratulations on making it through the 5 biggest mistakes in mobile app marketing and how to avoid them! Although some of these mistakes may seem like common sense, they are made more often than you would expect. It’s easy to get caught up in a “dream app fantasy” and make these common mistakes just because of oversight. So, take this list when you begin your app development process and use it as a “No-No” list. By avoiding these 5 mistakes, your app will have a greater chance at success than it ever did before.
