Mobile App Marketing Guide

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Promote Your Mobile App Increase Your Appstore Ranking with Appstore Optimization Generate Downloads and Loyal Users Use Mobile App Cross Promotion Networks

About this guide 

This guide is designed to help you promote your mobile app

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To promote your app effectively you need to try every channel possible

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Learn about all the latest app marketing techniques and appstore optimization strategies

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Access lists of all the different appstores, app promotion networks and tools

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Use them to find new ways to drive downloads and users for your app

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Find out more about mobile app promotion at mobyaffiliates.com

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Index 1 2 3 4 5

How to Promote Your App

Mobile Appstores Mobile App Marketing Agencies Mobile App Marketing Networks

Mobile App Marketing Tools

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How to Promote Your App With over 600k apps in the iPhone App Store, and approaching another 500k in Google Play, the name of the game for mobile app and games publishers is getting noticed. With the Apple and Google appstores being the main channel to mobile consumers, this means building a good ranking in their respective stores. However, back in April 2011, Apple changed its approach to incentivized app download networks, rejecting any apps that offer rewards for downloads, and cracking down on app promotion services that guarantee top 10 placement in App Store rankings. Although incentivized downloads are still permissible in Google Play, the app promotion industry was rather shaken by Apple’s decision. So now the dust has settled, what options are there for developers to promote their apps across both the App Store and Google Play, and how have the wrist-slapped promotion networks changed their game? App promotion networks: a quick recap Firstly, if you’re new to the world of app promotion you might be wondering what incentivized downloads are all about and why Apple decided to ban them. Incentivized downloads are offered by app promotion networks, which help developers generate new users by cross-promoting apps between different publishers. A typical incentivized app offer might be an reward of virtual currency within a mobile game for downloading a promoted app (sometimes the user also has to also achieve something within the promoted app to receive the reward). Or it could be a voucher-style reward, which allows a user to download a paid app for free or access some other kind of offer. Typically, mobile games are best positioned to host these incentivized downloads, as they have much more scope to offer enhanced in-app features. Find out more about mobile app promotion at mobyaffiliates.com

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So why did Apple ban the practice of incentivized mobile app downloads? Well the argument is download incentives, such as those offered by the likes of TapJoy and Flurry, allowed developers to essentially game the system, rewarding whoever spends the most money by pushing their apps up the rankings to gain visibility. The other problem was that many users had no intention of actually using the promoted apps. They simply downloaded them and accessed them once to get the reward, before hitting the delete button. The other app promotion issue that raised Apple’s ire, was slightly more dishonest (well a lot more). Back in February it was revealed that some app promotion agencies were increasing client downloads by creating thousands of fake iTunes accounts. Many developers and journalists suspected this practice was taking place for some time, but it was never proved. Apple has warned developers to stay away from agencies guaranteeing chart placements, though that’s not to say all agencies that do promise to boost placements are doing so fraudulently.

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So what are the new ways that app promotion networks are using to get around Apple’s ban and generate downloads? Here’s a few stats concerning app promotion, followed by a quick rundown of what services the main app promotion networks and agencies currently offer:

What does it cost to promote an app? You can spend as much or as little as you like on promoting your app. Typically, app promotion networks will price their services on a cost per install (CPI) or cost per download (CPD) basis. Here’s a few numbers to give you an idea of the costs involved: •

TapJoy charges around 50-75% of a paid app’s price per install, and between $0.35-0.75 for free app installations

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To get into the top 10 apps in the App Store, it is rumoured to cost around $20,000-$30,000. Agencies such as ComboApp say it can get your app into a top 100 category for $4,900

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Research from Fiksu, a leading app promotion company, claims the cost of acquiring loyal users (user who use your app more than 3 times)has risen from $1.10 in May 2011 (before the ban) to $1.31 in February 2011

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Fiksu says its own platform delivers loyal users typically for less than $1 and some as low as $0.45

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App promotion networks

If you want to promote your app then there’s a number of specialist app promotion networks you can approach. Following the shift away from incentivized installs these networks are using a number of different approaches to drive app downloads ranging from moving incentives outside of iOS SDKs, using video promoting an app instead of actual app downloads and developing more non-incentivized formats such as interstitials and rich media. Here’s a list of some of the most prominent mobile app promotion networks: TapJoy TapJoy was arguably the biggest provider of incentivized downloads, and its business was hit hard by Apple’s ban. The company has since migrated its incentive network outside of the app store and onto the web. The principle is exactly the same as TapJoy’s previous offering, but because developers don’t install the SDK into their apps, Apple cannot really interfere in the process (though the platform is in a beta phase and Apple’s response remains to be seen). In order to bolster its incentivized service on Android, TapJoy has created a $5 million fund to help developers port their iOS app over to Google’s OS. So if you already have an iOS app, then it may be worth your while to get in touch with TapJoy.

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Fiksu Fiksu has gone down a similar route to TapJoy. The company has developed an incentivized network that circumvents the App Store, letting users sign-up to a web-based platform. It works by giving users credits every time they download a promoted app, these credits are then turned into iTunes gift codes, which can be used to purchase paid apps. W3i W3i has now shifted to a non-incentivized model, where developers have access to a cross-promotion platform dedicated to mobile games. While W3i’s platform doesn’t reward users for downloading apps, it does provide limited offers and gives developers a variety of ad display options – think of it as a premium ad network dedicated to mobile games. Flurry Flurry offers its AppCircle service to developers, which is similar to W3i’s platform, offering non-incentivized downloads. Flurry claims its network is able to increase downloads by using its detailed analytics to recommend relevant apps within other apps the consumer is using. Applifier Applifier offers a non-incentivized platform for iOS and Android users, focused entirely on games. Developers can promote other publishers games via banner ads embedded into their pause screen, or via interstitial ads. Applifier’s USP is that developers do not pay for users. When a publisher sends a user to someone else’s app, that publisher will receive a new user – for free. Applifier makes its money by serving paid ads next to the cross promotion ads.

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AppBrain AppBrain offers two Android-focuses services, one is a offer-wall platform that delivers non-incentivised app promotions, the other is AppBrain’s own app store (which is downloadable from Google Play). The app store provides regular app recommendations of the best apps in Google Play. AppBrain says its lack of an incentivedriven approach results in more valuable users, as they will only install the app if they are interested in it. ChartBoost ChartBoost offers three non-incentivised ways to promote your app. The first is a platform that allows you cross promote apps within your own network (obviously, this only makes sense if you have more than one app), the second allows you to form direct deals with other publishers (letting you set the cost per install, or arrange an install exchange model) and the third is paid advertising on ChartBoost’s network, where you’ll pay either on cost per click or cost per install. ChartBoost lets developers set-up internal cross promotions and direct deals with publishers for free. G6pay G6Pay used to be a big player in incentivized downloads, but has now gone down a similar route to W3i , offering a non-incentivized app promotion platform, where iOS developers can cross-promote apps via interstitial ads and pay per download.

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App promotion agencies App promotion agencies are essentially marketing agencies that focus exclusively on promoting apps, usually by combining a number of mobile marketing strategies, PR and media relation services, SEO and social media services. There are plenty of agencies out there, but you may want to check out the ones below: ComboApp – App promotion agency based in Vancouver, Canada with offices in Chicago. Offers social media promotion, PR and more. AppPromo – Full service marketing agency that focuses on app promotion. Based in Toronto, Canada. ProAppMarketing - App promotion agency that handles PR, social media development, monetisation and research and analysis. Based in London.  Apps Marketing Mobi - Full-service app promotion agency based in Israel. Offers monetisation, app marketing and app store optimisation. What services do app promotion agencies typically offer? Social media: Social media is a powerful marketing tool for nearly every sector but given the amount of crossover between people using social media and those using smartphone apps, it is particularly important for app developers. Promoting your app via social media can involve anything from running ad campaigns in Facebook, to simply rolling out a Twitter feed and building a list of followers.  However, the most successful use of social media for app promotion is where it is embedded within the app or game itself.  For example, Draw Something by OMGPOP has used social media to great effect by making it easy to find friends to play on Facebook.  Other apps including Foursquare and Run Keeper have also been effective in using Twitter to broadcast in-app activity.  A good app promotion agency will advise on how to develop this type of viral effect. Find out more about mobile app promotion at mobyaffiliates.com

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SEO/ASO: If your app targets a particularly searchable niche, then you may want to deploy n search engine optimised website, targeting relevant keywords, to capture search traffic. Another aspect of SEO, perhaps even more important, is SEO for app stores (sometimes called ASO). This is an area still very much in its infancy, but most app promotion agencies will be able to keyword optimise your app store page to ensure the right users find you.  The days when you could easily use tactics such as keyword stuffing in the appstores are gone, but it is fair to say that mobile appstore search is still fairly unsophisticated so agencies who know a bit about ASO can be very useful.   MobileDevHQ offers an ASO tool that you can download and try out for free.   Appcod.es has also recently launched a tool to help with appstore SEO.   Just remember, unlike Google keyword information, ASO search volumes are estimate from third parties and may not be completely reliable.  The presentation below from Appcod.es is worth a read to get an overview of appstore SEO. Media coverage: App promotion agencies will conduct typical PR activities, such as drafting press releases, coming-up with relevant media lists of journos and bloggers to contact, and trying to generate coverage through news. Many app promotion agencies will make guarantees such as ensuring your app gets reviewed X number of times by the press, though take such services with a pinch of salt because anyone can set-up a blog and review apps – the only publications that are worth targeting are the ones that are actually trusted by their readership.  There are a huge range of app review blogs around these days however, and a good agency may have established relationships or a long list of blogs to contact which should help with getting coverage. App placement guarantees: Some agencies will guarantee you a placement in the Top Apps categories on app stores. Agencies will likely use a combination of the above strategies, along with app promotion networks, to achieve this. However, as we mentioned at the top of the article, the practice of guaranteeing chart placements came under some scrutiny last year, after it was revealed that companies were using fake iTunes accounts to generate downloads. So proceed with some caution Find out more about mobile app promotion at mobyaffiliates.com

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Mobile ad networks Premium and blind mobile ad networks remain one of the most popular ways to promote apps. It’s generally thought that, while generating users via mobile ads is more expensive than incentivized networks, the value of the user (the ARPDAU) via mobile ads is higher. There’s a multitude of networks out there that provide everything from simple banner ads, right the way through to video ads and rich interactive ads, displayed in mobile sites and apps. Some mobile ad networks are very well set up for promoting apps, and will allow developers to cross-promote apps or games within the network in exchange for running ads.  Check out our guide to mobile ad networks for more information.

Mobile Marketing and Media Buying Agencies There are also a number of mobile marketing agencies focusing on mobile app promotion to some extent. For example, Fetch Media in the UK and US carries out app promotion for a number of leading brands and games developers. Other specialist mobile ad buying agencies include Mobiclicks in South Africa, and Mobile Shakers in the US. An agency will benefit from economies of scale in buying mobile advertising, and will also have close relationships with the ad networks. A good agency will also be able to manage the complex process of running and optimizing mobile ad campaigns more effectively. This is particularly useful following Apple’s depreciation of the UDID that was used to track mobile app downloads, an agency will be able to help track mobile app downloads using alternative methods. Typically a mobile agency will require a certain level of minimum spend, this is typically $10k per month at least, and more generally, closer to $30k per month. However, for developers with an established app or successful game this is well within reach. You can find more agencies in our list of mobile marketing and advertising agencies. Find out more about mobile app promotion at mobyaffiliates.com

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To sum up… There is still a big problem when it comes to discoverability on the App Store and Google Play. Nevertheless, despite Apple’s decision to ban incentivized downloads, the app promotion industry is back on its feet and much more diversified, with different networks approaching the problem with different solutions. It could also be argued that the industry is more healthy given the fact that incentivized downloads generally produces low value users. It’s not perfect, but with the right combination of traditional promotion techniques and more specialised solutions, any budding app developer should be able to get his or her app noticed. What happens after that is down to how good your app is!

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App Promotion: Ask The Experts

As a part of our continuing series on app promotion, we thought it would be helpful to ask some of the top app promotion agencies for their tips on getting your app noticed. So read on for expert app marketing advice from OnTheMob’s Roy Povarchik, Pro App Marketing’s Charles Ejoga and DotComInfoway’s CR Venkatesh.

Charles Ejoga, account director, Pro App Marketing “The first bit of advice would be to spend some time thinking about what it is that makes your app genuinely different from all of the other apps out there. Once you have defined what this is (your USP), make this the core part of your marketing message. The second bit of advice I would give, is also the most obvious, but also the most overlooked – aim to put the same amount of effort into marketing your app, as you have done developing it. We are approached by so many developers who have spent a great deal of time and resource developing their app, but haven’t done the same when trying to promote it, and wonder why no one is using it. We view app marketing as a critical part of your app development strategy, but unfortunately most developers only realise this when it is too late.

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The third bit of advice I would give would be to think about what it is that you are trying to achieve when promoting your app, (for example, a top ten ranking, strong ROI, great peer reviews, or to get your name out as a developer), and then tailor your promotional activities to fit. We will be the first agency anywhere to offer a DIY app marketing eBook (on sale 28th May) detailing a number of marketing techniques that developers and studios can employ themselves to generate buzz, acquire users, and increase their app visibility and ranking. The eBook isn’t a substitute for engaging an agency like ours, but has been written specifically to enable those with limited resources to develop and deliver their own marketing campaigns, utilising some of our own proven techniques.”

Roy Povarchik, marketing manager, OnTheMob “Make a great app. This is the most important thing. Concentrate on creating a really great app which people actually need and will really enjoy using. Make sure your app have has its “own thing” and has a real value to potential users. This is important for two main reasons: •

If people love your app they’ll spread the word which will help your app go viral and get more organic promotions on the App Store or Google Play etc’

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Retention. Getting people to download your app is only the first step. If your users open your app once and never come back, it affects your status on the various app stores. If they re-use it often it will show on your app-stores ranking.

Bottom Line – Focus on creating a really great app with real value.

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Know your target audience. An important part of the App marketing is creating a community and getting in-touch with your potential app users. You can do this by targeting related forums, relevant Facebook groups, spreading the word on Twitter and so on. Once you know who your target audience is, start researching how you can get in-touch with them and raise their awareness to your new great app. Don’t wait for your app release to start promoting it to your target audience. Smart media buying and great analytics – this is where the magic really happens. The combination of smart media buying and great analytics will make sure your app gets the right exposure, downloads and loyal users in the most cost effective way. The advantage of buying the right media on mobile ad networks is reaching a critical mass of potential users faster. If you do it the right way (meaning targeting your audience, and measuring everything you do) you’ll increase your chances of having a successful app. Creating a great app is really important, but it’s only the first step. To promote and market your app the right way you’ll need an expert that can create the right mobile strategy for you. You need someone that knows his way around working with a large amount of ad networks and traffic sources, tracking the ad performance and optimizing the bids in real time, building the right app strategy (When to release updates etc), post – download monitoring and analytics, generating a loyal user-base and the list goes on.”

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CR Venaktesh, CEO, Dot Com Infoway “Developing a great app is hard and making your app stand out among the billions of others out there in the market is really a herculean task. But here are my tips to make the process a little bit easier. •

In order to make it appear more engaging to your users, give your app a name that describes the function of the app within itself – this will also help with ASO (app store optimisation).

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Submit your app to as many app review sites as possible and get them reviewed for better app visibility in the marketplace.

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Reach out through every possible avenue of social media.

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Showcase your app to users by creating a catchy trailer that includes a few attractive screen shots with catchy descriptions.

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Create an official webpage for your app and draft out all the promotional information related to it.

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Get some publicity for your app by introducing some special features during the launch.

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On the whole, do not give up at any time during the promotion. Stay energetic and enthusiastic!”

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Mobile Appstores A Guide to App Store Optimisation (ASO)

With hundreds of apps flooding smartphone app stores every day,  App Store Optimisation (ASO)  is fast becoming as essential to promoting your app and it’s something that doesn’t have to cost developers an arm and a leg to implement. So what are the basic rules of ASO and what kind of results can you expect from optimising your app? What is ASO? App Store Optimisation is the practice of optimising various elements of your app submission (i.e. title, keywords, description) in order to maximise your app’s visibility in app store searches. Some definitions of ASO may also include other marketing techniques to boost downloads and increase app visibility in chart rankings. You can find out more about other forms of app marketing in our guide to app promotion. But right now we’re just going to look at what you can do within your app and its description page, to increase search rankings in the App Store and Google Play. Find out more about mobile app promotion at mobyaffiliates.com

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The numbers Implementing basic ASO won’t send your app rocketing up the charts, but it can give developers a decent boost in downloads (especially if you’re a smaller dev) and, most importantly, it helps you gain valuable user – as it increases the app’s visibility to people who are actively searching for something relevant (as opposed to incentivised downloads, or other kinds of offer walls and ads). We talked to Tomasz Kolinko, the developer behind AppCod.es, who gave us some idea of the impact ASO can have on an app. •

Kolinko, says developers can expect a 500-2000 downloads a day increase on free apps, purely from implementing ASO.

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On paid apps Kolinko reckons developers can increase revenue from around $20-200 per day just through ASO.

These numbers may not be a big deal for triple A app developers, but as Tomasz points out, for independent developers, ASO is a very cost-effective way to increase downloads.

App Store Optimisation: The basics So what are the essential elements of a well-optimised app? Keyword research One of the most important aspects of ASO is knowing what keywords to target. When optimising a regular website for search engines this is made relatively easy, as Google publicises estimated traffic volume figures on keyphrases via its Adwords keyword tool. However, when it comes to apps there are no official figures from Apple’s App Store or Google Play on keyword search volume. But that doesn’t mean you’re shooting entirely in the dark. Find out more about mobile app promotion at mobyaffiliates.com

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Firstly, you can use Google Adwords’ keyword tool to get ideas on popular search phrases that are relevant to your app. While the volume of searches are based on web-search – not app store searches – they may be indicative of the sort of keywords used in app store searches. For instance, if you have a ‘stop watch app’, you’ll want to know whether there’s more searches for “stop watch app”, or “timer app” or “stop clock app”. Adwords will give you visibility on this. Just remember, SEO is all about relevancy, it’s no use optimising for high traffic volume keywords, if they’re not relevant to your app. Also when performing ‘app specific’ searches, like “stop watch app”, or “shopping list app”, note the competition level on these keyphrases. If a lot of people are bidding on these keywords in Adwords, then that’s a strong indications that your entering a competitive space. So you might want to start thinking about how you can differentiate your app. If you’re simply looking for app ideas, then Google’s keyword tool is also itself a useful way to measure what kinds of apps people are looking for. If you can find an app specific keyphrase that has high volumes, with low competition (obviously cross-reference this with what’s on the app store), then you may be onto a winner. Also try typing in relevant search queries into the app store search bar itself and then make a note of the keyword suggestions it servesup, as these can be indicative of volumes. The other thing you’ll want to look at is successful competitor apps. Do a search on the app store for different keywords relating to your app, and look at the top results. What keywords do they use in their titles? After all that you should have a handful of relevant keywords that you want to target.

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Helpful tools for keyword generation: •

AppCod.es can predict what keywords your competitor apps are using and suggest optimum keywords for your app.

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Google keyword tool

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There are tools that use third party data to generate keyword volumes. Mobile Dev HQ is one of them. So it may be worth checking out

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Check out Chomp, which release some metrics on app search queries through its store.

App Title Perhaps the most important field when it comes to optimising your app is the title. So try to get relevant keywords into this field. Obviously, sometimes this may not be practical, or it may look too awkward from a user perspective, so use your judgment. Also, do your research, if there’s a hundred apps called “Stop Watch App”, then you’ll want to differentiate your title somehow. Maybe it would be better to target a less competitive keyphrase like “Timer App”, even if you suspect it doesn’t carry quite as much search volume. Or at least differentiate by using a popular modifier like “Free”. Just remember, don’t stuff the title with keywords, try to make it look natural. Packing in irrelevant keywords or too many keywords, will not only turn off potential users but it may also get your kicked out of the app store. Find out more about mobile app promotion at mobyaffiliates.com

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Publisher/Developer name According to ASO experts, the publisher field does has a big impact on search in the App Store and Google Play. In the case of Apple, it’s treated as strongly as the app title. So it’s worth pushing a relevant keyword into this field. It may even be worth creating different publisher names for the different types of apps that you develop. For instance, your ‘Stop Watch’ Apps could be published under “Time Dev” then you can rank for both ‘Stop Watch’ and ‘Timer’. Keyword field This is your chance to use all the variations on keywords and phrases that you researched. When it comes to the Apple App Store the plurals and singular keywords are treated separately, so you may want to consider that if there’s a chance people will be searching in the plural. Also don’t just put generic keywords here. Think about other apps and themes that may be relevant. For instance, is your app a game that is similar to Angry Birds? Then maybe it’s worth using “Angry Birds” as a keyphrase here. Of course, you only have 100 characters to play around with, so use that space wisely. App description When it comes to Apple’s App Store, the description field has no impact on search rankings. So instead of worrying about relevant keywords, just focus on making your description as engaging as possible, in order to drive conversions. When it comes to Google Play, things are not quite so clear. AppCod’s Kolinko believes that Google Play probably still looks at keywords in the description field and when we looked at Google’s own guidelines, there’s no information there to suggest that isn’t the case. So it’s worth getting your keywords and phrases into this description field. But again, avoid keyword stuffing, it’s not user-friendly and it may raise Google’s wrath! Find out more about mobile app promotion at mobyaffiliates.com

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App Icon It may not have any direct effect on your search ranking, but along with your app’s title, the icon is the first element a user will see. So make sure you put some effort into creating a professional and eyecatching image. Images/Videos Adding screen shots and a video ad to your app store page is a great way to further promote your app and give users an idea of what to expect, so there’s not reason not to take advantage of this. In-app purchases There are some developers that optimise their in-app purchases for certain keywords, in order to rank for an even wider spread of terms. Some developers even attempt to game the system, using thousands of different in-app purchases just for keyword purposes. Obviously, this verges on ‘Black Hat’ ASO, and may result in a ban if discovered. However, if your app already includes in-app purchases, then it’s definitely worth thinking about how you can integrate relevant keywords into these fields in a natural way. Keyword Experimentation Experimenting with different combinations of keywords is a good way to figure out how to maximise your search ranking and downloads. Google Play’s relaxed submission rules allow you to easily update the title and keywords, resubmit the app to the store, and then monitor the effect on rankings. However, Apple’s App Store can take around 2 weeks to approve any amendments, making keyword experimentation a bit laborious. AppCod.es can help with this issue as it predicts App Store rankings, allowing you to play around with different keywords instantly.

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To sum up As you can see from the above, ASO isn’t complicated. All it takes is a little bit of research and some common sense to make your app more visible on searches. With more and more apps being released everyday, developers can’t afford to let such an easy and low-cost avenue for app promotion slip them by.

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A List of Mobile Appstores

If you’re an app developer then we don’t need to tell you that getting your app discovered on the Apple, Google, Microsoft and BlackBerry official app store can be incredibly difficult. There are of course many different ways to promote your app. We’ve already discussed all the different app marketing resources and techniques you can use, given you a list of app promotion companies and guided through the murky world of app store optimisation. But there’s one more thing you might want to consider when trying to get your app onto more devices –  look toward greener pastures. Don’t think Google Play and Apple’s App Store are the only distribution channels for your apps, as you can see below there is a healthy eco-system of third party app stores and directories that can help get your app noticed. Some of these app stores will  give you a better cut of the revenues than the traditional 70/30% split offered in the App Store, some will let you target audiences in different markets, such as Asia and Africa, or let you offer your app as a white label product. Some may simply help you by offering a less crowded space to thrive in.

Cross-platform App Stores OpenAppMkt – Android and iPhone-compatible market that distributes web-apps built in HTML5. Unlike the traditional 70/30 split, developers keep 80% of app sale revenue. GetJar – One of the biggest 3rd party app stores currently in operations. Claims to distribute more than 350 thousand mobile apps, with 395 registered developers. Also offers a pay per download system to help developers get visibility. Find out more about mobile app promotion at mobyaffiliates.com

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Handmark – App developer behind popular Tweetcast app, which also runs an app store for Android, BlackBerry, Windows and Palm devices. Handster - Claims to features over 30,000 apps from 4000 vendors across Android, Symbian, Java and BlackBerry platforms. Also offers white label platform to manufacturers, distributors and carriers. Owned by Opera. WAC – The app store for the Wireless Application Community (a consortium backed by a number of telcos). Focuses on distributing cross-platform web-apps using mainly HTML5. PhoLoad – Community-driven website that allows developers to upload and distribute their free apps. Compatible with Android and Symbian platforms. Mobango – Mobile content-sharing store, which allows users to upload and share videos, ringtone and photos, as well as applications. Zeewee – Cross-platform app store that distributes HTML5 webapps. Offers in-app purchasing, direct to bill and push notifications. Claims to have distributed over 1 million apps since its launch Appolicious – Editorially-curated app directory that helps developers get their apps rated and discovered. In association with Yahoo. Handango – Independent app store run by PocketGear, offers apps on BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, Android and Symbian platforms. Works with app marketplace Appia. Appia – Marketplace that creates app stores for clients and distributes apps to a variety of different app stores. Claims to have a combined audience of 250 million, via more than 20 different app stores.

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Biskero – Mobile content store that focuses on distributing Flash games and apps to mobile devices. Works primarily across Android and Nokia handsets. Opera Mobile App Store – The mobile app store run by browser developer Opera and powered by subsidiary Handster. Offers Android, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry and Symbian apps. Appitalism – Indie app store that claims to feature over 1 million apps. Focuses on social features to aid app discoverability. Owned by Liberty Media. NexVa - Multi-platform app store that also offers a white label product and works with affiliates to drive traffic . Kongregate – Mobile and desktop Flash-powered app store that focuses on videogames. Claims to reach over 6 million mobile and desktop gamers, with 56 thousand Flash games. mJelly – App store and mobile website directory that publishers can submit their content to. Developers can submit links to existing apps in other app stores. AppVisor – App recommendation service that uses a social network to recommend a set number of apps per day to its  users. AppCentral – Platform that helps companies launch and maintain their own app store. Focuses on productivity apps. Formally known as Ondeego. Maopao – One of China’s biggest app stores, distributing apps across iPhone, Android and Symbian platforms. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like the website has an English translation. WhiteApp – Directory of white label iPhone and Android apps that can be easily rebranded and sold to clients.

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Djuzz – Mobile game store run by Asian ad-network Buzz City. Claims to have 320 thousand users per day. AppShup – App store based in India that specialises in SMSdelivered Java apps. BananasFactory – Developer community that markets your app to different app stores, mainly those offered by operators in Asia and developing countries. AppCity - French app store that claims over 340 thousand users. Distributes apps across iPhone, Android and BlackBerry platforms. Alternative.To- Less of an app store, more of a directory of applications with user reviews and editorial ratings. Features apps from Windows MarketPlace, App Store and Google Play.

Android App Stores Google Play – Google’s official Android app store, which features over 500,000 apps, as well as music and video streaming services. AppsLib – Claims to be the second largest Android app store after Google Play. Specialises in lesser-known Android devices, such as tablets and eReaders, that are unable to get Google certification. Claims to have install base of over 2 million tablets worldwide. SlideMe - Provides ‘on device’ application store for device manufactures, as well as a web-based platform. Also offers app store solutions to niche markets. Soci.i0 – Android-focused content store that provides apps, e-books (along with its own ebook reader), videos and music. Bills itself as an Android ‘mobile mall’. 1Mobile – Android app store that focuses mainly on games and claims over 60 thousand total apps. Find out more about mobile app promotion at mobyaffiliates.com

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Camangi - Android app store that focuses on apps built for larger 6inch to 10-inch tablet devices. Claims to currently host over 100 apps. Nook App Store – Official app store for Barnes & Noble’s Nook ereader, which runs on Android. AppBrain – Website that helps users discover Android apps across the official Google Play store and other indie stores. Appoke – Android app store with social features, allowing users to recommend apps to friends and earn credits to download paid apps. Tegra Store – App store run by graphics chip company Nvidia. Highlights videogames that are designed for use with Nvidia’s Tegra smartphone chip. Amazon Appstore – Amazon’s app store has been remarkable popular since the company launched its Kindle Fire tablet device. Currently boasts over 30,000 apps, and claims a higher paid app download rate than Google Play. MiKandi – Android-only app store that focuses on adult-themed applications. AndroidPit – App store run by the Berlin-based Android website AndroidPit. Includes apps selected by editorial team. MatchFuel- Not quite an app store, but provides daily app videogame recommendations to Android users via a storefront. Formally known as Andspot.

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iPhone/iOS App Stores App Store – Apple’s official iOS application store and is still thought to be the biggest app store available across all smartphone platforms, though Android is catching-up fast. Cydia – Unofficial iOS app store that is only available to users with ‘jailbroken’ iOS devices. Most apps are offered for free, but there are also paid apps. Claims over 4.5 million weekly users. Lima - Browser-based application installer for jailbroken iPhones. Works similar to Cydia, allowing you to download apps not available in the official App Store, but within the Safari browser. PremierAppShop – Legal iPhone application store that delivers downloadable apps, which can be used offline via a browser-based shopfront. SexAppShop- Uses the same platform as PremierAppShop but – as the name suggests – focuses on adult apps for iPhone and iPad.

Blackberry OS App Stores BlackBerry App World – RIM’s official BlackBerry app store, which features more than 40,000 apps. CrackBerry Store – Independent BlackBerry-specific app store run by the online blog CrackBerry. Takes advantage of the large CrackBerry community to promote apps. Powered by MobiHand. BBNation- BlackBerry-focused content portal with apps, themes, ringtone and games. Owned by Motek Americas.

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Manufacturer-specific App Stores Samsung Apps – The official Samsung App store for its  Bada operating system, made popular on devices such as the Samsung Wave. Bada is expected to be phased out soon, so Samsung Apps’ future is unclear. LG Smart World – The official app store run by manufacturer LG. Offers Android apps to US users and Windows Phone apps to users in Asia. Motorola Shop4Apps – Motorola’s own-branded Android app store aimed exclusively at the Chinese market. Dell Mobile App Store – The official app store of Dell. Run by PocketGear and contains over 40,000 apps, across Android, BlackBerry and Symbian. CISCO App HQ - The official CISCO app store is aimed mainly at enterprise users looking for productivity apps and developers looking for technology partners. Docomo Market – The official Android app market for Japanese manufacturer Docomo. The Docomo Market  is installed on every Docomo  handset in Japan and developers get  Japanese optimisation services for your app. Lenovo App Store - Chinese manufacturer Lenovo’s official app store for smartphones and tablets, running Android. Though be warned – website doesn’t appear to have and English translation!

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Operator/Carrier App Stores Verizon App Store – App store run by US carrier Verizon. Works across Android, BlackBerry and Brew platforms.  Partners with UK operator Vodafone’s app store. Vodafone AppSelect – Official app store for UK operator Vodafone. Focuses on Android for European users. BlackBerry/Symbian are supported for African users. Offers developers free testing. China Mobile – The app store of China’s biggest mobile operator. Offers apps across Android and Symbian platforms. Claims a userbase of over 500 million. T-Mobile Mall – Official app portal of UK carrier T-Mobile. T-Mobile Mall doesn’t host applications, but rather acts a portal that highlight different apps on BlackBerry AppWorld, Google Play and Windows Marketplace. Sprint – US operator Sprint no longer has its own app store, but does offer a developer program, where you can get apps preinstalled on devices. Aircel PocketApps - Official app store of Indian operator Aircel, focuses exclusively on Indian market. Airtel App Central - Official app store of Indian operator Airtel, focuses exclusively on Indian market. Maxis 1Store – Malaysian app store from carrier Maxis. Supports J2ME and Symbian platforms, with BlackBerry and Android support coming “in the future”. TIM Store – Official app store for Italian operator Telecom Italia. Distributes Android, Symbian and BlackBerry apps.

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AT&T App Centre – Official app store for US carrier AT&T. Developers signing-up to AT&T’s program get developer support and marketing tools. Supports Symbian and BlackBerry platforms. M1 App Store – Official store for Singaporean carrier M1. Supports Android, BlackBerry, Symbian and iPhone platforms. T-Store – Content store from South Korean carrier SK Telecom. Distributes apps to Android devices in the South Korean market. Appzone – Official app store from Indonesian operator Telkomsel. Turkcell T-Market – Official app store from Turkish operator Turkcell. Offers Android apps and Symbian apps. Omnitel App Store – Lithuanian carrier Omnitel’s official app store. Distributes iPhone and Android apps. MTNPlay – Content portal from South African operator MTN. Offers apps, music, ringtones and videos to mobile users across Africa and Asia.

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A list of the Best Mobile App Promotion Agencies, Networks and Tools

The Best Mobile App Promotion Networks and Agencies Developing your app idea is one thing, getting it noticed is something entirely different. With hundreds of app being released each day across Apple’s App Store and Android’s Google Play, the issue of discoverability is an urgent one for developers. Luckily there’s a whole industry of marketing agencies and networks to help promote your app and grow your user-base, offering everything from non-incentivised downloads, to review submissions and blogger outreach campaigns.

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Mobile App Marketing Agencies App promotion agencies will typically offer a range of services to mobile developers and publishers, ranging from traditional PR and marketing activity, to highly specialised services such as Appstore SEO (ASO), mobile ad buying and other techniques. App Promo – Full service app marketing agency offering PR, ASO, development, mobile advertising and more. Based in Toronto, Canada. Combo App – App promotion agency offering PR, ASO and chart placements campaigns. Headquartered in Chicago USA, with offices in Vancouver, Canada. Avai - App developer that also offers app promotion and marketing services. Based in Texas, USA. OnTheMob – App development and promotion agency that focuses on media buying, press relations and product strategy. Clients include Citroen and MasterCard. Based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Amadeus Consulting – App and software developer that also offers app promotion, including social media marketing, press relations and Flurry analytics. Based in Colorado, USA. AppsMarketing.mobi - Full service app promotion agency based in Herzeliya, Israel. Worked with apps such as the KungFu Panda Storybook and Retrogram. Appromotor – App promotion platform, which lets developers submit their app into a database that acts as a resource for  journalists and bloggers looking to review apps.

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My First Mobile App – App developer agency that also offers promotion services across all smartphone platforms. Dot Com Infoway – App developer and promotion agency that offers a range of services including press relations, social media and app update recommendations. Based in San Francisco USA, with offices in India and The Netherlands. Apppli – App developer and app promotion company offering SEO, ASO, PPC, microsite development and other app promotion services. Based in London, UK. App Optimisers – UK-based app promotion agency specialising in social media marketing, video and blog promotion. Claims to have promoted 5 top 10-ranking apps. ProAppMarketing - ‘Boutique’ app marketing agency based in the UK. Offers App-focused PR services, app sponsorship campaigns, blogger outreach and more. MobiZest - Full service marketing agency that specialises in mobile and app promotion. Clients include Intent Media and Just Eat. Based in London, UK. PressPect – App marketing agency that helps promote your app in Russia. Offers PR services, translation and Russian app store optimisation. Based in Moscow, Russia. SEO Girl - Freelance web marketer based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Offers app promotion services such as app store optimisation, social media marketing and press relations. Sosemo – Digital marketing agency that offers app promotion services such as PR, app store optimisation and review site submissions. Based in New York City, USA.

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Mobile App Marketing Networks App promotion networks are mobile ad networks or ad buying platforms that place ads across other mobile apps. They will usually charge on the basis of CPI (cost per install) or CPD (cost per download) and in some cases in a very sophisticated way, such as charging only for active users (DAU). These networks sometimes use incentives to encourage downloads although this has now been banned by Apple, it is still being used to some extent by some of the networks on Android or over the mobile web, outside of Apple store. Fiksu – App marketing company offering non-incentivized download network on iOS and Android. Works with brands such as VH1 and Barnes and Noble. Based in Boston Massachusetts, USA. TapJoy – App promotion network that offers non-incentivized app download network. TapJoy also provides sponsorship for developers looking to port their app to Android. Based in SanFrancisco, US. Applifier - App promotion network that works by delivering a user to your app everytime your app delivers a user to another developer – with no fees involved. Based in Helsinki, Finland, with offices in San Francisco. Adduplex – App promotion network that’s focused on the Windows Phone 7 operating system. Based in Helsinki, Finland. Appucino – Platform that uses location based marketing to promote videogame apps and brands. Owned by developer Games2Win and based in Mumbai, India.

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Flurry – Mobile analytics and app promotion network that offers targeted user acquisition to developers via its AppCircle app recommendation platform. Based in San Francisco, with offices in London and New York. G6Pay – App promotion network focuses on offering nonincentivized pay-per-install downloads on Android and iOS. Based in California, USA. AppDog – Incentivized app promotion platform that rewards users with free Facebook credits when they download Android or iOS apps. Based in San Francisco, USA. MauDau – App promotion network that offers a similar solution to Applifier whereby developers effectively trade app downloads for free. Based in Chicago, USA. W3i - App promotion network that offers non-incentivized downloads on a pay-per-engagement basis. Helped promote top 10 iOS app Tiny Zoo. Based in San Francisco, USA. Jampp – Incentivized app promotion network that focuses entirely on the Android platform and on Latin American users. Based in Buenos Aires, Argentina with offices in London. ChartBoost – Offers both internal app cross promotion, across a developer’s own app library, and the ability for developers to directly set-up cross-promotion deals between each other. Based in San Francisco, USA. Ad Dash – App promotion/advertising network that lets developers set-up their a cross promotion ad networks within their own library of apps.

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AdColony – Mobile ad network that focuses on HD video advertisements for apps, where developers pay only if a video ad has been viewed to completion. Based in Los Angeles, California. LunarAds – App promotion network that allows users to crosspromote with themselves and other developers for free. Based in Missouri, USA. Clash Media - Mobile marketing company that offers a cost per download app cross-promotion platform. Based in London, UK. TapGen – Allows developers to promote their apps across a nonincentivized curated app wall, as well as platform that promotes apps while also offering users competitions and special offers.

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Mobile App Marketing Tools As the app promotion field gets more and more complex some interesting tools and platforms are starting to emerge. This is a very nascent area compared to the web for example where there are 1000s of SEO tools and services for example. AppCod.es – Tool that helps developers better optimise their apps for different app stores. MobileDevHQ – App store optimisation tool that lets you tracking your rankings and optimise search keywords. Alau.me – Link tracking tool, similar to bit.ly, that lets you track how many users click on a link to your app store page and then go on download your app.

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Your Next Step •

To find out more about app promotion go to mobyaffiliates.com

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