Top 4 ways to acquire quality users for your app

After having launched your mobile app, you’re probably looking back at a strategy of scaling. For growing your app even further with your next post launch campaign, it’s time to consider lifetime value (LTV) as the best way of measuring its success.

LTV is imperative in the advertising space since the focus has recently shifted from a visit-centric to a customer-centric view. In line with that, app marketers are now taking into account customers’ needs and experiences in their campaigns to keep them engaged rather than just counting installs.

While LTV is top of mind, most app marketers are facing a reality of neglected apps with high un-installment rates holding them back from scaling their business. Following the most recent App Uninstall Report by AppsFlyer, 

more than 3 out of every 10 installs of mobile apps globally end up being uninstalled.

So how come most app marketers still fall short of acquiring quality users? Here, we need to take a closer look at the vast amount of advertising tools and opportunities that should be explored. Social media sources are an alternative way to grow a solid user base but it is important to also expand your targeting tools, creativity, and markets. Here’s how:

Optimize paid campaigns

To reach the right people for your app, use the advanced targeting capabilities of paid campaigns on social media: from audience targeting and building lookalike audiences, to targeting based on interests, age, gender and more. It is vital to combine these tools with your own resources and expertise. Build on the data and experience gained from previous campaigns that unlock insights for your new app promotion.

Retarget people focusing on their actions, not installs

Ads that are relevant to people’s actions deliver real results for your app. Re-engage those who have installed your app but stopped using it. With gaming apps, people who have stopped playing for a while can be reminded to continue the level they left. Someone who has forgotten hand-picked items in a virtual shopping cart could be offered an incentive to complete the purchase, either in the form of a discount or a code for free shipping. Increase your results by A/B testing and optimizing your ad creative upon each encounter with your customer. Retargeting has proven to be cost-effective with a reasonable cost per action (CPA).

Get real results with playable ads

In case of mobile games, playable ads drive performance on Google and yield higher engagement rates. A study shows,

on average, playable ads perform up to 3x more effectively than other formats, including interstitials, native and video, and achieve much higher conversion (up to 40% percent) that pushes up eCPMs.

When playing the ad, people are basically already engaged in the app. After installing it, they perform the action the ad was leading them towards to, and are more likely to continue the game. Even non-gaming apps can benefit from the gamification of playable ads, immediately engaging people with the content of the app. You can be assured to leave a positive impression with a high-quality playable ad, since people have been polled by the International Advertising Bureau (IAB) to like seeing playable ads. They are not perceived as invasive.

Unlock lucrative customers by finding new emerging markets

According to App Annie, app usage is rapidly growing in emerging markets with special emphasis on China and India, which have now become the largest app markets in the world for time spent in apps. To reach and maintain active users in these regions, tailor your campaigns by localizing your ads, remember that localization goes beyond language translations. Furthermore, change the focus of optimization such as leveling up or in-app game purchase.