Аutomation is a driving force for business growth. It improves efficiency, saves time and money, and frees employees to pursue more important tasks. While desktop software can offer all those advantages, mobile apps as an alternative is often pushed into the background. Automation provided by mobile applications can add the same value and cater to mobility as well. They can not only solve internal company bottlenecks but also widen the sales funnel and create a separate channel for brand awareness.

Automation via an app may be for you if you are experiencing one of the following stumbling blocks:

• Overwhelming number of routine tasks
• Administration consumes a lot of time
• A lot of wasted time due to employee daily commute
• Loopholes in functionality in available automation software, or lack of thereof
• Poor client communication because of lack of staff or no access to digital tools

How different are apps form desktop software when used for automation?

The main differences stem from the degree of capability for mobility and convenience of use. While software is the more popular choice, it can receive input only from stationary points, meaning that employees can access it from their workplace or home. For jobs that require more mobility, software may not be the best solution.

Mobile applications can automate without restricting staff mobility. They can be accessed from any point, thus they can become highly adaptable automation tools covering a wider range of processes in a business. In the least, they can be a valuable part in symbiotic relationship with any existing CRM system.

 

 

 

What can mobile apps automate?

Let’s briefly review the areas they can influence:

Customer service

Customer service can greatly benefit from app management. It can find use in services such as registration, payments, feedback, delivery, inventory management, and so on. A mobile app, for example, can have features that automatically categorize and arrange lists, send notifications, allocate important payment data to appropriate slots. It does this and much more without jeopardizing security.

Example: The restaurant business provides the most obvious example. A mobile application can automate sales, ease the delivery process, and provide customers with self-serve portal. On the other end, restaurant staff can expediently receive order details; while clients can receive benefits such as tracking geo-location of active orders and other perks.

Administration

Administrative processes benefit greatly from automation. Apps can be an excellent supplement to any existing software, adding mobility and uninterrupted access to administrative resources to the whole package. They can do their share by automating repetitive tasks. Apps can be linked with the main database and apply updates to it, either with a push of a button or automatically, keeping everything going at a higher efficiency.

Example: We can draw an example from healthcare. Imagine you have an app that schedules and organizes meetings between patients and doctors in local GPs and also offers alternative a communication platform for lighter cases. Such an app would save a lot of time on waiting and needless appointments.

Marketing

Mobile apps can be excellent automating tools not only for internal business processes but external ones too. For example, apps can automate the marketing spearhead such as advertising and various marketing campaigns, including mass e-mail and lead generation.

Example: AdCharge is an app that can be merged with other apps to show out-of-app ads to users after every incoming call. The unique concept, with better conversion rates, shows that automation via an app can also be an innovation in some fields – in this case, in mobile advertising.

Inventory management

In some types of work, on-site mobility for staff is key. Such is the case with stores, warehouses, shipping depots, and so on. In such cases, mobile automation solutions might be a much better choice. An app can help with keeping records of stock in order, shipping, restocking, schedules, and staff communication. Overall, it can increase the competitiveness of a company.

Example: Say you manage a large clothing store with lots of orders and a big number of items in your inventory. A mobile app can help optimize the whole model by tracking item count and automating the re-stocking process. It can also organize existing stock and process billing.

How can we help?

Speedflow provides development of personalized mobile applications that can help your business address automation challenges. Optimize your business with a quality mobile app tailored to the last detail!

 

 

To share your goals with us, write to info@speedflow.bg or fill out the form in our mobile app development page. We are eager to hear from you.

The domino effect of digital transformation worldwide takeover is strongly felt in most areas of business. The more it spreads, the bigger the pressure on others to implement it, else they risk getting left behind.

Booking apps showcase this digitalization trend on a much smaller scale. They have already replaced telephone bookings as a simpler alternative that allows users to find and book a service or event and pay later. They are on their way to becoming complete platforms that realize the whole process with just a few taps on the screen.

According to data from Criteo, smartphone bookings account for almost 40% of the total number of bookings made in 2018—this has something to do with online bookings still being the preferred method for making a booking. However, for same-day bookings, almost 80% were made via a booking app and this says something: booking apps are on their way to the summit—and they will get there, if not today, then tomorrow.

One thing that still stalls businesses from expanding their channel by adopting apps for their booking needs is their development cost.

This article will break booking apps down to their features and give a rough estimate for each feature. This way, readers will get an understanding of how much it will cost them to have a booking app developed. Enjoy, comment below, and contact us for your app project!

 

I. Basic Features

1. Admin Panel

The Admin Panel is a mandatory part of a booking app. It gives admins the tools to manage their app and its users. A well-structured panel enables admins to manage payments, bookings, and notifications. They can also monitor all business operations processed through the app on their dashboard.

Development of an admin panel is one of the most laborious stages of making a booking app. It is the command center, so to say, where app owners can add or extract value from their service. A cheaper option exists to purchase and integrate a pre-compiled, third-party admin panel, which can offer a skeleton set of functions but not without its downsides. Such panels are fused together with third-party interest, which means annoying ads, lack of transparency and fees.

Development time estimation: 120-160 hours

Estimation: $4200-$5600

 

2. Notifications

Notifications play an important role in the transaction process for all sides involved. Without notifications, users can get confused about the status of a transaction or a booking, which can cause unnecessary complications to what should be a straightforward process. Ideally, users should receive confirmation about made or canceled bookings, payments or changes in the schedules of their chosen events. Additionally, notifications are useful on the admin side as well, for the same reasons.

Once again, this feature can be purchased from third-party sources and can be integrated into the app. However, the same concerns apply. They have quite a few disadvantages, including the need for a separate technical support channel and sometimes untested security. Notification systems built from scratch by our developers offer better security and business-targeted features.

Time: 30-40 hours

Estimation: $1000-$1500

 

3. Search engine

Barring the cases where organization of database entries and UX are impeccable, your booking app would benefit greatly from an integrated search engine. This feature allows app users to navigate your app content and find the places and services they want, and then make a reservation for them. The more complex it is, the easier the app users will orient themselves, however, at the price of additional costs for the development.

Consider the proportionality between the depth of the database and the price for the development of this feature. The bigger the database, the more accurate the search algorithm has to be to save users’ time—which, in turn, means more code writing and more skill is involved, affecting the final price. It’s all relative to your app’s content and user needs.

Or, in other words: Relevancy + Content + Native capabilities = Optimized search experience

Time: 20-40 hours

Estimation: $700 – $1500

 

4. User registration system

Registration enables the user to create and manage an account within the app. While not a vital feature, apps that offer user registration often perform better. Registration is valuable because it brings a positive impact to user retention. It can also strengthen marketing efforts for acquiring new users by making available information about already registered users.

The registration process can consist of one way of signing-in or several. At its basic form, users can register with just their e-mail and password. Additional options of registration can be integrated such as the use of social media account or other accounts. The more options there are, the smoother the registration process for users!

Once again, addressing the alternative third-party registration systems, the same previously mentioned disadvantages apply.

Time: 38 hours

Estimation: $1300 – $1800

 

5. UI/UX design

 

 

While an app with extensive, useful features can earn a great reputation among the more practical of us, a beautiful and practical design undoubtedly wins the hearts of all of us. This is why good developers spend a lot of time fiddling with the station to accommodate the right UX and UI design. Excellent design makes your app stand out, but it is not cheap. So, while you can also go for a bare-bones design, we always recommend pushing it one step further.

Time: 100-120 hours

Estimation: $3500-$4200

 

6. Payment gateway API

Some service providers still rely on old methods such as ‘book and pay on location’. They have the right to do that if it works for them. However, digital transformation is pushing for more simplified and quicker solutions. Sooner or later, they, too, will have to get on board or will risk being left behind. This is also true for payments, and, for apps, this means integration of a custom payment gateway via API.

Development of such a system is tricky and arduous. It can take up to 3 weeks depending on what functionality is needed and how long the non-development processes take (bank accounts, legal side, etc.). Cheaper options are available as well, as purchasing pre-made payment gateways, but, most often they initiate additional fees for every transaction or pester users with ads, and their security is a big question as with most such solutions.

Time: up to 120 hours

Estimation: $4200-$5000

The total cost of the development of a booking app with basic features thus ranges from $14900 to $19100.

 

II. Additional Features

In addition to the app mainframe, a number of smaller features can be integrated to make the app richer and more valuable to users. For example:

• Currency and language settings
• Visual Calendar
• Social media integration
• Review and feedback system
• Recommendations engine

With this, we invite you take the following test. Select the features you want for your app, fiddle with the combinations and receive a rough estimation for the finished product:

III. Booking App Cost Calculator

Do not be discouraged by the results! This is a very rough calculation. At Speedflow, we take into account all client’s plans and requirements and turn great ideas into stunning apps for competitive prices. Our professional team of Android and iOS developers are backed by talented designers, Quality Assurance professionals and others. Speedflow offers mobile app and web development, server solutions, web design and other services. To inquire about your app development project and receive a quote that reflects the price more accurately, please write to info@speedflow.bg

Free mobile apps are dominating the app stores for a reason. They present an appealing business prospect and have proven to be a working model with just a little marketing know-how. Furthermore, free apps are a great way to spread ideas.

Perhaps, it will also be a relief to find out that successful apps needn’t be based on world-changing ideas either.

The Pou app, for example, is one such story. Developed by a 24-year-old Lebanese programmer, Pou allows users to take care of a virtual pet – much like Tamagochi. The app sells for $1.60 for iOS devices and is completely free for Android, with an option for in-app purchases. It gets between 260k-320k downloads per day.

What we are saying is: free apps are trending at the moment, and as such, are a great tool for making money.

In this article, we take a look at 8 ways to ease the free app development process and generate revenue from it:

1. AdCharge

AdCharge is an innovative advertising method that allows app owners to equip their mobile app with the ability to show ads after incoming calls. AdCharge shows ads that are tailored for users to receive guaranteed views all the while not interrupting their smartphone usage experience.

App owners who have integrated the AdCharge algorithm receive a hefty piece of the advertising revenue as well as boost their app’s value in advertisers’ eyes. 

2. Sponsorship/Partnership

Alternatively, you can arrange a sponsor for your app. This step could be taken in its pre-development stages. Our advice is to do your research and pitch your idea to the right company or person.

Sponsorship ensures that the full cost of the development—or a part of it—is covered. In return, you rent a piece of your app, like its name or a periodical content quota for example.

Sponsorship is not only an excellent way out of the financial elements involved in making an app but also a way to scoop into your sponsor’s followers. The bigger the company sponsoring you, the better your app’s visibility will be.

3. Freemium App

The Freemium business model utilizes both paying and non-paying customers. Its path to monetization is nested on the degree of users’ engagement to your app content. The idea is to allow your app users to enjoy and engage with the content before you ask for money.

By removing the heavy burden of financial worry off people’s shoulders, you make your app much more downloadable.

4. Subscriptions

Subscriptions are often used for restricted-content apps. Apps that offer cloud services, newspaper and magazine apps and video-streaming apps fit this category.

Most app owners use subscription following a free trial period. If your content is engaging, app users will be much more willing to pay for it.

5. In-app purchases

In-app purchase refers to direct revenue from within the app, from sales of additional functions or content. According to Statista, in-app purchasing (IAP) holds the lion’s share of the revenue for free apps compared to other methods of income.

In contrast to the subscription method, IAP apps offer free content plus boosted-value, payable but not mandatory content. In other words, the app can be used but with limited content.

6. Affiliate advertising

Affiliate advertising is a way for you to earn commissions from the promotion of third-party products on your app. More than 80% of brands and publishers utilize this method of advertising.

Ideally, it is advisable that you select a product that reflects your audience’s interests, and that you don’t mind advertising.

Affiliate advertising can be utilized in the following ways: banners, interstitial, native ads, video ads, playables and push notifications.

7. White Label Code

White label strategy is a smart way to make money from a free mobile app, which has already achieved some positive results in the app stores. If you are certain that the code for it is exquisitely written, you can re-sell it to other companies. They can then base their apps on your code.

8. E-mail Marketing

While e-mail marketing will not get you direct revenue immediately, it’s a very powerful method to build-up your app and generate more users.

There are various ways to kindly collect your app user’s e-mail addresses, for example by providing the Facebook log-in option to them. E-mail marketing will provide your app with a steady increase in subscribers and ultimately revenue down the road.

If we have you convinced that making a free mobile app is not ‘fighting on the losing side’, we have a team of experienced developers who can help with all aspects of your project.

Get in touch with us at info@speedflow.bg and let’s talk.

The span between technological leaps is getting shorter. It is now mere months that separate new advancements, especially in IT. For app developers who want to stay successful, keeping a close eye on the ravenous progress of technology and identifying the possibilities each leap presents is crucial. This is why we are going to take a look at the best 7 mobile app development trends that are taking 2019 by storm, starting with the most-anticipated breakthrough of recent months:

 

1. 5G Wireless

5G will trampoline a host of new technological advancements that will penetrate multiple industries. The mobile app development world will hold an honorary front seat when 5G kick-starts these changes.

 

 

Faster, cheaper and more stable than 4G, 5G will support better content, namely 4K video, VR and augmented reality, and a lot of other heavy-content elements.
With the appearance of 5G, developers will arm-wrestle with problems such as efficiency in phone memory usage, security, app loading speed, and others.

 

2. Instant Apps

Instant Apps are essentially Android apps that can be hosted on a cloud server, resulting in increased efficiency, loading speed and user-friendliness.

They hold particular appeal for developers because the both processes of creating them from scratch or adapting them from a normal app are quick and cost-efficient as well as produce bigger value for the end-user.

 

3. Augmented and Virtual Reality

According to Statista, the VR market will bypass the $160-billion mark in 2023. This figure is substantially based on the expectation that the emergence of 5G will skyrocket the augmented and virtual reality industry. And this view is hard to refute.

It is not surprising that mobile developers’ focus has shifted towards app development incorporating this type of content. VR and augmented reality improve user experience and contribute to visually stunning apps.

 

4. IoT – Internet of Things

Although IoT is not a new concept, it exerts a strong influence on app development. It means: devices being interlinked and remotely controlled via a third-party device, like a smartphone for example.

In today’s competitive market, the more connected a device is to others, the better differentiated it is from the competition. The same goes for the app’s interconnectivity capabilities.

The possibilities of IoT apps are endless. Automation, simplification and efficiency are a small part of what an IoT-capable app can offer businesses and individuals.

 

5. Cloud Storage

Cloud storage is increasingly employed by mobile developers to save memory on users’ smartphones and encourage data exchange in a safe environment. Cloud storage supplementation offers a number of advantages, including making the app faster and eliminating the need for downloading it.

 

6. App Security

 

 

With mobile device usage continually on the rise, it would make sense the emphasis in app development would fall onto security. As more and more users shop via their mobile phones, mostly through apps, developers are using every trick in the book to protect users’ sensitive data.

At present, mobile app security is the defining feature that differentiates the professional developer from the amateur one.

 

7. Cross-platform gaming apps

Today, single-platform games, for a variety of marketing reasons, are still the status quo. But it’s highly likely that this traditional approach will soon give way to cross-platform development gaming apps.

Cross-platform gaming apps cut development costs and reduce the time in the development of app frame. We expect to see this approach to extend to not only gaming apps in the future.

 

These are just 7 of the mobile app development trends at present. And although each carries ramifications that could lead to more complex technology, the emphasis remains on simplification of user experience. We don’t expect this to change any time soon.

If you want to be part of the fast-developing technological world, you can do it with an app. Our team is well-versed in the development of native and hybrid apps with stunning design and functionality. Interested? Contact us at info@speedflow.bg

Mobile search is becoming more and more prevalent. According to research done by StoneTemple 63% of website traffic comes from mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Yes, mobile search is outrunning desktop search. That is why every brand that wants to establish or improve their digital presence has the following questions:

• Do I need to invest in mobile app development?
• Is it enough to only have a mobile website (a website with a responsive design)?
• Or maybe I need both?

Of course, your decision will depend on factors such as price, functionality and features, prospects’ needs, objectives, and goals, etc. Therefore, we are going to compare one against the other and will let you choose the option that best suits your individual business situation.

 

What are the advantages of having a responsive mobile website?

Accessibility

One of the biggest advantages of mobile websites is that they can be easily accessed from any type of device, while mobile apps can not. All you need is an internet connection and a browser. It does not matter if you are using a smartphone, tablet or laptop. You can open and load a website on any operating system and browser. You don’t have to download, install or set up a website, but you do need to do so with applications.

 

Shareability

Thanks to their unique URL links, mobile websites can be easily shared among users in many different ways – via email, in a post, message, SMS, digital documents, etc. You can share not simply home pages, but also particular website elements – subpages, categories, landing pages, images, texts, video, different file formats, etc. This together with the easy access we mentioned above helps responsive mob. websites to reach more people quite effortlessly and faster than applications.

 

Updatability

It is much easier to update and improve a website because in most cases the platforms on which they have been created are more flexible and dynamic than the ones on which apps are being developed. You can also manage more quickly website content, remove or add new sections. Besides, end users do not have to go through the hassle of updating websites by themselves. As we know very well, that’s not the case with apps. If we want to get the best user experience (UX) from an app we need to make sure that we are using its latest version. And if not – manually install the newest one.

 

Longevity

Users can delete an app from their mobile device at any given moment. Did you know that according to a research done by The Manifest 25% of people have uninstalled an app due to lack of space on their smartphone?! The average life expectancy of an app is less than 30 days. Quite short compared to website longevity. Also, if a person has been disappointed by an app once, there is almost no chance for it to win the user’s heart again. Something a responsive website is absolutely capable of.

 

Price. Development. Support

To make your website version responsive to any type of device screen you will need less financial resources, time and workforce than if you were to develop an app from scratch. Plus, if you want your website to be compatible with a few different operating systems (iOS, Android, etc.), prepare to invest even more in developing several versions of it. That is why it is also much easier and cheap to support a mobile website than it is to maintain an app. Mobile applications require constant updates, tests, fixing of bugs and crashes, etc. to perform smoothly and robustly and in accordance with the ever-changing operating systems and technical parameters of devices.

Ok. Mobile websites definitely have their benefits. Just don’t go up against apps, because there are many situations in which they are the better choice for your business.

 

What are the advantages of having a mobile app?

The choice of the public

The global mobile app market is growing exponentially. In 2017, the total number of application downloads reached 197 billion generating 86 billion dollars in revenue. According to TechCrunch, people use 9 apps daily and up to 30 per month. Moreover, most of the time we spend on our phones (or tablet) is in apps not on mobile websites (see fig. 1, eMarketer research)

 

Fig.1 Mobile usage duration, measured in hours

 

Personalization

Applications offer more possibilities for personalization and intuitive user experience (UX) than mobile websites. Besides allowing users to set their preference in the app settings, they also collect data directly from the smart device they have been installed on. Thus, the content displayed is tailored specifically to match users’ personal needs.

 

Interactivity

The interactive possibilities of mobile apps cannot be reached by mobile websites. Unfortunately, responsive sites are quite limited when it comes to integrating or activating functions like GPS, direct calls, compass, camera, contact lists, pics gallery, etc. Hence why apps are preferred for game and multimedia development.

 

Usage

If you think that your target audience is going to use your app on a regular base, then having only a mobile website might not be enough. Applications are much more practical to use, save time and effort, provide quick access to features in just a few clicks. They are great for everyday use.

 

Perfect for e-commerce

The next logical step for every successful online shop owner is to invest in a mobile application. Why? Research has shown that apps are more effective in making the user finalize and complete an order:

• 3 times more conversions than a mobile website
• 1,5 times more conversions than a desktop website
• 40% of people make a purchase immediately after initial E-commerce app install

Apps are quite handy to use which is why they perform so well in terms of conversions. Clients do not have to prove their identity or type in any credentials to start making orders. In just a few clicks the needed information is loaded (extremely fast) and the user quickly proceeds with placing an order.

 

Offline functionality

If you want to provide end users with information and features that can be accessed without an internet connection, then mobile apps are the way to go. They can definitely function offline too while mobile websites can not. Although applications do require some internet connection of some sort – be it initial or periodical, their general functions can be accessed without it. That’s not all. App icons are in front of users’ eyes all the time, boosting brand recognition and brand awareness.

 

Communication

Mobile apps are a more effective communication channel than a mobile website. They allow you to send push notifications with the content of your choice directly on your customers’ device screens. And although those notifications generally do not lead to substantial subsequent actions, they definitely have a high CTR (click-through rate) – 40%.

 

In conclusion

Both mobile websites and mobile applications can do wonders for your business, especially if they correspond to your needs and goals. However, we do believe that everybody should invest in perfecting the mobile version of their website. Do you need to develop an app? Hopefully, our article has to shed some light and will help you decide.

Our professional team can consult you free of charge and help you make the right choice for your business because we are good at creating websites with a responsive design and app development.

Do not hesitate to contact us at info@speedflow.bg

HealthyKid Sofia is the first mobile application in Bulgaria that offers parents quick access to all healthcare institutions and specialists in Sofia city. Thus they are able to provide immediate medical assistance to children with specific symptoms. Our team helped them to create the application and today Daria Mukova, CEO of Mykid Sofia Ltd., shares her impressions about working with us:

“We are very pleased to have worked with Speedflow Bulgaria team! The end result is excellent. They managed to fulfill our requirements, met all deadlines despite many of our comments and suggestions. What is interesting in our case is that HealthyKid Sofia app has no analog and to be honest we did not know what to expect. Nonetheless, together with Speedflow.bg we created the Application and were sharing the same approach almost all the time – from the color range to the design and position of tabs.

But before we started using Speedflow’s services, we faced a number of difficulties like finding a team of experts we could easily get along with, with whom we shared the same perspective, as well as having realistic expectations regarding the price-quality ratio of the services provided. We can say without a doubt that Speedflow team met all our expectations.

They are young, ambitious and experienced professionals that complete all their projects according to International standards. Although the team is located in Plovdiv and we are in Sofia, the distance did not interfere with our communication, the work processes went smoothly and everything was completed in the promised time periods.  We are extremely happy that we had the opportunity to work with Speedflow team and are looking forward to doing it again. We will continue recommending their services and with a lot of success to the whole team! “

Speedflow Team is happy to share with you all the exciting news about a project we recently developed for one of our clients. The HealthyKid Sofia app is getting a lot of media attention, being featured not only in popular online magazines and newspapers but also on TV. bTV news made a report about it explaining the benefits of this new technology. We invite you to watch the video below for additional information.

 

Moreover, our team is extremely proud and happy to be a part of such an amazing social project that is by no means created for commercial purposes. It is solely and completely dedicated to providing valuable information to families, whose children need immediate medical help. We are happy that the hard work we have put into realizing our clients’ dreams is getting such a positive feedback. Many people have already started using the app and are finding it extremely helpful and ground-breaking.  That is what happens when you combine a great idea with a cutting-edge technology for a perfect finish.

Feel free to contact our team at info@speedflow.bg if you are looking for a reliable partner to complete any of your software projects. We will be as excited about your ideas as you are!

AI robots are being deployed to various industries, bringing benefits not only to hi-tech companies, but to customer-centric ones too. Nowadays we can see an explosive growth in the popularity of Chatbots. These innovative virtual agents communicate with clients, being a time-saving and cost-effective solution with a great future!

If you want to learn more about what exactly is a Chatbox and how it can help your business, read our article here.

Speedflow at the GITEX exhibition in Dubai

Last week Speedflow Team visited GITEX exhibition in Dubai, a leading event in the whole IT industry. It brings together decision-makers, engineers, managers, and marketers from the Middle East and from all over the world. All innovations and trends are discussed during numerous conference panels. One of the hottest topics at GITEX digital marketing vertical day was AI, Chatbots and their progressive contribution to business development.

 

Chatbots and their role in business

Chatbots become more sophisticated and at the same time more accessible for small and medium companies.  They are a modern, yet effective way to improve customer support and increase customer engagement. According to recent research studies, in the near future Chatbots development will become an objective for the business and companies which have deployed them earlier will get a competitive advantage.

Market giants can allocate costs to develop and implement complex Chatbots without any big problems, but for small customer oriented companies it can be really expensive.

That’s why Speedflow recently launched its own Chatbot development platform oriented specifically to meet the needs of cafes, restaurants and the food delivery industry in general.

Our Chatbot as a service solution allows small to medium businesses to integrate intelligent robots on their Facebook page in a week’s time without CAPEX and programming knowledge.

Chatbot in no time!

Just a few working days and you will be able to “hire” a smart and trusted employee that is available 24/7 and is always ready to assist clients, speeding up business processes. We provide customized Chatbots, following the corporate style of your brand. Boost your brand awareness, improve customer loyalty and analyze your target audience simultaneously with our bot assistants.

 

Develop the Chatbot your business needs. Outrun and gain an advantage over your competitors. Don’t wait for the future to come, make it happen now and keep abreast of the times!

In July 2018 the mobile community will celebrate 10 years since Apple launched its App Store (the first app online store in fact). It all started with 500 applications available for download, while currently there are around 1.9 million applications on the platform.  But that’s not all. There are more than 2.6 million apps in Google Play too.

That’s quite a lot, right?

Then how can your new mobile application reach its target audience? How will it compete with the other well-known and widely used applications? If you want to promote your mobile app successfully, here is what you should do:

 

Website

You definitely need a website for your mobile app. But if you already have a well-developed and perfectly working corporate one, you can just add download buttons on it.
Another interesting idea is to make a “Teaser” page of the app. This will keep your audience interested and thrilled about what is yet to come. Why is all this so essential? Because having a website is:

• A reliable and effective way to promote your mobile app on the Internet
• Highlights your applications’ authenticity as well as your professionalism
• An additional channel through which users can find your product
• Another place from where your app can be downloaded and installed
• Provides you with a link that can be shared anywhere online (social networks, forums, etc.)
• Easily optimized for search engines (SEO) and helps with better Google ranking
• Allows you to create paid PPC campaigns through Google AdWords
• And even more

 

Social media

What would we do without social networks in the 21^st century?!  Every product, brand, family business, corporation has an updated social media profile. Moreover, they all enjoy the numerous business benefits that platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram bring along (even Linkedin). You should do the same. Don’t run away from your potential customers.

For example, Facebook allows you to create and run targeted marketing campaigns for mobile apps (both iOS and Android) specifically. There is a separate Facebook section dedicated to this. Your targeted campaigns may be aimed at increasing the number of app installs or boosting user engagement within the app itself. Facebook paid ads will definitely help you with promoting your app more quickly and increasing downloads. You can target your audience by factors such as age, location, operating system of the mobile device, and more.

You should not underestimate the power of Youtube too. Create and upload videos that inform the audience about the functionalities and benefits of your mobile app. Video marketing has many advantages for business. If you want to learn more, read our article on the topic here.

 

ASO – App Store Optimization

Have you heard about SEO (Search Engine Optimization)? ASO (App Store optimization) serves the same functions but for mobile apps and their better ranking in app store search results.

What does that mean?

Remember that the total number of mobile apps is about 5 million? So, it’s quite common to have apps with similar functionalities and usefulness. Therefore, ASO is a must-have method for app promotion and its improved visibility in stores like Google Play.

What should your successful ASO strategy include? Still, generally speaking, the most common way to download an app is after finding it in an app store. ASO will help you outrun your competitors in search results and position your app higher in the App Store or Google Play. So, here are the factors that play a major role in your better app store ranking:

• Your mobile application name
• Its logo/icon
• Research and analyze specific keywords
• App description text
• Screenshots of your application
• Video – could be a Promo or about app features
• Number of installs
• Number of uninstalls
• User retention rate
• Rating/reviews
• Updates and bug fixes

 

Search Ads and Google AdWords

Apple has developed a platform called Search Ads that allows you to pay and promote your mobile app in their App Store search. Thus, the chances of your app occupying top search results positions in the store are significantly increased.  You probably know by now that most app downloads happen mainly after one has searched for an application specifically in an app store. Therefore, investing a certain amount of money (at least initially) in a Search Ads campaign will definitely give a push to the number of downloads and will boost your brand awareness.

Google AdWords is almost the same as Search ads, but for Android mobile apps. The platform is versatile and with it, you can create paid ad campaigns for Google Search, Display and Youtube networks, Google Play as wells as ads in other apps. Google AdWords allows you to target a campaign by specific criteria and to set up its goal. Once you have created the ad, you need to “bid” the price you are going to pay only after a user has:

• Installed the application (CPI – cost per install)
• Performed a specific action in the application itself (CPA – cost per action)
• or both

 

Do you have any questions left unanswered after reading this article? If so, do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help you with your next mobile app promotion.