According to Sensortower, the iOS app store and Google Play generated over $39.7 billion revenue for the businesses in the first half of 2019 alone– that’s 15.4% increment.

As consumers continue their spending,  more and more businesses are getting their apps. Each day, according to Statista, 6140 new apps are added to the play store. 

However, not all applications are successful. 67.97% of apps don’t even get  1000 downloads. 

On the other hand, some apps swing in the other direction. It’s possible to get 1M+ app downloads without even breaking the bank. And that 1M number can put your app revenue on steroids. 

Check out this amazing video which talks about the easiest ways of getting one million app installs:

Want To Know How To Get 1M Download For Your App?

In this article, we would talk about 6 hacks which will give you the ticket to 1M app download club.   

Let’s dive in.

1. Ensure Quality

If you are looking at 1 M app downloads, I would assume you have a solid idea already and know your audience very well.

Congrats!! You are already ahead of many. 

Next comes ensuring quality. 

Poor UX, buggy code and subpar performance are some of the main reasons for mobile app abandonment. Users don’t cling to a “meh” app, especially when great alternatives are out there already. 

Moreover, both App Store and Google Play maintain certain quality guidelines.  

Therefore, it’s your job to make sure your app is a bug-free one and meet all guidelines. There are a few ways to ensure that. I recommend releasing a beta version before the proper official launch. It’s much better to catch issues and resolve in the beta stage. 

Periodic code review is also very effective to catch human errors and identifying sections of codes that could use some reworks.

Investing in a good debugger and an expert testing team also pays the dividend. 

Also, keep your eyes open and be ready to fix reported issues after your app goes live on the app store. 

User experience is very important. 

For starters, make sure that your app is responsive. You also want a design that must feel intuitive to the user and looks good at the same time.

2. Take Care Of ASO

ASO, simply put, is SEO for app stores. You try to rank higher for your targeted keywords. To be honest, ASO on its own is a huge topic and discussing every small detail is beyond the scope of this article. However, here are a couple of points to get you started:

1. Keyword:  The right Keywords are the lifeblood of ASO. Like SEO, you want to optimize your headlines and descriptions according to your targeted keywords. 

In order to find those, you can use any reputed keyword tool. After thorough Keyword research pick keywords with the right mix of search volume and competition. 

Another sneaky technique is, look for keywords in the description of the most successful niche apps and competitors. 

You can also get more keyword ideas from the user review section. 

2. User review: There are certain ways of managing your App Store ratings and reviews in an effective manner. App store algorithms put a lot of stress on what and how many reviews you got. A higher number of positive reviews usually help your app to climb the search ladder faster. 

User reviews also shape user perception. Most of the users check reviews before downloading the app. If there are many negative reviews, users would probably avoid downloading the app which in turn would hit the ranking. 

That’s why it’s very important to have a proper app review strategy.

As to how you go with negative reviews is so important, check regularly to spot such reviews. If you find any, respond to it and address the issue.  For a new visitor, any negative review that was addressed publicly and resolved is a sign of good customer service. 

For getting positive reviews, you can reach out to your satisfied customers. In-app notification for review also works. Here is an excellent guide on how to get positive reviews.   

3. Images and visuals: Screenshots and other visuals do influence users’ decisions. Ideally, you want to have professionally taken screenshots highlighting the most useful functions of your application. 

Next comes the introductory video. It shows users how to use different functions of your app. Thus having videos on the app store page is a must. You can shoot and edit it yourself if you know what you are doing. Otherwise, hire the right people to do it for you. 

Related read: The Complete Checklist For App Store Optimization In Google Play

3. Do A Pre-Launch Promotion

Most businesses build the app first and try to reach their audience later. But getting more app downloads is easy when you change the order. 

Pre-launch campaigns do wonder when it comes to creating a buzz. You don’t need to do anything fancy. But for that you have to get your pre app launch strategies in place.

However, you can start by uploading videos on Youtube. I also recommend having a pre-launch website. It helps in bringing free search engine traffic. PPC ad campaigns also can increase app downloads significantly.  

Crowdfunding is another option which deserves a mention. If done correctly, you can get funding while building a community before your app launch. People take pride in being a part of creating something. Chances are good they would talk about it to their family and friends. Win-Win, right?

4. Harness The Power Of Content Marketing

If you want a sustainable, high converting way to increase app downloads, invest in content marketing. What content marketing does is, it hooks your users by providing high-value content. Once they get familiar with the content and the brand, users become willing to use your app. 

Usually, a blog is all you need. You want to publish super useful blog posts, guides, and ebooks for your target audience. Yes, there are scopes of having promotional content but those should be at the bottom of your content funnel. Buffer blog is a perfect example of blogging done right by an app-based business.   If you want to try audio or visual content instead, videos and podcasts are your friends. Feel free to try anything, from social media live streams to youtube videos. However, no matter what kind of content you chose, educating your audience must be a top priority. You can take a look at Slidebean’s Youtube channel for inspiration. 

Remember, like any other content marketing campaign, you need a solid content and distribution strategy for your app promotion campaign. SEO, paid search, email marketing, guest posting– distribution channels are countless. Pick whatever works for you. 

5. Embrace The Social

According to Statista, 2.41B users stay active on Facebook alone. Your audience is on social media platforms, period. Therefore, it makes sense to embrace the power of social media marketing.

Two go-to social media marketing strategies for app promotions are paid advertisement campaigns and influencer marketing. For a paid social media campaign, you create suitable content and reach your target users.  influencer marketing is a little different. Basically, you approach social media influencers with a sizeable following to promote your app. In the beginning, you can ask micro-influencers to review your app in exchange for gifts or full access. Once your business starts picking up, you can switch to sponsored posts and bigger influencers. 

You can find most of the influencers on social media. All you need to do is search for relevant tags to spot the right ones. On platforms like Youtube, a simple search using the right keywords will provide you with the list of YouTubers you can approach.

6. Get Featured On Review Sites

84% of users trust third party reviews. They visit app review sites, Q-A sites, and forums before trying any new app (especially if it comes with the paid subscription option). Influential blogs also have a tremendous effect on which apps users choose to download and spend money on.

Related read: How to Launch an App Successfully? – 5 Pitfalls to Avoid

As an app marketer, you would do yourself a disservice if you don’t get your app on their sites. Some positive reviews can result in a big spike in your app download count. In order to leverage the full potential of online review blogs, reach out to app review sites like Techcrunch, Producthunt and Appstrom.

Concluding Thoughts

Getting 1 M app download might seem a little too ambitious but it’s possible to achieve that with some proper strategy and right execution. Many people have already done that. However, even after you reach your goal, don’t stop scaling your app. Always remember to stay connected with your users by providing value.  

All these years, we have delivered the top-notch mobile app development solutions because of which we are trusted and relied upon by our clients.  Need some extra pro-tips on getting one million app downloads? Our tribe is ready for consultation.