Mobile applications have become an integral part of our daily lives, offering a wide range of services and opportunities available online. Competition in this market is growing every year, and today, the success of an app depends not only on its design, functionality, and internal tools but also on a well-built marketing strategy.

In this article, we will review the most popular and effective mobile promotion tools that will be relevant in 2025, share successful ways to attract an audience, and show how to achieve fast and efficient promotion.

METHODS OF MOBILE APPLICATION PROMOTION

Promoting mobile applications involves a set of actions focused on attracting new customers and retaining existing ones within the app.

The primary point distinguishing app promotion from regular website promotion is the use of platforms like Google Play and App Store. The main task of a marketer is to achieve top positions in app store search results.

Why is Search So Important?

App store search is the main source of free and organic installs. About 70% of all iOS and Android app installs occur through search.

Typically, these are free installs because you don’t have to pay for being in the search results or they are organic because users who are specifically looking for certain features are more likely to install your app and become active users, making in-app purchases.

Why is it Important to Rank at the Top?

Like in web search, most user attention focuses on the top results. Up to 80% of downloads come from apps in the top three search results. If your app doesn’t rank in the top three, you lose a significant portion of organic traffic.

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Achieving campaign effectiveness requires a comprehensive approach using multiple promotion tools simultaneously.

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To achieve sustainable growth and maintain a top position, it is essential to combine organic traffic with other strategies.

Key Promotion Directions Include:

1. ASO (App Store Optimization)
2. Motivated Traffic
3. App Reputation Management
4. Advertising, Integrations, and PR Tools
5. Social Media Promotion
6. App Website Promotion

Let's take a closer look at each direction.

APP STORE OPTIMIZATION

ASO is the process of optimizing a mobile app in the App Store and Google Play to improve its visibility and conversion rates for downloads or purchases. It involves detailed work on key elements of the app page, including the app name, description, and visual content.

The main task of ASO is to select appropriate content for the app page and visual elements to improve app positions in search results for relevant queries, making the app more visible, appealing, and accessible for installation.

How to Effectively Optimize for App Stores:

For effective optimization, it is necessary to conduct an ASO audit in advance, which includes analyzing the app store page and performing a competitive analysis. The main components of this audit are:

1. Keyword Analysis: Choose keywords that match your app’s theme and functionality to ensure its relevance.
2. Work on Titles and Subtitles: Include key keywords in titles and subtitles to increase visibility in search results.
3. Create an Engaging Description: Write an informative description highlighting the app’s unique benefits.
4. Use Visual Elements: Include eye-catching screenshots and videos.
5. Manage Reviews and Ratings: Encourage users to leave positive reviews and high ratings.
6. Optimize Icons and Design: Use memorable icons and attractive designs to stand out.
7. Conduct A/B Testing: Use analytics tools to assess optimization results and test various elements to find the most effective promotion strategies.
8. Localization for Global Markets: Expand your app’s reach by adapting it for different countries, considering cultural nuances, laws, and currencies.

These steps will help improve the app's visibility, attract more users, and keep their attention.

Additionally, ASO optimization differs depending on the app store, which should be considered when planning a promotion strategy. For example, in Google Play, the primary element for metadata implementation is the app's full description, which cannot exceed four thousand characters. Unlike the App Store, which has a separate field for keywords, ASO in Google Play is more similar to traditional SEO.

There is also a difference in the indexing cycle duration: in Android, it typically takes about one month. This means that to properly assess the effectiveness of changes made to the app page, you need to wait approximately three to four weeks. In contrast, Apple allows for more frequent updates and changes.

 

MOTIVATED TRAFFIC

Motivated traffic refers to users who perform specific actions in exchange for rewards. This type of traffic is often used in mobile marketing to improve app store search rankings, increase app ratings, and gather reviews.

How It Works?

In the App Store, the key ranking factor is the number of installs from search results. When a user enters a query, finds the app, and installs it (either directly from the search results or from the app page), the store considers it a positive signal. The App Store notes the relevance of your app to the query and boosts its position.

The higher an app ranks in the search results, the more visible it becomes to users. This increases organic installs, as more people with specific needs notice and download the app. Since up to 70% of installs come from the top three positions in search results, it is crucial to reach that level.

In Google Play, the ranking system works similarly, but it also considers behavioral factors such as the number of app openings, time spent in the app, and other user activity metrics.

Risks and Safety of Motivated Traffic

Working with motivated traffic is safe if you plan your strategy carefully. Overusing this type of traffic can result in a ban.

App Store

In the App Store, it is essential to maintain a balance between motivated and organic installs. A sudden spike in installs may be flagged by algorithms as suspicious. The same applies to the number of ratings and reviews.

Google Play

In Google Play, things are simpler. When used correctly, motivated traffic does not pose a significant risk of deindexing or ranking penalties.

 

APPLICATION REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

Ratings and reviews play a key role in app store rankings. However, the rating can often drop due to bugs, content errors, or unforeseen peculiarities in user behavior. For instance, users of music and video services may give low ratings if they dislike the content, even if the app itself functions flawlessly.

Another challenge arises during the app's launch phase: initially, the app's rating will always be zero, which reduces its competitiveness.

The solution to this issue is to focus on app reputation management from the early stages. This includes using previously mentioned tools such as ASO to improve relevance, motivated traffic to boost the app's rating, and app advertising, which we will discuss in more detail later.

APP ADVERTISING

Advertising is a crucial element in promoting mobile applications. After optimization, it is essential to utilize all possible channels to increase reach, including advertising campaigns within app stores and on third-party platforms.

1. Advertising in the App Store and Google Play
For promoting iOS apps, Apple Search Ads is an ideal tool offered by Apple. It allows ads to be placed directly at the top of the App Store search results page. The ads are displayed to users entering relevant keywords or phrases, increasing the likelihood of app installation.

Google App Campaigns in Google Ads is a tool designed to promote Android apps through Google Play. It allows ads to be served not only in Google Play but also across other Google services such as YouTube, Google Search, and partner sites and apps.

These platforms offer marketers a variety of tools and ad formats, enabling them to effectively reach their target audience and improve campaign performance.

2. In-App Advertising
In-app advertising allows you to target your audience directly within apps, significantly increasing conversion rates. This approach is highly beneficial for advertisers as it helps them reach specific user groups interested in their products or services.

Below are popular in-app networks providing extensive functionality for managing and optimizing ad campaigns:

• App Lovin: Specializes in native advertising, offering tools for campaign management, optimization, and analytics.
• Mintegral: Provides effective optimization algorithms, creative solutions, and a range of tools for scaling campaigns.
• AdMob: One of the largest in-app advertising networks, offering a variety of promotion formats.
• Unity Ads: Specializes in video advertising, providing opportunities to work with formats like rewarded and interactive videos.

3. Social Media App Promotion
Social media has become one of the primary channels for driving traffic to mobile apps. Their broad audience and precise targeting options allow marketers to effectively reach their target users and encourage actions such as registration, downloads, or purchases.

For international promotion, platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram, as well as Google’s app campaigns, are suitable.

4. Contextual Advertising
Contextual advertising includes displaying ads in networks like Google. The main advantage of contextual advertising is that ads are shown only to interested users. Google’s Universal App Campaigns allow you to run ads across all available Google Ads platforms: Google Play, Google Search Network, YouTube, and the Google Display Network.

5. Facebook App Advertising
The social network Facebook offers a special type of ad with the goal of app installations. These ads appear in the news feed, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger. When setting up a campaign, you can customize the target audience based on user data or a developed profile of your target audience.

6. YouTube Promotion
YouTube, with its impressive metrics, provides developers with the opportunity to advertise their apps through video.

7. Google Platform Promotion
Google Marketing Platform allows for automatic ad placements across Google’s platforms. It uses features to track app installs.

8. App Website Promotion
Search engines remain a key source of traffic for mobile apps. Often, reaching your target audience is easier through Google, as organic search continues to be a powerful channel for attracting users.

9. Email Marketing
Email marketing is primarily used to retain the audience, but it can also be effective for attracting new customers. For existing app users, it is relevant to keep them informed about bonuses, promotions, or additional services. For new customers, it is essential to provide an app overview, highlight its advantages, and offer promotions and bonuses.

10. Articles and Content Promotion
Informative articles on niche media platforms attract organic traffic, increase brand awareness, and build trust. Through articles, you can showcase your expertise, present case studies, or offer solutions to problems your target audience faces.

App Indexing
Another tool for attracting users is App Indexing technology, which links websites to mobile apps. This feature is available on both Android and iOS.

How it works: If a user searches for something on their smartphone and the search results include a web page linked to an app, the system prompts the user to install or open the app. App Indexing allows content to be integrated directly into the app.

 

PR-ACTIVITY

PR plays a crucial role in app promotion. Some of the most commonly used methods include:

• Collaborations with bloggers;
• Use of branded banners and signs;
• Presence in niche articles;
• Inclusion of the app in rankings and listings.

PR is a valuable tool that helps increase brand awareness and attract new users.

ANALYTICS AND PERFORMANCE TRACKING

What to Do After Launching an Advertising Campaign?

After successfully launching an advertising campaign, the next step is to analyze its performance and determine whether your promotion efforts are effective. It's essential to measure the effectiveness of marketing activities, app performance, and user engagement.

The choice of metrics depends on the indicators relevant to your app’s functionality. Basic metrics include:

• Total number of installs and their dynamics;
• Sources of app installs;
• Number of unique users;
• User interactions with the interface;
• Cost of acquiring a user for install/purchase, etc.

The primary goal of mobile app analysis is to identify areas that need improvement in both the app itself and the advertising campaigns.

Popular Analytics Tools

AppsFlyer
Ideal for large apps, AppsFlyer integrates well with various advertising networks, A/B testing services, and business analytics platforms.

Adjust
The second most popular tool after AppsFlyer. It offers deep linking, pre-install tracking, partnerships with major platforms and social networks, and fraud protection.

Google Analytics + Firebase
Modern reports in Google Analytics are available through a Firebase account, Google’s platform for building mobile apps. Reports are accessible both in Google Analytics and Firebase. These tools help track installs, measure usage effectiveness, create audience lists, evaluate user activity, and even obtain demographic data.

Data.ai
Data.ai is another major app analytics platform. Its key advantage is its proprietary analytics hub, which provides invaluable data widely used in various reports. By connecting to this platform, developers gain access to up-to-date mobile market data and all necessary insights on their app.

WORKING WITH THE AUDIENCE

Ways to Attract Attention

The key to generating profit from an app lies in successfully engaging users to actively use it. Let's explore some popular methods to capture audience attention and retain it

Promo Codes/Referral Links

Offering promo codes or bonuses through referral links provides certain "perks" to a limited group of users. One popular approach is providing promo codes to bloggers and influencers in exchange for their reviews.

Push Notifications

Push notifications are short messages that pop up on the screen of a mobile device. They grab attention and can convey information relevant to the customer. Push notifications can be text-based or come in other formats, such as banners or images. They may contain details about new app updates, promotional announcements, special offers, or reminders for users who haven't opened the app in a while.

However, excessive notifications can have the opposite effect on users. To avoid negative reactions, limit the number of notifications and refrain from sending them during nighttime hours.

Optimizing push notification strategies involves user segmentation, A/B testing to determine effective formats, and setting up feedback channels for users.

Services used to automate push notifications include Urban Airship, PushWoosh, and Appsfire’s Appbooster.

Retargeting

Retargeting is a popular tool used to "recapture" users who interacted with your app but left for some reason. It is also useful for informing users about new app features, promotions, or bonuses.

Deep Linking

Deep linking significantly simplifies the user's path to a "destination point," such as a specific product or feature within the app. It reduces the time users spend searching for an offer by directing them straight to the relevant section of the app, provided it is already installed on their device.