How to acquire users for apps - 14 proven user acquisition strategies to try in 2023

The global app industry is growing fast. A report from Statistica claims that there are 3.55 million and 1.6 million apps on the Google Play Store and iOS store respectively. So many apps create user acquisition challenges for app developers. That’s why we have mentioned 14 proven app user acquisition strategies that help you understand how to acquire users for apps and grow your customer base.

What is app user acquisition

User acquisition is the process of acquiring new users for your app. With a workable mobile user acquisition strategy, app developers can easily get users to make their apps successful. An excellent user base is essential as it encourages app visitors to explore the services offered and convert into ideal users.

Let’s understand why user acquisition is essential for all sizes of businesses:

• To build a strong user base.
• To generate revenue and accelerate it.
• To increase customer LifeTime Value (LTV).
• To build a brand.
• To attract app visitors.

How does user acquisition work?

The user acquisition process requires a sales funnel regulating the entire customer journey, from checking the website as visitors to becoming customers. In the below funnel, you can see that the visitors first walk through the following steps to becoming an app user:

How does user acquisition work

Stage 1: Visitors are the potential users seeking awareness about your products or services.

Stage 2: These visitors are then promoted to qualified leads so that marketing and sales can together handle their consideration and discuss the opportunity.

Stage 3: Once the consideration is addressed well, the visitors are promoted to Marketing Qualified Lead (MQL).

Stage 4: As soon as the MQL shows interest in buying the product and services offered, they are promoted to Sales Qualified Leads (SQL).

Stage 5: SQL - sales qualified are then handled by the sales team to confirm their interest and close the deal.

14 proven user acquisition strategies for 2023 and beyond

1. App store optimization

   App store optimization (ASO) drives the force behind app discovery. When done right, ASO attracts new users to your app and encourages them to convert as leads. Knowing that app store optimization is essential,

   ASO professionals keep innovating more efficient ASO strategies to drive high-quality app traffic. Traffic is then converted into leads and eventually into app users.

2. Organic user acquisition marketing

   Organic user acquisition is a great mobile user acquisition strategy to grow your app user base for free. You will not pay direct fees, such as spending money on paid ads or sponsored content.

   This approach includes writing high-quality blogs, online recommendations, polls, live FAQ sessions, and social media posts. Organic user acquisition is more cost-effective and sustainable in the long run as it relies on building a strong brand and reputation rather than paying for each user.

3. Paid advertising campaigns

   As the name says, paid advertising employs mobile user acquisition strategies that require investments. Ads, sponsored content, paid events, pay-per-click advertising, native ads, and

   display advertising are some of the top examples of paid advertising. The goal of paid marketing is to increase brand awareness and drive sales in less time than organic marketing. Paid marketing can be done through various channels, including search engines, social media platforms, and brand partnerships.

4. PR and press coverage

   Public relation (PR) is an important mobile user acquisition strategy in 2023. Brands should collaborate with top journalists in their niche. Besides media professionals, partnerships with bloggers,

   sponsored post publishers, and influencers benefit brands. Rotating press releases on high Domain Authority (DA)/Page Authority (PA) websites also helps you generate high-quality leads at low Cost Per Impressions (CPI).

5. Referral programs

   Referral marketing is an ongoing mobile user acquisition strategy used by businesses worldwide. This approach is effective as it leverages the power of word-of-mouth marketing. By incentivizing current customers to refer their friends and connections to a brand, referral programs help businesses quickly gain new customers without spending a huge budget.

   Additionally, referral programs help in customer retention, encouraging existing customers to stay engaged with the business, earn through referrals, and continue making purchases.

   It also helps in cost-effective acquisition as it costs much less to acquire a customer through a referral than traditional advertising. Also, the lead generated through referral programs has higher conversion rates as they come through referrals and have trust in the product or service as it is coming from a known person.

6. Social media marketing

   Social media marketing effectively generates referral traffic and drives quality leads to any app or website. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter allow businesses to target specific

   demographics and interests, making it easier to reach the right audience. Additionally, social media marketing allows businesses to engage with potential customers in a more personal and interactive way, which can help build trust and increase the likelihood of conversion.

7. Demo and free trials

   Building trust is the key to business success, and demos are the best means to win the trust of potential users. A product offering a free demo will likely get more leads than those that don’t. Similarly, free trials convert visitors into leads fast. If your product is highly feasible for users, they will pay for it.

8. Video content marketing

   Creating awareness for your brand is essential before selling the product or services. Videos are the best means to

   explain your offerings to viewers, who are more likely to convert into leads. Ensure that your videos are simple and explanatory, along with end-to-end information. Also, focus on the video quality as engagement relies heavily on the graphic quality.

9. Live and physical webinars

   Webinars are considered the most effective and inexpensive way to create awareness for your app and acquire new users. Companies can organize live or physical webinars depending on the demographic’s interest. Let’s understand live webinars and physical events:

   A virtual webinar is a web-based seminar conducted online through a video conferencing platform. Participants can join the webinar from anywhere with an internet connection and a device with a webcam and microphone. Virtual webinars are often used for remote training, online meetings, and web-based presentations.

   A physical webinar is a seminar conducted in person at a certain location. All the participants must be physically available at the location to attend the seminar. Physical webinars are often used for in-person training, networking events, and live presentations.

10. Email marketing

    Email marketing is another proven form of marketing focused on converting a business's existing leads. Email marketing is sending marketing messages or promotional content to a group of people via email. It is a cost-effective and efficient way to reach a large audience and drive conversions.

    Based on messages that need to be conveyed, businesses can send newsletters, promotional offers, product updates,

    and more to the leads. Email marketing aims to engage with the recipient and encourage them to take the desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a service. Email marketing, when done right, nurtures leads and accelerates sales.

11. Retargeting campaigns

    Retargeting campaigns are designed to re-engage users who have previously interacted with a website or online platform. To run these campaigns, businesses collect data from cookies, a contact form, or other means to identify users who have previously visited a website or engaged with an online advertisement.

    Retargeting campaigns aim to bring these users back to a website or platform to continue their engagement, increase conversions, and ultimately drive sales or other desired actions. Retargeting campaigns are typically used in e-commerce, lead generation, and other objectives.

12. Social proofs

    Social proofs build trust, and trust gains customers easily. Customer testimonials, success stories, case studies, reviews, and ratings are powerful tools for acquiring users. By showcasing positive feedback from existing users, potential customers are more likely to trust and consider using the product or service.

    One way to use social proofs for user acquisition is to feature testimonials on the homepage or landing page of the website in the form of text-based testimonials, video testimonials, or even social media posts from them.

    Another way to use social proof is to include customer reviews and ratings on the product or service page. It can give potential customers a better understanding of what to expect from the product or service and how effective it is for their business.

13. Seasonal marketing campaigns

    Seasonal marketing is a promotion strategy that brands create for a specific period, mainly during the festive or holiday season.

    Advertising during such a period differs from the campaigns for the rest of the time. For example, if your business sells woolen clothes, you must create a winter campaign and promote it with relevant ads, blog posts, social media, and podcasts.

14. Traditional Marketing

    Traditional marketing uses offline media to promote any product or service. It can include print advertising in newspapers and magazines,

    ads for television and radio commercials, billboards, and direct mail. Traditional marketing includes direct sales techniques, such as door-to-door or telemarketing. These methods are typically used to reach a broad audience and are often considered more traditional or established forms of marketing.

Conclusion

While every user acquisition strategy is designed to acquire new customers, a business should always adopt a “test and implement” method to choose the best. Note that there’s no one-fits-all strategy to acquire users for apps, games, or websites. If you want to achieve your user acquisition targets without a long-term strategy, sign up for GROW and start getting high-converting traffic from day one.

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