If you are a mobile app developer, you’ll worry about ways to increase your app installs on Google Play or App Store, I mean, what’s the ultimate goal of creating the app anyways? Or wait, why would you create an app that receives little or no attention from anyone at all. 

App installations imply numerous users, and numerous users imply fat revenue in your pocket. It’s a substantial way to establish your business around, especially when you increase your app installs. But the problem is this is not easy at all, according to Statista, there are about 4.7million apps combined on Google Play and the Apple App Store as of the first quarter of 2020.

Imagine you releasing an app in the pool of so many apps like this? How would you cope? How would your app get the required installs to make substantial business revenue for you? Actually, I am not writing this piece to ask you questions; I am writing it to help you manage your approach to increase your app installs.

About 6 years ago, when I started making apps, it wasn’t so difficult to get many installs because the competition is minimal. Only a few apps are available for Android and iOS users to install on their phone. But the story has changed since 2018; too many developers are coming into the industry to explore mobile app development and competing to move top. At work here in Swiftspeed Appcreator, I answer many support ticket from our customers every day on how to “increase your app installs”. and that’s what birthed this article. Let’s get to it already:

1. Write Great Heading and Description to Increase Your App Installs

The pros like to call this ASO ( App Store Optimization). Understand that you’re competing with thousands of other apps in your niche, yes? How do you beat them and take the first position? Google Play factors your store listing title and description on how they rank your app, so keep it simple yet be detailed. It is not until you bore your users with long notes before your app can rank.

Ensure you use your keyword in your title and short description unless of course, you’re a popular brand like Facebook. Facebook only uses Facebook on app stores because the brand is popular. Everyone knows what Facebook does; nobody knows what your new app brand does, don’t assume they do, so let’s say your brand name is Swiftspeed, ask what swiftspeed does Swiftspeed do? They make apps, yeah. So use a title like this:

“Swiftspeed Appmaker or Swiftspeed Appcreator”

that makes sense; any user that stumble upon the app on Google play knows this is an app that makes apps.

Please don’t overdo it; however, write your app description for human and don’t stuff keywords in your metadata. If you do so, Google Play and Apple may reject or remove your app entirely.

By writing a good and natural description explain what features are in your app and what exactly the app does, Google will rank your app and show it to users who are likely to install it.

It is also advised to include your app name in your app package name; package name is a unique identifier used by Apple and Google to Identify all apps on play store and App Store.

If you make you app on Swiftspeed Appcreator, it is possible to edit your app package name under “DOWNLOAD MY APP” tab. Include your app title in the package name example “com.swiftspeedappcreator” as displayed in the screenshot below:

The package name is the term used by Google for Android apps, and App Bundle is the term used by Apple for the iPhone apps.

Related: Android Vs iOS Users: 5 Behavioral Comparison

2. Flexibility and Design

 

People love fine things; I’m sure you do too. According to a survey carried by our product design team on upcoming app design improvement on Swiftspeed Appcreator, 70% of users think their app design is inviting enough to make their app users open apps at least twice a day. Let’s even use our own personal practical day to day life as an example.

Let’s say, for example, I have two football apps on my phone, one is very fine and well designed, and the other isn’t properly design. However, both apps do the same job of showing me statistics about football; I’ll prefer the one with a fine interface and easier navigation.

You have to understand that App Design is one of the essential parts of your app development, it’s going to determine if your app will succeed or fail Google just like everyone else appreciate nice designs and will most like promote your app to a bigger audience if it’s sleek enough to impress many users.

Also, in your App Store listing, ensure you use screenshots of your app usage, it’s okay to add some additional caption as an enhancement but show users what your app does exactly. I’m not sure why but Google Play allows any picture to be displayed as app screenshot even if it doesn’t portray what the app does. Well, Apple will reject your app if you post a screenshot that doesn’t explain what your app does.

This is essential for users who want to install your app, I for one will not install an app without an image description of what I should expect the app to look and feel like. When I land on App Stores such as Google play; the first thing I check after app description is app screenshot if the screenshot doesn’t properly explain what features the app has and what the app does I move to the next app.

Having a sleek design and snapping that sleek design to show users on these stores will definitely attract plenty of installs.

3. Features and Functionality

Apple has strict rules and review process, this according to them is to provide quality apps to their iPhone users, and yes they’ve been very successful in that department compared to Google, in-fact Apple has minimum functionality guideline so you can’t just build an app, shows a webpage and expect Apple to accept it. The app will be rejected, and Apple doesn’t care. App feature should be the core reason for making an app anyways. Ensure that your app features work correctly and as intended.

For example, I need an app that converts the image to PDF, when I download your app based on the description I read on the store, I don’t expect any disappointment when I open the app and try to use it. I want it to convert my image to pdf and not to docs document. So your app has to match the description and has to be near perfect.

If you want or increase your app installs, you have to be able to edge your competitors, still consider my last paragraph example as none of the contentions, before you launch an app, think about many apps that can converts image to pdf and are already published on the app stores before yours, think about what else you can add to your app to make it stand out. How about you also add the ability to convert pdf to an image? Funny right, but that will work, and it will take you miles ahead of your competitors and get you more installs daily.

4. Don’t Bore Users With Ads.

Before I started developing apps and venture into software development, I wouldn’t say I like seeing irrelevant ads on apps I use. I’m sure you don’t like ads too, no one does, so make the annoyance minimal. If your app has too many ads, it will impact your users’ experience and uninstall your app. Google and Apple track this behaviour to determine your app relevance and how well it should show up to people searching to download apps in your niche or category.

Your app shouldn’t consist of spamming advertisements. The last thing you want to do is piss off users who are supposed to help you generate revenue. Please keep it simple and minimal.

5. Promote Your App

App promotion is the most natural way to increase your app installs. It is still expensive and not affordable for many developers, especially those just starting out their journey in mobile app development.

This will indeed artificially drive up your app installs because you’re promoting it to be installed of course. Sometimes, if the users who install your app find it useful and the way they should, they may keep it and open it often, in fact, they may write you a good review, this will send a message to Google to increase your app relevance naturally and get you more naturally interested audience to drive and increase your app installs.

6. Ask for Reviews from App Users

This has practically proven to be an essential way to increase your app installs.

See Example of our App made with our platform asking for user review below;

Ultimately, when the user goes on play store or App Store and writes a good review, Google increases your app relevance and show it to more audience that may likely be interested.

Google and Apple take app review very seriously in term of ranking your app and determining its relevance, get your users to air how they feel about the general look, feel, and usage of your app. Check this article to setup app stores review for your app on Swiftspeed Appcreator.

Conclusions

These are the proven ways I have explored, and it has worked really well for all of our clients. I see no reason why it won’t work for you. Let me chip in this bonus point, Google and Apple stores are the most popular app market place but check this article to see alternatives apps stores where you can increase your daily app installs.

The summary of this is basic and self-explanatory;

Write a Good Metadata (App Title and App Description) for your App, Use the right screenshot that defines what your app does, get across the minimum and promised functionalities by ensuring your app does what it says or even more, Promote the App if you can and most importantly ask your customers/ App users for review.

If you have any proven tactics you’ve been using you’ll like to share I’d be more than happy to have a conversation with you in the comment.