An insight by Jonathan Yantz, Sr. Biddable Manager, M&C Saatchi Performance
With annual mobile app downloads expected to reach 258 billion by 2022 and annual consumer spend in app stores set to reach $157 billion (App Annie), there’s little wonder why so many brands are investing heavily in app development. This annual projected spend would be a 92% increase from 2017, suggesting brands with app-centric business models stand to gain in the coming years. But with over two million iOS apps and nearly four million Android apps available as of 2017 (Appfigures), how can brands cut through the clutter and gain scale?
The most straightforward approach to app growth is with paid media. Social channels in particular, such as Facebook and Instagram, offer significant scale in most global markets and extensive targeting capabilities. Depending on vertical and goal, Snapchat can also help unlock a younger audience and Twitter can tap into real-time moments as well as communities such as fan groups and other shared interest networks.
When all the tech is set up properly, advertisers can take their paid media to the next level and leverage deep-linking (driving consumers directly to a specific point in the app) and begin optimizing their media dollars to specific actions taken within the app (purchase, trial signup, etc.) to help further drive ROI.
Even outside of scale and targeting capabilities, paid media naturally plays an important role in any growth strategy. TUNE, a leading Mobile Measurement Partner, found that apps receive an average of 1.5 additional organic installs per every paid install (TUNE). Perhaps one of the key reasons for this, TUNE hypothesizes, is that the app stores typically look for consistent, broad-based upticks in installs to determine organic ranking.
A final key growth opportunity is to marry the paid and organic experiences. At M&C Saatchi Performance, we have found that maintaining a consistent user experience between an ad, the app store “storefront,” and the ultimate app itself can boost conversion rates by up to 115%. This is a key function of the relatively-emerging App Store Optimization (ASO) field, which follows the same general philosophy as traditional SEO (and it’s subject to similar performance marketing KPIs).
With the ongoing evolution of the app world, paid media and its related platforms will become increasingly important. As we think more about the topics of app growth, social platforms, ASO, and other mobile-first developments, we are excited to attend App Promotion Summit’s NYC event: Defining the Future of Mobile Growth for a deeper dive into these areas and more.
To join us at the summit, and claim a 20% discount, register here and enter code “APSMCSM” at check out! Please get in touch with Jessica.Beldon@mcsaatchiperformance.com to arrange a meeting if you plan to attend.
If you would like to discuss the growing landscape of apps, paid media, and more with us, then get in touch today.
