If you’re reading this, you’re probably trying to promote a mobile app.
You’re hopefully also aware that with over 5 million apps on the market, it can take a lot of work to get noticed.
You may be wondering what marketing tactics to use and how to build a strong marketing strategy. This is where this blog will help.
Most app promoters rely on Facebook, Instagram, Google, or App Store ads to be seen, but content marketing should not be underestimated. When done correctly, it works.
The two most compelling reasons for app developers to use content marketing are:
- Content marketing doesn’t require a big budget
- It attracts the right people to your product
What is content marketing?
Content marketing involves creating and sharing online materials (e.g. videos, blogs, social media posts) that offer value to readers and as a by-product, stimulate interest in a brand’s products or services. The key to effective content marketing for apps is to produce content that educates, entertains, or both. It should also appeal to the app’s target audience.
Why use content marketing for your app?
Good content marketing can help you attract the right people to your product and retain your users. In fact, 70% of people prefer to learn about a company from an article rather than an ad, so producing quality content that people want to consume can improve your visibility and boost your credibility.
Content marketing also requires less financial investment than paid advertising. While you’ll still need to spend money on hiring someone to produce the content, it’ll be a fraction of what you’d spend on ads.
How to create a content marketing strategy for your app
So how do you get started on content marketing? Here are six easy steps to get your going.
Step 1: Make a plan
Creating content without a plan is like driving without a destination. You may get there eventually, but it’ll be a lot harder and take much longer. To save yourself time and effort, you need to know where you’re going before you start producing content.
To do this, you need to sit down and answer the following questions:
- Who is your target audience?
- What type of content will appeal to them?
- What are your goals for using content marketing?
- Where will you distribute your content?
- When will you publish new content?
- How often will you publish new content?
Answering these questions will give you a roadmap to follow as you create your strategy. It’ll also make it easier to measure your success.
Step 2: Create a content calendar
The best way to ensure that you stick to your content strategy is to create a calendar. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy; a simple Google Calendar will do. The important thing is to block out time for creating and publishing new content regularly. If you’re not sure how often you should be publishing, start with once a week. Then if you find that you have the capacity for more, increase your frequency. Just make sure not to bite off more than you can chew.
Step 3: Determine what type of content you’ll create
Now it’s time to get into the nitty-gritty of what kind of content you’ll actually be producing. To do this, go back to your target audience and goals. What kind of content will appeal to them? And what do you hope to achieve with your content marketing efforts?
Some ideas for content include:
- Blog posts
- Videos
- Infographics
- Podcasts
- Social media posts
Once you’ve decided on the types of content you’ll create, it’s time to start brainstorming topics. If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, try using a tool like Google Trends or BuzzSumo. These will show you what people are searching for and talking about online. Use this information to come up with topics that are relevant to your app and your audience.
Step 4: Conduct keyword research
If you want your content to be found online, you need to make sure it’s optimised for search engines. And the best way to do that is through keyword research.
Keyword research is the process of finding words and phrases that people are searching for in Google. To do this, you can use a tool like Google Keywords Planner or Ubersuggest.
Once you’ve found a list of keywords, it’s time to start incorporating them into your content. Use them in your titles, descriptions, and throughout the body of your article. But don’t go overboard! Google will penalize you if you stuff your content with too many keywords. Instead, focus on using them naturally and sparingly.
Step 5: Determine the tone of voice for your writing
The tone of voice you use in your content will have a big impact on how it’s received and will also come to reflect your brand. To not confuse your audience, it’s important that everything you produce sounds like it’s coming from the same place. It can help to give your brand a “persona” with some descriptive words you use internally when creating your tone of voice and subsequent content. For example, is your brand authoritative? Casual? Mature? Irreverent? Decide on an identity and stick to it.
People respond better to content that’s relatable and easy to read so before you start creating anything, take the time to determine a tone that feels right both for your brand, and for your audience.
Step 6: Promote your content
Now that you’ve created all this amazing content, it’s time to start promoting it! There are a number of ways to do this, but some of the most effective include:
Social media: Share your content on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Email marketing: Send your blog posts to your email list.
Influencer marketing: Reach out to influencers in your industry and ask them to share your content with their followers.
Paid advertising: Use paid ads to promote your blog posts, videos, and other forms of content.
Content marketing takes time and effort, but it’s worth it and can be a lot of fun. By creating high-quality content, you can attract new users, build brand awareness, and grow your app.
So what are you waiting for? Get started today!
For more ideas on what to include in your strategy, check out our 10 great content marketing techniques you need to try.