In our always-connected and multi-screen world, mobile apps play an increasingly important role to help users stay connected and find solutions to their needs faster and more efficiently.
Leading information technology research firm, Gartner, estimates that "by 2017, mobile apps will be downloaded more than 268 billion times, generating revenue of more than $77 billion and making apps one of the most popular computing tools for users across the globe." These numbers are impressive and obviously smart marketers are taking note.
However, according to Google, 60% of apps are never installed and 80% of apps downloaded are only opened once. That’s alarming for marketers looking to advertise apps as part of their marketing efforts. So, how do companies compel users to download their apps and, more importantly, keep them re-engaging with their content time and again?
In order to offer marketers a concrete mobile strategy, Google recently introduced a new set of advertising solutions specifically designed to help advertisers reach their app-related goals such as downloads, re-engagement and in-app purchases. These solutions, which will be rolled-out in the next few months, span across multiple channels, specifically Google search ads, Google Display Network, and YouTube.
- Promote App Downloads: You'll soon be able to target users based on the apps they use, the frequency of use and the types of in-app purchases they make. For example, if you travel regularly and use an app to book hotels and flights, you might see an ad for an app that helps you make the best of the time you spend in airports. On YouTube, you may see an ad that invites you to download an app related to the current video you're watching.
- Promote Re-Engagement: Google introduced apps Deep-linking, a campaign option for both search and display that allows users to be taken directly into already-installed apps. This means you can link ads to the most relevant pages within the apps, such as a page for a specific topic or location a user is searching.
- Measure, Measure, Measure: In order to measure the effectiveness of the new advertising solution, Google announced that in AdWords you'll soon be able to measure conversions across the entire lifecycle of the app, from install to re-engagement to in-app purchases.
Ultimately, apps aren't going anywhere anytime soon. The sooner you can learn how to effectively market your app, the better your advantage over your competitors and the higher the return on your marketing investment.
