Vapouround magazine Issue 03 | Page 105

“ There’s an art to consumer curated content and The App Design Co team help clients make the right choices. “ While social media and email marketing give you impressions, an app gives you figures, check outs, conversions, search data, etc. Data based decision making can easily increase ROI in any business. It’s really that simple. Compared to social media, an app can reach more people because there is no need to compete for space on news feeds. When you publish in your app you message directly to the users’ phones, so they will see what you have to say. Q: So an app is the answer to everything? Q: How do you get an app noticed? During the build process we get to know the clients business. We meet them, research their website and competitors, check their social media and other marketing materials, analyse their marketing stats, and put it all together to create a marketing plan to launch the app and make it a success. There are some musts dos to get your app noticed. Make sure you have a great name and an impressive app icon design, use relevant keywords and a well written description, post cool images and get lots of reviews and ratings. Do these effectively and you will significantly elevate your brand in search rankings. You can also use AdWords and google trends too. Also include Indexing which enables rich search results to increase visibility dramatically. App Indexing API interface to enhance app ranking. Q: Once I have lots of app users how do I keep them? I’ll answer that by telling you what not to do. Don’t send too many messages, don’t send information that isn’t relevant to that user, don’t offer incentives or coupons that aren’t good enough, and don’t send messages at the wrong time. Apps are a fantastic tool for marketing your business and communicating one-on-one with your most loyal and undoubtedly, best customers. Your secret weapon is good push notes. Send a customer what they want, when they want, and where they want it. There’s an art to consumer curated content and The App Design Co team help clients make the right choices. Q: What if a business has a website and has made it responsive for use on smart phones, do they need an app? We build websites and they are an essential starting point for most businesses. But with Google implementing a mobile friendly algorithm into their SEO nowadays a business must have a mobile website. However, mobile apps take you to the next level. They optimize and target your clients better than websites or even mobile websites. With an app you have the ability to use targeted marketing. You get instant results that allow you to adjust marketing strategies to focus on the customers that are actually interested in your products. We’ve all heard the quote that goes something like @I know 50% of my marketing is working brilliantly. The problem is I don’t know which 50% it is.’ With an app not only do you know what’s working, you know instantly and can act accordingly to maximise you ROI. Q: Similarly, what if they use social media so I don’t need an app! No, it’s just the right beginning. An app is not a magic bullet. An app works best as a part of an overall marketing strategy. Use social media integration, e mail marketing, promotional materials, and other tools in a unified approach. Use them to promote it, get it shared and reviewed. Use a microsite within your website to increase your apps visibility. Highlight the benefits. Don’t treat it as a mini-desktop- use it as an app. Make sure your app is adapted to each platform and tailored to the ASO of each platform. You must regularly assess your business and marketing strategies. An app allows you to analyse results fast. It allows you to launch a campaign, collect data, revise, redevelop, update and launch again in quick time based on real results. And don’t just aim for downloads; of course apps are for driving downloads; but retention is the key. The App Design Co are very connected with the vape industry and will be attending the main UK vape events (Vapefest, Vapejam, Vaper Expo) including overseas events in Italy, France and the USA during 2016. For beautifully designed apps that will take your business to the next level, get in touch today by hopping onto website www.theappdesignco.com. If social media is more your bag, stalk them on Twitter (@theappdesign_co) or on Facebook (fb.com/theappdesignco). For a good old fashioned telephone conversation, call 07412 633 496 now.