Here I present some tips and tricks on how to more effectively market your app. This includes learnings from my company Native Tongue which makes language learning game apps. This was presented at Product Camp Sydney on 24 November 2012. Visit http://nativetongue.com for more info. Update 3 Dec 2012: - Added links to articles on A/B testing to provide more context - Added links to "study app icons" to make it easier to find - Uploaded as PDF doc so more people can view download (previously was keynote file).

1. Marketing For Mobile Apps
- Tips & Tricks
Matthew Ho, CEO
Monday, 3 December 2012 1

2. Intro
• My company is Native Tongue.
• We make language learning fun fast and effective
• Our apps: Mandarin Madness, Spanish Smash,
English Eruption, LP Cheat
• 12 apps in app store: iOS, Google Play, Amazon
Kindle Fire, Nabi
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3. Rule #1
• There are no tricks
• Just blood, sweat and tears
• A year of learning
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4. Why did you download
your last app?
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5. Content
1. App icon
2. Screenshots
3. Reviews & Ratings
4. App store assets
5. App store optimisation
6. Analytics
7. Translations
8. PR
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6. Many products competing for attention.
Why will your product stand out?
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7. 1. App icon design
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8. Monday, 3 December 2012 8

9. Instantly recognisable
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10. App Categories
• Icon is first thing that
a consumer sees
• Displays icon, ratings,
name, price
• Consumers are
attracted to visually
appealing icons
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11. Wunderlist
• Design - texture, colours, red banner, star, 3D effect
• Stands out visually and can be recognised
• http://dribbble.com/shots/114537-Wunderlist-Icon
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12. Look at icons on dribbble
http://dribbble.com/shots/150614-Boxing-Glove-iPhone-Icon
http://dribbble.com/shots/200993-Boxing-Glove-App-icon
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13. iOS icons
• iOS automatically:
• Rounds corners
• Adds gloss.
• Can opt for no gloss and add your own
• See Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines
• http://developer.apple.com/library/ios/
#documentation/userexperience/
conceptual/mobilehig/IconsImages/
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14. Tips
• Stand out visually in a sea of apps
• Don’t need words
• A/B test app icons
• http://iteratingfun.com/post/26646957216/ab-
testing-your-app-icon
• http://blog.kissmetrics.com/mobile-app-ab-
testing/
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15. Tip: Study app icons
• Study popular app icons on:
• app store (look at top app categories)
• dribbble.com (http://dribbble.com/search?q=app
+icons)
• scoutzie.com
• How does it stand out?
• Consider the overall design of the app
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16. 2. App Store Screenshots
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17. Monday, 3 December 2012 17

18. Bravo (Temple Run)
Uses text annotations to describe features
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19. Epoch by Uppercut Games
(made in NSW, Australia!)
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20. iOS search results display
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21. Monday, 3 December 2012 21

22. iOS6 mobile app store
• Change in iOS6 app store search
results presentation
• Previously: stacking the apps up.
Vertical scroll.
• Now: visual card style.
Horizontal scroll
• First screenshot is even more
important
• Consumers can decide based on
image
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23. Tips
• Study what works for the top apps
• Communicate unique value
proposition visually
• Tell a story with the screenshots
• 1st image is very important
• Can display 5 screenshots on iTunes
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24. Tips
• Use text annotations to communicate
features / benefits
• Consumers look at images first
before app description
• A/B test images
• Process of constant improvement
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25. 3. Ratings & Reviews
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26. What influences you
when you buy from a
vendor on ebay?
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27. Need to be 4 or 5 star app
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28. 3.5 stars doesn’t cut it
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29. Monday, 3 December 2012 29

30. Monday, 3 December 2012 30

31. Request ratings
• Typically bell curve distribution -1 or 5 star
ratings
• Request ratings from users
• Could be 5 plays or 50 plays
• Get more 5 star ratings from people that
love your app
• Use Appirator (http://arashpayan.com/blog/
2009/09/07/presenting-appirater/
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32. Customer feedback
• Have a way for people to contact you -
send you their questions / feedback
• Listen to app store reviews
• Post feedback online - facebook, twitter,
blog
• Post positive AND constructive feedback
• Address constructive feedback
• Turn negative reviewer into an advocate
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33. 4. App store assets
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34. Monday, 3 December 2012 34

35. Video has
5,500 views
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36. Google Play Assets
• Hi-res app icon
• Screenshots
• Feature graphics
• Promo graphics
• Video
• http://xayin.com/thisisatest.html
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37. Monday, 3 December 2012 37

38. 5. App Store Optimisation
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39. Optimising name & description
• App name
• 11 - 14 characters incl spaces will display on
iTunes app store
• Relevant keywords
• Do you appear in search results?
• “Mandarin Madness” to “Learn Chinese with
Mandarin Madness”
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40. App Store Description
• Elevator sales pitch
• First two lines are critical
• Keyword density
• Reviews from articles, prominent people
• Separate paragraphs with symbols e.g ****
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41. http://www.apptamin.com/ASO_Cheat_Sheet-v2.2.pdf
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42. More resources
• http://copyhackers.com/2012/06/how-to-write-an-
app-store-description-for-itunes/
• http://www.quora.com/What-are-some-tips-for-
writing-amazing-App-Store-descriptions
• http://www.apptamin.com/blog/optimize-play-store-
app/
• http://www.internetmarketingduru.com/app-
marketing-how-to-write-a-killer-mobile-app-
description/
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43. 6. Analytics is your friend
• In-app-analytics: Flurry
• Sales analytics: App Annie, Mopapp, App
figures
• App Annie: iTunes feature listings & daily
email report of sales
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44. AppAnnie
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45. Mobile Metrics
• Retention rate
• # of sessions (weekly vs monthly)
• Time spent per session
• Comparison to industry averages in Flurry
• Upsell rate (dropbox 4%, evernote 3%)
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46. 7. Translations
• Not all app stores are in English
• Your customers might not understand English
• Need to translate your app description & in
app text to multiple languages
• Use gengo.com for human powered
translations
• From 6 cents (basic) to 17 cents (professional)
per word
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47. How we use Gengo.com
• Native Tongue is a language learning company
• So we choose professional translation:
• Translator passes higher level of language
testing and proof read by 2 translators
• API for string text (translate directly from
website or app without manual effort)
• Can do 30+ translations from English
• 1 day delivery
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48. 8. How to get PR
• Journalist don’t usually write about one app
• Write about segments of apps
• Introduce yourself to journalist
• Targeted and customised approach
• Follow up articles about other apps
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49. Media kit
• Media kit can contain:
• Product pics: app icon, screenshots
• Photos of “everyday” people using the app
• Company logo
• FAQ & press release
• Enables journalist to have the info and assets they
need for an article
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50. http://www.zillaapp.com/press/
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51. Mobile Marketing Meetup
http://mobilemarketingmeetupdec2012.eventbrite.com/
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52. How to contact me
• Matthew Ho, Native Tongue
• Email: hello@nativetongue.com
• twitter.com/inspiredworlds
• Personal blog: http://inspiredworlds.com
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