If your app isn’t getting enough traffic, you may need to take action to get the kind of attention you want. Growth isn’t just getting new users, it’s also retaining the ones that you already have. Keeping that in mind, there are ways to boost your numbers that also help maintain your existing users. To jumpstart your growth, there are a few things that you can do to maximize your potential.

Work With ASO For Keywords That Bring In High-value Clients

ASO stands for app search optimization. Similar to SEO, ASO can be utilized to get the attention of the type of audience you’re looking for. You can use ASO in your title, description, or other text in the app store or stores you will be using to market your app. If you have certain keywords that work well for marketing or advertising your app, chances are those same keywords will also perform well in the app store.

ASO isn’t as well understood as SEO, but the same concepts generally apply. You will want to use relevant keywords as much as possible, in a natural way that flows well; don’t spam keywords for the sake of having them. You can add keywords into your title by creating a short description, and revamp your description so that it creates more conversions.

A/B Test Your Way To Success.

When you A/B test, you are able to compare how well small changes work. This way, you can try an update on a small test group, without releasing the update to your entire audience. It’s a great way to incorporate small changes, so that you know you’re always making the right choices when it comes to design and usability. If you want more traffic, don’t release updates not knowing whether or not they will perform well. Release new features confidently, with data to back up your decision.

When A/B testing, only make one small change at a time, so that your data is accurate. Some developers are tempted to roll out two completely different versions of their app, but that does not give you a good idea about what updates will work the best. When done correctly, making simple tweaks to your app’s appearance or design can actually lead to a huge increase in user retention and possibly get your app featured on the Google Play store.

Learn About Customers – Get In Contact With Users

You should be engaging with your users and getting feedback regularly, so that you can incorporate their opinions into your updates and user experience. The most valuable information comes straight from your users, in their own words.

Make sure that you are creating an active community and they feel like your brand genuinely cares about them; you will not only create brand loyalty, but you will be the first to know about trends, complaints, and what everyone is raving about. The more you are in contact with users, the more they will be directed to your app.

Your brand should be active on social media and within communities where your app is being used. A great example of engaging with customers is when we noticed that our app users would constantly leave comments on our social media platforms concerning how to parallel park, as it’s a very tricky part of driving, especially for our users who typically are starting to learn how to drive. Our team immediately published an article on the top questions we saw and referred our users to that blog post for more context.

By being responsive you will not only retain more users and increase engagement, you will cultivate new users and be able to use all of the feedback you will be getting to make the best app on the market.

Speak At Events If There Are Any – Become A Thought Leader

If there are relevant events near you or online that you are qualified to speak at, sign up! You are the face of your brand, and the more you can assert that you are a leader and authority in your niche, the more traffic you will get. You can find events both online and in person. Local business networking groups are a great place to start if you don’t know where to begin. Speak at events and promote each event so that you become a thought leader in your industry.

When speaking at events, come prepared not only with the information you would like to share, but also with answers for questions that may be asked about your app or brand. You will want to make the impression that you are capable, and that you are solving a relevant problem.

Look For Incentives That Can Get Your Current Users To Share The App

When you are trying to get a boost in traffic, look for options that you could use as incentives that can get users to share your app. This may include free premium features, gift cards, exclusive avatars or other aesthetic options, or even things like free airtime if they are in a developing country.

For example, we noticed that a few months after launching our driving test app on the apple and google play stores, downloads had become a bit stagnant. Our marketing team decided to integrate a “Limited-Time Reward Incentive” for users sharing the app to their peers. This reward incentive resulted in a spike in downloads over the next few months.

By offering incentives to both the user sharing, as well as the user they are recruiting, you will make each party feel as if they are going to miss out on an exclusive offer if they don’t follow through. You may also decide to offer an incentive for simply sharing the app, as well as additional incentives for each person they get to successfully download your application.

Be aware of your current market and target markets when offering incentives on the app. Demographics, location and interests all come into play when it comes to effective incentives. Do some research to find out what will get people excited about sharing your product. What works with one age group or in a certain area may not work with a different demographic. If you’re offering the wrong incentives, you won’t get the response you’re looking for.

As you can see, there are many different ways to engage your current audience, as well as funnel new users to your app. Getting more traffic takes some work, but it can be done with a plan and some engagement. After you boost your current traffic, you may want to reflect on what has caused your traffic to be lacking. Do you need more updates? Did you grow complacent with your marketing? Find out what your users are saying, and take note of what causes the most organic growth and gets people talking.