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app store optimization instagram instagram marketing mobile apps mobile marketing UGC Uncategorized user-generated content video game marketing

5 Keys to Mobile App and Game Marketing Success with Instagram

5 Keys to Mobile Game or App Marketing Success with Instagram

Got a kick-butt mobile game or app?  Sweet.  Then Instagram is one marketing channel you cannot afford to ignore.  Instagram’s potential cannot be underestimated especially when it comes to marketing or promoting products and services.  Not just for ordering fast food, or driving foot traffic to a brick-and-mortar store or gym. 

A visually-oriented social media platform, Instagram can be leveraged to enhance app store optimization, discoverability and retention marketing for mobile apps and video games as well. 

 

Meaning, you don’t just use Instagram for sharing how you looked this summer. You carve out an Instagram marketing strategy that will help you not only introduce your mobile game or mobile app to your target audience but also drive major traffic to your product website.

 

However, it won’t be possible if you don’t take some of the most successful Instagram marketing tactics into consideration. Instagram marketing, especially for promoting a mobile game or application, is tricky. So, how do you get over the marketing hurdles and develop a highly converting video game marketing strategy? Stay with us till the very end find out!

 

5 Keys to Mobile Game or App Marketing Success with Instagram

 

Here are some of the most important revelations that you will need to introduce to your mobile game or app marketing for Instagram. We will go through each of them in detail to help you figure out the technicalities involved. 

 

  1. Instagram for Mobile Marketers

 

Instagram is well equipped for marketers that are looking to promote visually appealing products. Well, to be honest, you don’t necessarily require a visually appealing product to run a successful marketing campaign on Instagram. The creatives, however, cannot afford to NOT grab eyeballs and hearts.  Native ads and formats that look like legitimate bonafide user-generated content or UGC.  

 

The social media platform has provided enough opportunities for mobile marketers to promote their products. No matter what your products are, it mostly depends on how you portray them in the creatives. The creatives you prepare should be designed appropriately to 1) be a scroll-stopping agent and 2) depict your product’s functionalities to perfection.

 

You have got to grab your target audience’s attention since you are fighting with other players for a place on the feed. Now, how can you do that? Well, the answer to that question is the content you produce, of course, to leverage the different functionalities Instagram has to offer.

 

Here the types of content that you can design and publish to promote your mobile gaming application on Instagram:

 

  • Photo Ads

 

These ads look exactly like an organic Instagram picture post and give the users options to like, leave a comment, and share the content.

  • Video Ads

 

Video Ads give you ample space and time to play with your content and grab attention for at least a minute. Capturing attention and coming up with effective CTA is crucial to make successful video ads on Instagram.

 

  • Carousel Ads

 

You can give amazing effects using the Instagram carousel ads. Since you are a mobile gaming company, you can use it to showcase different features of your application by weaving a story.

 

  • Instagram Stories Ads

 

The stories ads do what it says – create stories worth sharing. These are vertical ads that appear between stories. You can design your story ads or use Instagram’s creative tools to create high-quality stories for your audience.

But, you will never succeed in using the above content efficiently if you don’t have your Instagram marketing objectives figured out.

Instagram Marketing NBA 2K promoted ad UGC promoted content video game marketing
Instagram Marketing NBA 2K promoted ad UGC promoted content video game marketing
  1. Mobile Marketing Objectives

 

When it comes to setting up mobile marketing objectives for social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook, will have to implement a full-funnel approach. In other words, we will have to map out our target audiences’ journey right from install to re-engagement and then retargeting. 

 

This is an important part of your overall App Store Optimization strategy and will have a huge impact on the strategies you will use for advertising your mobile application on Instagram. Let’s figure out how app installs, re-engagement, and retargeting are different and how they impact different parts of a funnel.

 

  • App Installs

 

App installs usually forms the upper funnel advertising strategies that are implemented to attract both new and existing mobile app users. You need to find the right users because you are not just looking for people that will download your application but also for the ones that will actually use it. 

 

  • App Re-engagement

 

App re-engagement campaigns on Instagram form mid-funnel advertising strategies. In this, you will be focusing on the audiences that have become inactive on the application. You will also be targeting the users that have uninstalled your application. The idea is to maintain an active user base.

 

  • App Retargeting

 

Lower-funnel marketing strategies involve in-app advertising. In this, marketers can use machine learning to understand the real-time behavior of the active users. The information will help them come up with personalized ads to bring the users back once they leave the application.

 

  1. Targeting New Prospects

 

Targeting new prospects to drive more app installs on Instagram is not complex at all. However, you will have to consider a few points, especially when it comes to developing an advertising strategy.

 

  • Choice of Ads

 

As we mentioned earlier, you have several Instagram ads that you can run for mobile app advertising. You have got photo ads, video ads, carousel ads, stories ads, and collection ads. The best thing is that you can optimize these ad types for your advertising objective, which in this case, is getting mobile app installs.

 

  • Call to Actions

 

You don’t just want the users to consume your advertisement and scroll away. The users should be encouraged to take action once they are done consuming the content. This can be done using a well-drafted call to actions or CTAs. In this case, you will be using CTA buttons like ‘Install Now’ or ‘Learn More’. There are almost 10 different CTA buttons available on Instagram, so you better select the right one.

 

  • Creativity

 

The online user is inundated with a barrage of content every single second. How would you make a space for yourself? Well, you do that by being extremely creative and mindful while designing the ad creatives. In other words, you have to figure out what exactly stops people from scrolling and triggers them to click on your ad or perform the desired CTA. This requires many rounds of A/B testing, so create a budget for that as well. You can also run ads on user-generated content that will give you more credibility.

 

  • Audience Targeting

 

Lastly, you don’t want to show up before the wrong people on Instagram. Since Instagram is owned by Facebook, you can easily access the latter’s targeting options and improve the conversion rate of your ads.

 

  1. Targeting Re-Engagement

 

Re-engagement campaigns are, as we mentioned earlier, run to bring the user back to your application. The targeted users have stopped using the application (inactive users) and can be brought back by introducing them to new exciting features or updates in your application. How do you do that? Let’s find out.

 

  • Start with the right users

 

Use mobile analytics to figure out the right people to target on Instagram. Spend a good amount of time setting up an audience for re-engagement campaigns because running ads against the wrong audience might result in bad publicity.

 

  • Opt-in Push Notifications

 

Always try to make your application users opt-in for push notifications. This will ensure that they are in contact with the application even if they don’t open it for a long time. This is quite a basic strategy to keep your users actively engaged.

Starbucks Push Notification mobile marketing Instagram marketing
Starbucks Push Notification mobile marketing Instagram marketing
  • Advertise using Rich Media

 

Then, you can also attract inactive users on social media applications like Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. However, you will have to focus on creating high-quality content and implement a structured App Store Optimization strategy.

 

  • Deep Linking

 

Deep linking is a phenomenon that you can leverage to redirect your users to the desired application screen. All you have to do is pick some of the right keywords, select the precise app screen for the link, and then advertise using the same link on various online marketing platforms. This will not only help you improve your conversion rates, but also boost customer retention.

 

  1. 3 Notable Instagram Ads in Mobile Games & Apps

 

Here are some of the best examples of Instagram ads for mobile games:

Certain mobile games are better with friends! What better way to celebrate a common love for “candy crushing” than a dance challenge?  The below Instagram Candy Crush Saga mobile game campaign, positive captured the spirit.  The lovely eye candy that the mouth-watering, visually stunning candies…  Topped and amplified with a properly laid-down challenge…with friends!

Instagram Candy Crush Saga mobile marketing mobile apps video games

Here are some of the best examples of Instagram ads for general mobile applications:

In case anyone questions the marketers and agency at KFC Italy?  Be certain this simple catchphrase “How Dip Is Your Love?” has been tested thoroughly.  Extensively tried and tested over and over, via consumer insights and market research.  Marketing genius, backed by data!

KFC How Dip Is Your Love Italy Instagram Marketing
KFC How Dip Is Your Love Italy Instagram Marketing

 

 

Final Words

 

Instagram, if we go by design, is perfect for branding mobile games or applications. But you are not going to harness its potential if you overlook the above mentioned key aspects of Instagram marketing. The reason is simple. Instagram is evolving every minute and the factors that lay the foundation for evolution have been covered in the post. We highly recommend kickstarting your mobile game or app marketing on Instagram by understanding the ‘What-How-Why’ of it. Are you using Instagram to market your mobile game application? Do share the challenges and obstacles you have faced during the course in the comments section!

 

 

 

 

 

Categories
app store optimization consumer insights dating apps FTUE mobile apps mobile marketing personalization UGC user-generated content

Mobile Marketing Lessons: Tinder and Bumble

8 Lessons Learned From Tinder and Bumble

Mobile apps Dating Bumble Tiner mobile marketing
Dating apps like Bumble and Tinder offer mobile marketing best practices in communications, influencer marketing UGC and more

Describing the recent uprising of online dating apps as ‘remarkable’ is nothing but an understatement. Experts say that nearly 28 million people are going to use them by 2022.

And this statistic only talks about the United States.

Apps like Bumble, Tinder, Match, Hinge, OkCupid and others are quickly taking over the world. There are SO many lessons marketers can learn from them, especially to improve FTUE, or first-time user experience.

In this post, we are going to list out the top lessons one can learn from the success of online dating apps.

Not just that, we are going to help you understand how exactly you can implement them in your upcoming or existing digital marketing strategy.

So, stay with us till the very end!

8 Lessons Worth Learning From Tinder and Bumble

1. Find and Focus on Your Niche

What’s the golden rule of marketing?

It is: ‘Don’t sell anything if it’s not a solution to the customer’s problem.’

Utilizing this golden rule in the world of online dating apps is very simple.

You have a dating app that people who are single will try to use to develop a meaningful relationship with another person.

The ‘problem’ is that people are single, and that is something they want to change.

To make sure your solution reaches the right people, you will have to THOROUGHLY research your market. This is essential because it will lead you to your target audience.

This will mostly involve LASER targeting. In this, you mostly try to target a narrow market, find a profitable position, and try to compete with other players.

An extensive survey conducted by Hinge shows that the biggest problem customers have regarding online dating is about the superficiality of the apps.

This made Justin McLeod (the founder of Hinge) design an online dating application that focused on helping users create deeper connections.

2. Tap into The Unpredictable Award Phenomenon

Gamification of dating experience has been very well documented over the past five years.

Many users on the app are NOT looking for a date. The whole ‘swiping through the profiles’ thing is quite fun for them.

They use the application only to have entertainment. Gamification of the dating experience can be used to create anticipation among the users.

The best way to understand this is by connecting it to the concept of unpredictable awards.

Here, the users’ level of excitement can be regulated using algorithms that come up with little surprises each day. By doing this, the users are constantly engaged.

Most online dating applications tend to lose customers because of bad FTUE. This happens when users install the app, sign-up, get disappointed, and leave.

Just in case you have a poor FTUE, gamifying the dating interfaces using elements like tap-to-like, shake-to-refresh feed, etc. can help you compensate.

3. Make Marketing More Personal

One of the biggest marketing trends that companies around the world are looking to take advantage of is personalization.

Personalization is a useful strategy that gives marketers an opportunity to collect more personal data from their target audience.

This can go on to affect the way companies promote their products and services. The basic design of their products can be inspired by the concept of personalization.

Coming back to dating apps, one of the most common things you will find is that they will ask for your basic personal information.

It is important for them to know your age and location so that they can shape your user experience to perfection.

If you are looking to use personal data in your content marketing strategy, you must take lessons from these online dating apps.

The application of data analysis and interpretation will also help you improve your application’s FTUE.

4. User-Generated Content – Let Users Speak

The surge of online dating apps and the simplification and gamification of online dating has had a great impact on how millennials approach online dating.

People could say the most important impact of gamification is that they have helped get rid of the shyness around the concept of dating.

This has allowed users to share their online dating experiences on various online platforms. In other words, they are helping marketers with user-generated content and consumer insights.

Applications like Bumble and Tinder get nearly 5000 mentions on social media.

One of the main reasons why they are so successful with user-generated content is that the marketers go out of their way to hijack a viral story.

Apps like Bumble even have created a form that allows users to share their stories on their experiences.

Talk about taking social listening to the next level!

5. Effective Influencer Marketing

Creating blog posts for video content around your online dating app is one of the BEST ways to generate buzz for your product.

But, that’s an organic way to promote a product online. It works, but it takes time.

This is one of the reasons why influencer marketing has been a go-to marketing strategy for marketers of online dating apps.

Because the content related to online dating is interesting to fans of content creators.

Hinge, an online dating app, makes the best of user-generated content and influencer marketing to create SUPERB social media campaigns. The marketers at Hinge have been working closely with popular meme accounts to create organic posts that bring in definite results.

Influencer marketing is crucial in the marketing of many apps and brands. By creating content that is very much relatable to the general public, it generates a sense of authenticity in the target audience.

6. App Store Optimization

App Store Optimization is definitely a critical part of any online dating app marketing strategy.

This is because your application is going to compete against almost 2 MILLION other applications for visibility.

According to statistics, the average Apple user spends almost 33 minutes per month on the App Store. This data was for the United States back in 2018. Since then, the time spent on the App Store has likely gone up.

Although this is a lot of time for marketers to improve their products’ visibility, they cannot rely on users to find their way to the product through the app store.

Marketers have to take advantage of the app store search algorithm to ensure the users are being directed to your application.

This is exactly where the App Store Optimization comes into play.

App Store Optimization is nothing but a strategic system. It involves elements that can tactfully increase the relevance of your application.

7. Viral Video Marketing

Viral videos work. This is because it tends to trigger certain emotions in the target audience. These emotions make them watch and share the video over and over again.

Creating funny videos related to your online dating application really helps you gain visibility on the Internet overnight.

Viral app videos can get you millions of shares and views online. However, they require constant experimentation to figure out what exactly your audience likes.

Statista shows that many videos have been able to gather millions of views in just 24 hours. This is a result of a successful integration of influencer and viral video marketing.

8. Clear Consistent Communication

Inconsistent communication doesn’t end well in modern-day marketing.

The moment customers start feeling the inconsistency in voice, tone, and content of a brand’s marketing, they tend to leave the experience.

The inconsistency in communication leaves the customer with a bad taste in the mouth.

Looking for customer backlash? Just make one bad joke or write a casual description of any sensitive social issue. Your brand will be done and dusted right there.

Therefore, it is important that you come up with simple messages to reflect your brand values. And, you have to know what customers can expect from your products.

Your visual branding should be consistent across all channels to prevent any kind of marketplace confusion.

Final Thoughts

These are great tips, aren’t they?

But, there’s one more lesson left to improve FTUE and any experience after. It is not to dupe people.

Honest interactions are the foundation of trust. Also, to build long-term loyalty with customers, you will have to quit the short-term sales mindset.

That pretty much sums it up for this post.

We hope you enjoyed our content. Have questions? Feel free to put them down in the comments section. We would love to hear from you!

 

Categories
app store optimization consumer insights mobile apps mobile marketing tiktok video game marketing

TikTok for Mobile Video Games: 7 Keys to Activating Gen Z

TikTok for Mobile Video Games: 7 Keys to Activating Gen Z

tiktok mobile app marketing social media video sharing
Tyumen, Russia – January 21, 2020: TikTok and Facebook application on screen Apple iPhone XR

 

So, you have decided to make your mobile video game popular on TikTok. It’s a decision that you just cannot go wrong with.   Just take one look at TikTok’s numbers quarter over quarter.

 

TikTok is unknown territory for most mobile video game developers. Consider the sheer popularity of this social media platform however?  Make sure your mobile video game marketing strategies includes TikTok. Period.

 

The majority of the TikTok population is Generation Z.  It is crucial for the mobile video game developers to understand the intricacies of TikTok. Most importantly, how to genuinely capture the attention and activate Generation Z.

 

This is exactly what we are going to cover in this extensive TikTok guide for mobile video game developers. So, without  further ado, let’s dive in.  And figure out what it takes to activate Generation Z in 2020.

generation z consumer insights mobile marketing
A blue and red neon sign on a brick wall that reads: GENERATION Z

What is the Generation Z?

 

Generation Z is often referred to to the generation that was born between 1996 and 2010.  In other words, the generation that follows the millennials. Digital natives raised on the internet and social media, Gen Z is a must for any marketer.  It is important for the video games industry to understand the characteristics, traits, values, and trends that can help them develop in-depth statistics of Generation Z. About their screen and social media consumption, social behavior, interests, communication style, psychographics, and more.

 

In the United States, Generation Z is said to be the largest consumer demographic. Finishing college by 2020, they will be entering the workforce starting next year. How can you attract the attention of this generation on TikTok? Well, for that you have to dive deeper into TikTok’s consumer insights to create meaningful marketing strategies.  All to activate and influence this soon-to-become largest cohort of consumers.

 

7 Keys to Successfully Activate Generation Z

 

Here are some of the best ways for video games developers to come up with a solid TikTok marketing strategy to attract  Generation Z. Let’s discuss them in detail.

 

1. Generation Z’s TikTok Usage Patterns

 

Why has Tiktok grown so quickly with Generation Z? First  because Tiktok was designed to satisfy their constant need for more content. It emphasizes on short-form video content and makes the platform easy to use.

 

Additionally, Tiktok has successfully fired up Generation Z’s desire for entrepreneurship and becoming an online creator or an influencer. Generation Z experiences little fear or friction before creating content.  Content that will help them build an audience of like-minded people.

 

Generation Z uses social media platforms like Tiktok, YouTube, and Instagram to show the best version of themselves. Contrary to popular belief, this is more related to projecting self-confidence rather than insecurity.

 

2. Gen Z Vs. Millennials: TikTok Usage Pattern

 

It is very important to factor in the TikTok usage pattern of millennials and Generation Z. 42% of the 13-16-year-olds use TikTok which shows that the social media platform is gaining momentum among young teens who are very much into mobile video gaming.

 

Almost 40% of the total TikTok population comprises the Generation Z. Millennials make up the rest of the users. When it comes to content creation, Generation Z is way ahead than millennials.  Millennials, on the other hand, are more likely to “consume” content on the platform.

 

3. Social Causes/Purposes Gen Z Uses TikTok For

social cause activism protester gen z millennial
social cause activism protester gen z millennial

With so much information going around on the internet, Generation Z is very much into showing their concern about different socio-political issues in and around the country.

 

What does this mean exactly?  They are very much against turning a blind eye to issues.   Whether about racial injustice, or inequality or about gender bias and more. And their inclination towards speaking out against injustices can be found across Tiktok.

 

For example, the #blacklivesmatter had over 6 billion views on TikTok. Instead of creating dancing and lip-sync videos, which is what TikTok is made for, Generation Z uses the opportunity to raise voice against injustice.

 

This behaviour pattern can be used by mobile video game developers to attract the attention of Generation Z. Creating content in support of social causes and purposes can bring you closer to your target audience. 

 

4. Personal and Relatable Communication Style

 

Millennials and Generation Z are unforgiving when it comes to being manipulated online. They have been on the Internet and social media platforms for a long time.  They clearly know exactly when you are hitting them with fake content.

Authentic relatable true story video sharing Tiktok
Authentic relatable true story video sharing Tiktok

Using Tiktok to attract the attention of Generation Z through insincere content and highly aggressive sales copy? Forget it.  Not gonna work. Your entire focus should be about making your content and Advertising more personal and relatable.

 

Google claims that almost 26% of Generation Z expect retailers to provide a personalized buying experience based on the customers shopping patterns and preferences. Needless to say, authentic voice, genuine ratings and reviews for your mobile app or game is key.  This is true whether to attract Gen Z’ers on Tiktok, or as part of your mobile game’s overall app store optimization strategy.

 

Therefore, make sure the content you publish on Tiktok is what your target audience is looking for. Want to create an impressive brand personality in the minds of your target audience? Start by giving them what they want.

 

5. Creating Snackable Content in Bulk

 

To succeed on TikTok, you will have to invest in creating short snackable content with a major focus on video. One of the reasons why we recommend you create search content is because the average attention span for Generation Z is reducing drastically.

 

While the average attention span for the millennial generation stands at 12 seconds, the same for Generation Z is a mere 8 seconds. Well, this is even less than the attention span of a Goldfish. So, what’s the reason behind this plummeting attention span?

 

The most common reason that also has been well documented for the significant reduction in the attention span of Generation Z is the growth in the number of digital platforms. Generation Z often finds themselves using many digital platforms simultaneously.

 

How exactly?  Generation Z can be found to be using 5 digital platforms simultaneously- at the same time. The shorter attention span is also the reason why Generation Z hates non-skippable ads and pop-ups. 

 

Targeting Generation Z with video ads? We highly recommend using a shorter format. TikTok, therefore, is a great social media platform for you to share your video content.

 

However, you must invest in creating more and more content for your target audience. Make it easier for them to remember your brand. But, this should not be an excuse to create low-quality content. Your video should be extremely entertaining and high quality at the same time.

 

6. Taking Privacy Protection Policies Seriously

 

Generation Z is quite concerned about privacy protection. Almost 88% of the Gen Z population ranks privacy protection at the top of their list when it comes to consuming content on the web.

 

Less than one-third of Generation Z claims to be comfortable sharing personal information online.   But 61%  believe they can do it without any concern with brands they trust.

 

How do you do that?  Want to gain the trust of your target audience on TikTo? First, you have to step up. Be 100% transparent when  collecting user information from Generation Z.   Be wholeheartedly committed to keeping data safe and secure.

 

7. Ability of Micro-Influencers to Rule Generation

 

Need a helping hand?  Partnering with micro-influencers who are popular in your niche can play a huge role in making your brand successful on TikTok. Influencer marketing has always been a powerful marketing tactic.  And the potential size of the  population you can attract when done right?  Positively HUGE.

 

There are many popular Gamers on TikTok. Influencers create highly entertaining sometimes niche content for their audience. Generation Z population is very much inclined towards gaming, especially with the eSports revolution. There exists a great, under-utilized opportunity.  One for you to create your OWN highly-targeted audience on this social media platform.

eSports Arena
Competitive eSports Arena

But why are video platforms so successful?  One of the reasons why influencer marketing works on video platforms like TikTok on YouTube is because almost 70% of the teenage population easily relate to online creators than traditional celebrities. Online creators are simply more relatable and trustworthy.  Aka One of Us.

 

Therefore, invest in micro-influencers on TikTok. Invest in them to help them help YOU.  Influencer marketing is a relatively expensive marketing technique but it can bring you exceptional results in a short amount of time, when done right.

 

Final Thoughts

 

We have shared in-depth information related to the latest TikTok statistics for Generation Z.  Always remember to take a more personalized approach in the decision-making process. Video game developers understand what the young generation likes.  It is equally important to have a one-on-one discussion with their marketers.

 

Come up with groundbreaking marketing strategies. Be authentic, be real, personalize communication, and give Generation Z what they want – in short snack-able video format.  Respect privacy, and be transparent.  When needed, seek help from trusted micro influencers.  Help them help YOU.  

 

We hope this piece of content brought great value to you. If it did, feel free to subscribe to our weekly newsletter as we bring all the latest updates from the world of online marketing. Have questions? Put them down in the comments section and we will reply as soon as possible!