Blog Article
The Web Is the New App Store – App Marketing 2.0
When it came to marketing apps, there was really no getting around the well-known app stores, such as Google Play or the Apple App Store. Getting listed there was practically a must for anyone who wanted to be taken seriously.
But everything has its time, and as we all know, the world keeps turning. In the meantime, many technologies, markets, and, of course, people’s habits have evolved.
The search and download behavior of the typical smartphone user now clearly bypasses app stores and instead intuitively uses popular search engines like Google and others.
Downloading apps is too complicated
As a result, users generally no longer download apps directly from the stores. Reasons for this include the fact that the required steps and waiting time are simply too tedious in everyday life.
In addition to using search engines, only a few apps—such as those for social networks and other messaging services—are actually used. This further highlights the diminishing need for visibility in the app stores.
If you don’t want to offer highly complex apps or games with integrated native payment options, there’s now a much better way to reach your users.
Why not try a new—or perhaps familiar—way to market your apps?
The internet, as you know it, is perfectly suited for this. Even if it seems strange to use an app via the World Wide Web, recent studies indicate that this is how we will use apps in the future.
How the World Wide Web Becomes Your App Store
Building on everything we know about the internet, the buzzword “Progressive Web Apps” was coined to pave the way.
The underlying technologies are now available in all major browsers and systems—whether smartphone, tablet, desktop PC, or Mac—and work reliably.
Everything you’ve come to expect from typical apps—such as the icon on the screen, quick launch, fast notifications like push alerts, and offline capability—is now available directly on all other systems.
The previous requirement to list them in app stores is no longer necessary. Not to mention the tedious review processes, frequent rejections, additional costs, and bureaucratic hurdles imposed by store operators.
Here’s how to get started with app marketing
Today, all you need to do is distribute your PWA (short for Progressive Web App) via your existing app address through all standard channels.
This can be done purely digitally via email or as a post on social media. Thanks to its searchability, your PWA is also automatically placed on Google, so your users can find you there as well.
In the real world, it’s just as simple as, for example, posting a phone number in the lobby. Place the so-called easily scannable QR codes where your users are. This gives you a direct feedback channel—better than a phone number or email address—where users can get information and stay connected without having to call.
Alternatively, you can supplement both methods with paid advertising online and offline, e.g., using Google search ads, flyers, promotional posters, etc. This will take you directly to where your target audience is.
As you can see, the possibilities are endless. Go for it—it’s easier than you think.
There is one path you should avoid, however: opening a physical store. The effort involved simply won’t be worth it. You can take our word for it.