Why Should I Download Your App? (and Other Questions to Guide Your App Promotion Strategy)

One of the questions that our partners often ask us is, "How do I get more people to download our app and use it?" Of course, the specific answer to this question varies from partner to partner based on how they promote and utilize their apps.

With a hat tip to the Socratic method, here are three questions you need to answer in order to advance your app promotion strategy.

1. Why should I download your app? 

Every patron expects an answer to this question before they download your app.  It is not enough to simply tell them that you have an app and instruct them to download it.

You need to give them a compelling reason.

Setting up a Facebook Call-to-Action Button

The 1.50 update brings some great changes to your Mobile App, both on the surface and under the hood.  One less than obvious update has been the inclusion of what are known as "Deep Links".  These are links that let you direct people to specific tabs in your app from external sources.

Now, Facebook has added a "Call-to-Action" button which allows you to easily add an important task as a button on your Page's banner image.  Lets look at how we can use Deep Links with this button to let your Fans effortlessly access your Mobile App from your Facebook page.

First, go to your Page and find the "Create Call to Action" button.  It is important to note that this is for Pages, and not your personal Timeline.

When you click on this, you will see a pop-up box which has a "Choose a Button" menu.  Open this and select "Use App".

Once you have selected the type of Call-to-Action, there will be a place to enter in two URLs.  One for your website and one for your mobile website.  Because we want to focus people's behavior on using your Mobile App, create a SmartURL (remember those?) for this purpose and add it to both fields.

The next screen will let you setup your iOS Deep Link.  Use the format instantencoreCID://deeplink/#home where CID is the same value used in the SmartURL.  The Backup Destination will be automatically filled in from the website field.

The Android Deep Link setup is similar, but you will also need your Android Package Name. To find this, just go to your main control panel, copy the link for the Android App, and use the end of the URL that starts with "com.instantencore".

So, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.instantencore.bcsd2go_5109242 becomes just com.instantencore.bcsd2go_5109242.  Again, the Backup Destination will be automatically added.

Click the final Create button and you will be all set.  Your Facebook fans will now have easy access to your Mobile Apps!

• If they already have your app installed, it will immediately open it.  
• If they don't yet have your app, the SmartURL will intelligently direct them to the proper platform.  
• If the button is clicked on a desktop or laptop computer, it will give them links to both.

Finally,  if you have a campaign going on for a specific event or initiative, you can go back to edit the "Use App" button and update the App Links to go to a specific content item or tab in the App.  Just replace the #home at the end of the Deep Link with a different "In-app Link" using InstantEncore's App URL Builder, available at the bottom of your list of Tabs in the Control Panel.

BONUS: Facebook offers some insights on how many times the button has been clicked.  Just look for the "This Week" box to the right and click on where it says "Use App"

Tips for Promoting Your Mobile App, Part 2: Encouraging Downloads When Patrons Attend Events

In part 1 of this blog series, we shared some tips for encouraging your patrons to download your mobile app when they are not at a performance.  So what can you do to encourage your audience to download your app when they are attending one of your performances?

Curtis Institute of Music displays
this six-foot retractable banner
in the lobby at performances. 

6 Tips for promoting downloads when the audience is at your event or performance

1. Spotlight your app on the back of tickets or ticket envelopes to be picked up on-site.

• Include the app logo and a brief description of the app's value.
• Highlight the Smart App Download URL.
• Add a QR Code linked to the Smart App Download URL.
  [How-to video]

2. Display signs and/or banners strategically throughout the venue.

• Include screenshots from the app, the logo, and a brief description of the app's value.
• Highlight the Smart App Download URL.
• Add a QR Code linked to the Smart App Download URL.
• Consider placing signs in areas where patrons are more likely to congregate: seating areas in the lobby, concessions, coat check, merchandise table, etc.
• If you will need to move the signage regularly, retractable banners are a portable, self-contained option.   

3. Pass out promotional cards to attendees in the lobby.  

• Choose a strong screenshot for the front of the card.  
• If you are promoting the overall value of the app, then highlighting the home screen may work well.
• If you are promoting the special content available in the app for performances, then you may want to print small batches of cards.  With each new batch, the front of the card can be changed to the landing screen for that performance's At The Event content.
• On the back of the card, emphasize the value of the app for patrons attending your event and provide instructions for downloading.
• Include the Smart App Download URL.
• Add a QR Code linked to the Smart App Download URL.
• Encourage the card holder to opt-in for your push notifications by emphasizing how they will benefit from receiving those messages.
• Partners who communicate the type of content they send via push notifications prior to the app download see a higher opt-in rate than those who do not.

Kennesaw State University's School of Music hands out
promotional cardsfor their mobile app.

4. Present slides on digital screens in the lobby or projected in the performance hall.

• Include a screenshot or the app logo, as well as a description of how they will benefit from downloading the app.
• Highlight instructions for downloading the app and/or provide the Smart App Download URL.
• Since these are usually timed slides, there is no need to include a QR code.

The Ford Center for the Performing Arts projects slides on the overhead
screen in the performance hall to prompt app downloads.

5. Highlight your mobile app with an ad or an insert in your printed program.

• If you are using a full-page ad or insert, include a compelling screenshot from the app.  If you are going with a smaller ad or insert, use the app logo.
• Include a brief description of the app's value.
• Feature the Smart App Download URL.
• Add a QR code linked to the Smart App Download URL.

Austin Symphony Orchestra advertises their mobile app and its performance-specific
content with a full-page ad in their printed programs.

6. Mention your mobile app in stage announcements.

• You can do this while simultaneously asking the audience to turn off their mobile devices.
• For example:  "We hope that you used our mobile app to access the special content available for tonight's show.  If you have not, see page 5 in the program for information on how to download the app during intermission.  At this time, however, we ask that you turn off all mobile devices or set them to silent mode."
• Don't be afraid to guide the audience's behavior toward acceptable mobile etiquette in your venue.

Tips for Promoting Your Mobile App, Part 1: Encouraging Downloads When Patrons Are Off-Site

One of the questions our partners frequently ask is, "How should we promote our app?"  To help you answer that question, we decided to provide you with some tips.  However, there is so much information that we had to break it into two separate posts.

We'll start with tips for how to promote your app when the patrons are not at one of your events.

8 Tips for promoting downloads when the audience is not at your event or performance

1.  Encourage mobile users who visit your website to download your app.  Makes sense right?  They are already on their mobile devices, so you should take the opportunity to direct them to your app.  Here are two ways you can do this:

Silk Road Rising uses the

mobile redirect script to

send mobile users visiting

their website to the mobile

web version of their app.

• If you do not have a mobile responsive website or separate mobile site, be sure to use InstantEncore's mobile redirect script. (click here for how-to video)
• This will redirect mobile users from your standard website to the mobile web version of your app.
• It will also detect if the mobile user is on an Apple or Android device and present them with a prompt at the top of the screen to download your app on their device.
• If you do have a mobile responsive site or separate mobile site, feature a notice for your mobile app on the home screen.
• Provide a short message highlighting what additional features they will have access to by downloading the app.
• Add the icon for your app to the screen.
• Link the icon to your app's Smart App Download URL.
• Instruct the user to tap on the icon to download the app.

2.  Encourage desktop/laptop users who visit your website to download your app.  This one might not be as obvious as the first one.  With the rapid rise of smartphone and tablet users, the probability is strong that people who visit your website on their desktop and laptop computers are also mobile users.  So why not encourage them to download your app? Here are two suggestions:

• Add mobile app download buttons to your home screen.  



Austin Symphony Orchestra uses buttons on their website to
encourage visitors to download their mobile app.

• Add a button for both your Apple mobile app and your Android app.
• Buttons for:  Android  |  Apple
• Link the button to its appropriate URL.
• To find the web link for each of your apps:
• Go to www.instantencore.com
• At the top where it says "Search or Redeem," enter the name for you or your organization.



"Search or Redeem" field on the InstantEncore site.

• Find and click on your account name to go to your InstantEncore profile.
• Clicking on the image for your mobile app gives you a drop-down menu with links to your Android and Apple URLs.

Links to Seattle Shakespeare Company's Android and Apple
apps in their InstantEncore profile.

• Create a separate page on your website highlight your app's features and encourage your website visitors to download.  (Great example from Detroit Symphony Orchestra.)

3.  Create a video to spotlight your app.  While this may sound difficult, it really isn't.

• Decide which features you want to mention and which ones you want to show in use.
• Write out a script for the video.
• Consider recruiting one of your artists to be video spokesperson for the app.
• Practice going through the script while interacting with your device.  
• Get a sense of how long it takes you to go through the script.  You should be able to highlight the more exciting features in a 1 to 2 minute video.
• For example: here's an informative and funny video for the 2011 YouTube Symphony mobile app featuring flutist Nina Perlove:

• At the end of your video, include the Smart App Download URL as the closing image.
• Upload the video to YouTube - be sure to put the Smart App Download URL in the video's description.
• Post it everywhere -- embed the video on your website or blog; share it on social media; link to it in email newsletters; etc.

4.  Feature the app prominently in your email communications.  

• Spotlight your app in e-newsletters, subscriber emails, pre-show emails to ticket holders, etc.
  
  

  

  Email example from Curtis Institute of Music.

• Be sure to mention your mobile app in confirmation emails for online ticket sales and/or reservations.
• Include a brief description of your app's features as well as a link to the Smart App Download URL.

5.  Spotlight your app on the back of printed tickets and/or ticket envelopes.

• Include the app logo and a brief description of the app's value.
• Highlight the Smart App Download URL.
• Add a QR Code linked to the Smart App Download URL. (click here for how-to video)

6.  Highlight your app on printed promotional pieces for your events and season.

• Feature your mobile app and its features in your season brochure.
• Mention your mobile app and its value in your event postcards, posters, and flyers.
• Include the app logo, the Smart App Download URL, and/or QR Code.

7.  Alert your social media followers to your app.

• On a regular basis, post screenshots from your app to highlight new content available in your app.
• Include a link to the Smart App Download URL. 

8.  Use your App Store Description to highlight its features.  It's not enough to simply send patrons to your app's URL on iTunes or Google Play.  Once they are there, you need to communicate why they should download the app.

• How will downloading your app benefit them? What will they be able to do with it?
• Click here to learn How to Rock Your App's Description in the App Store.

In Part 2 of this blog series, we will focus on tips for encouraging app downloads when your patrons are attending your event or performance.

Questions?  Contact us at support@instantencore.com.