How To Advertise An App
How To Advertise An App
Key Takeaways
Retention is the New Acquisition: Do not focus solely on the "install." The real profitability of an app comes from Lifetime Value (LTV). You must have a strategy for keeping users engaged after the download using tools like CRM and smart push notifications, otherwise, you are filling a leaky bucket.
Creative is the Primary Targeting Tool: In a privacy-first world, your ad creative does the heavy lifting. You must produce diverse formats (UGC, video, static) and test them relentlessly. The algorithms on TikTok and Meta find your audience based on who engages with your creative, not just who you set in the targeting settings.
The Integrated Agency Advantage: Media buying cannot be separated from creative strategy. An agency like One Day Agency ensures that your budget is fluid, moving between channels (like Google, Social, and Influencers) based on performance. We handle the complex technical planning and buying to ensure every pound helps you not just acquire a user, but acquire the right user, regardless of your business size.
The "build it and they will come" era of the app economy is long over. In a saturated marketplace, success requires more than just code; it demands a return to marketing fundamentals, razor-sharp targeting, and a seamless blend of creative and media. Here is how to navigate the complex landscape of app advertising, from the first impression in the store to the lifetime value of a loyal user.
Beyond the install button
The mobile app market is arguably the most competitive digital shelf in the world. With millions of apps available across the App Store and Google Play, the old adage "build it and they will come" has been replaced by a far more demanding reality: build it, optimise it, target it, and retain them.
For many business owners and marketers, "advertising an app" often devolves into a conversation about Cost Per Install (CPI) and finding the latest growth hack. But at One Day Agency, we believe sustainable growth comes from a different place. It comes from stripping away the jargon and returning to marketing fundamentals.
Whether you are a startup launching your MVP or an established enterprise looking to scale, the principles remain the same. It is not about throwing budget at a wall; it is about building an integrated machine where creative, media, and data work in unison.
The Foundation: It Starts Before the Ad
Before you spend a single pound on media, you must ensure your "shop window" is ready. In the app world, this is App Store Optimisation (ASO).
Think of ASO as the SEO of the mobile world. If your app store listing is weak, your paid advertising is leaking money. You might get the click, but you won't get the download.
Visuals Matter: Your icon, screenshots, and video preview are your first, and often only, chance to impress. They shouldn't just show features; they should sell the benefit.
Keywords & Descriptions: These need to be discoverable but also human-readable. You aren't just writing for an algorithm; you are writing for a person deciding whether to give you space on their phone.
Tool Tip: Tools like AppTweak or Sensor Tower are invaluable here. They allow you to spy on competitors' keywords, track your rankings, and understand which creative elements are driving conversions in your category.
The Engine: Paid User Acquisition (UA)
Once your foundation is solid, you need fuel. This is where Paid User Acquisition comes in. However, the landscape has shifted. Privacy changes, such as Apple’s ATT framework, mean we can no longer rely on hyper-granular tracking in the same way we used to.
Instead, the lever for success has moved to Creative Strategy.
On platforms like Meta (Facebook/Instagram), TikTok, and Google App Campaigns, the algorithm is smart enough to find your audience if you provide it with the right creative signals.
Diversify Your Creative: Innovative static images, User Generated Content (UGC), and slick motion graphics all play a role.
Test Relentlessly: You cannot assume what will work. A raw, unpolished TikTok video might outperform a high-production studio ad by 10x.
Broad Targeting: Trust the machine learning. Paradoxically, targeting too narrowly can often increase your costs.
Social Proof: The Influencer Factor
People download apps recommended by people they trust. Integrating Influencer Marketing isn't just a "nice to have"; for many consumer apps, it is critical.
This doesn't always mean paying a celebrity £50,000. It often means working with micro-influencers who have high engagement within your specific niche, be it fintech, fitness, or gaming. Their content serves a dual purpose: it drives organic downloads and provides you with high-performing creative assets to use in your paid ads, also known as whitelisting.
Retention: The "Leaky Bucket" Problem
Advertising an app doesn't stop at the download. In fact, that is just the beginning. The most expensive mistake we see is brands blowing their budget on acquisition while ignoring Retention.
If you pay £5 to acquire a user who leaves after three days, you have wasted £5.
You need a robust CRM strategy. This involves:
Onboarding Flows: Guiding the user to their "aha!" moment as quickly as possible.
Push Notifications: Used sparingly and strategically to provide value rather than spam.
In-App Messaging: Engaging users while they are active.
Tool Tip: Platforms like Braze or CleverTap are industry standards for managing this lifecycle, allowing you to trigger messages based on specific user behaviours, such as a user who adds an item to the basket but doesn't check out.
The Role of an Integrated Agency
This is where the complexity often overwhelms internal teams. You have ASO, paid media across three different platforms, influencer outreach, and CRM retention strategies. If these operate in silos, your marketing fails.
At One Day Agency, we function as an integrated partner. We don't have a "media team" that never speaks to the "creative team."
Planning and Buying
As a media agency, our role is to take the budget you have, whether modest or massive, and plan it where it will have the highest impact.
Cross-Channel Fluidity: We might start with a heavy investment in TikTok to drive awareness, then shift budget to Google Search to capture high-intent users, all while monitoring the data in real-time.
Agnostic Approach: We aren't married to one platform. If Meta isn't working, we move the budget. If influencers are driving cheaper installs, we double down there.
Buying Power: We navigate the complex bidding strategies of programmatic and social buying to ensure you aren't overpaying for impressions.
Crucially, we work with businesses of all sizes and budgets. We understand that a startup needs different metrics, often pure growth, compared to an enterprise focused on efficiency or ROAS. Our integrated model allows us to scale with you, ensuring that your creative messaging matches your media placement perfectly.
Conclusion
Advertising an app is no longer about finding a "silver bullet." It is about execution. It requires a deep understanding of your customer, a commitment to testing, and the ability to look at the full funnel, from that first store impression to the loyal daily user. By respecting the fundamentals and utilising the right tools and partners, you can turn your app from a piece of code into a thriving business.
If you want to learn more about Online Advertising, check also how to advertise on Instagram and TikTok!
