#notifymob

This simple, yet sophisticated ad unit demonstrates Notify's continued efforts to gather intelligence to optimize ads with on-the-fly A/B testing.

Developers make a variety of apps. Millions of them. But they’re all driven by a common goal: to sell as many of them as possible and as fast and consistently as they can. But with over a million apps available in the iTunes store and another million Android-based apps for sale as well, there’s a lot of competition and white noise out there. If developers want to compete effectively, they must differentiate, and this comes down to placing a premium on quality over quantity. Improving your apps can elevate your products over a seemingly endless sea of apps.

If you want to see your downloads increase, here are a few steps that can help:

Pay Attention to Your Users

Reviews are valuable. At their core, they represent the inner thoughts of your end users. The key here is to take a macro instead of a micro approach to reviewing your reviews. Don’t comb through each one individually. Instead, look for trends that identify which parts of your app are working and which ones aren’t. Reviews can give you valuable insight to help you continually improve your apps.  

Your Work Is Never Done

Any app can be improved. And we’re not just talking about bugs. Additional functionality, UI improvements, and expansions. The improvements are up to you. Just make sure you make them consistently. Your users need to know that your products are constantly evolving for the better.

Test, Test, and Then Test Some More

Follow up your improvements with repeated rounds of improvements. Sounds pretty basic, but make sure your app is working. You can have the best idea and superior creative, but if you can’t execute, your product is dead in the water. Think fluidity and functionality.

Gather User Data

Targeting prospective new customers is never going to be easy. But the increasing amount of connected mobile devices entering the market daily makes it easy-ish. Dialing in location and serving up ads has to be specific, however. You can’t enter the arena like an old west gun slinger hoping that your ads find their market. Location-based mobile advertising takes a sound strategy and a few timely tips.

1. Make it relevant.

Sounds simple, but make sure whatever you’re promoting is relevant to what your users want and need. If you manufacture down coats, advertising them to users in Florida, probably won’t get you the traction you’re looking for. Put some effort into what local users want to see. Often that means getting local yourself. Think about local sports teams, events, restaurants, and weather trends and include them in your ads.

2. Location-based rewards.

Winning stuff is hard wired into our brains. We love it. Capitalize on it with your ads by offering rewards to potential customers based on their location. Discounts. prizes, gift certificates to local shops or restaurants will all work. It’s a gamification process that makes your advertising more engaging.

3. Capture your leads.