Monday 29 August 2016

Apps marketing: Screenshots vs. Videos


So you're having a promo video for your app or a game trailer produced (by us?). Or you're producing it yourself.

You know why you're doing it: if a picture (or screenshot) is worth a thousand words, imaging how powerful a video can be to show what's unique about your app, etc.

You probably already have several ideas on how you're going to use it. But since you're spending money and/or time on that video, shouldn't you make sure you plan it right and make the best out of it?

Well, we're happy to help you out with this. After all, it's in our interest to prove you what we believe in: video is one of the best assets you can have when promoting your app.

Different Channels to Use Your Video for App Marketing

The type(s) of video you want to create is going to depend on where you plan to use it. Before starting to work on your video, you want to know if you'll use it on the app stores (and which ones – formats differ), for user acquisition (here to, formats can vary) or for something else (website, PR, etc.).

Video on App Stores

Video on the Google Play Store

This has (obviously) been one of our favorite features of the Google Play Store: it lets you add a video. It's one of the most visible assets on your Google Play Store page, as it shows up right next to the app screenshots.

In one click (or one tap if they are on their phone or table) and a few seconds, visitors can know why they need your app or want to play your game. What's pretty cool about it too, is that the views you get on your video through the Google Play Store count as views on YouTube. And the more views you get on YouTube, the higher your video is ranked in YouTube search results and therefore Google search results (more on that later – engagement matters a lot as well).

Video on Alternative App Stores (Amazon)

It's not all about the App Store and the Google Play Store.

If you have an Android app with engaged users, you should consider alternative app stores to get additional distribution channels. The most famous is the Amazon App Store, where you can also have a video.

Video ads

Creating additional videos (usually between 15s and 30s) for your app is definitely a good idea if you're considering video ads. You can use those video ads for user acquisition on Facebook, Instagram, Google or some video-focused ad networks.

Facebook Video ads

Facebook ads allow targeting a very detailed audience, at scale. You can match your database with Facebook to target your best users or reactivate some; find people that are like your best customers (lookalike audience), etc.

Their photo page post ads were pretty effective, with a direct "Install Now" call to action below it that leads directly to the App Store or Google Play Store.

And you can now have basically the same thing, with a video thumbnail that allows your potential customers to watch a video about your app. If they like what they see, they just have to tap the "Install Now" button and are brought to their app store.

Instagram video ads

With stats like that, it seemed logical that Facebook decided to monetize it with ads. And this time, it seems it only took a few months to go from traditional square image ads available to just a few to video ads for mobile app installs available to businesses of all sizes, everywhere.

And because you can now have landscape photo and videos on Instagram (not only the original square format), you can pretty much use your Facebook video creatives on Instagram as well. As long as the video is not more than 30s, which is plenty for a video ad.

Video on your app website or landing page

Increase conversion with a video on your app website so visitors can get what your app is all about quickly, or see some gameplay.

If your app website or the landing page you've created has the right layout, your potential customers will get everything at a quick glance: your headline along with a short description, your promo video and a call to action (CTA) to download the app.

You actually don't have to wait until your app is released to embed your promo video on your website. You can have a "coming soon" version, with a call to action inviting to get notified when the app launches. Once your app is available, change the video with the app store badges at the end as well as your CTA.

Quora

Quora is a great place to get some answers from experts or people in general. Your app might be worth mentioning in some answers, as long as it's relevant and not blatant auto promotion.

If you do mention it, think about embedding a YouTube video so that people see instantely what you're talking about.

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