Raise Awareness for your Mobile App with App Reviews

An integral part of many app marketing programs run by businesses and mobile app developers is raising awareness through app reviews. Getting reviews for your app can have a sizable effect on your app downloads. App reviews have many benefits, they will help you reach an audience you may not be exposed to in your other marketing efforts, additionally, reviews from third parties build credibility since they are coming from an objective source.

Start by writing a short, personalized email. This email should essentially be a short summary of a press release (which we will discuss below).  In your email mention the name of your app and discuss its unique selling proposition. Include links to your web site and where the reviewer can download it on Google Play or iTunes, followed by a paragraph describing its benefits and features.

Feel free to include a screen shot or two or a short video and wrap it up with your contact info. This email should be able to stand on its own, but it can be a good idea to include a press release under your signature.  You won’t want to include your press release as an attachment.

If you choose to write a press release, you will want to start with something that catches their attention.  Since readers often scan content these days, feel free to use bullet points to cover features and benefits, this will make it easier for a reader to scan and quickly develop an understanding of you app. Make sure you discuss what makes your app unique.

You don’t want to make it too long; an ideal press release will be 200-400 words. Remember your first 2 sentences are the most important; you need to capture a reader’s interest to get them to read more. Additionally, you will not want to use inflammatory language, don’t oversell your app or you will turn readers off.

When you start sending your emails out, it is a good idea to start small. You will have a much better chance having your app reviewed by smaller niche publications than major tech blogs like Mashable or Tech Crunch. Start by doing some research to find niche blogs that are targeted to a market your app would appeal to, for instance, if you develop an app focused on homeowner services, contacting sites that focus on homes and décor, etc. will potentially help you reach more interested users than tech blogs would.

Pic: Kārlis Dambrāns  (Flikr) http://bit.ly/2e1IGtf