10 tips to increase app downloads and user activity for Shopify merchants

1. Optimise Your Shopify Mobile App for Search

To increase visibility and ensure potential customers can find your app, it’s crucial to optimise it for search within app stores. This involves using relevant keywords in your app’s title, subtitle, and description. Optimisation enhances your app’s ranking, making it more discoverable by users. You can refer to Apple’s guidelines on app store optimisation for expert tips and insights.

2. Request Reviews from Happy Customers

Positive reviews not only improve your app’s reputation but also impact its visibility and ranking within the app store. The more high-quality reviews your app has, the higher it will appear in search results. The best time to request a review is immediately after a customer makes a purchase. At this point, customers are typically satisfied and more likely to leave a positive review. Make sure you include a simple, non-intrusive prompt encouraging them to share their feedback.

3. Promote Your Shopify Mobile App via Email Marketing

Your existing customers are your best prospects for app downloads. Email marketing is a powerful tool to reach out to these customers. By integrating with an ESP like Klaviyo, you can segment users based on their app usage. This enables you to target customers who haven’t downloaded the app yet or re-engage those who may not have used it in a while. Additionally, you can set up automated emails to encourage post-purchase customers to download the app for a better shopping experience.

4. Leverage Social Media to Promote Your Shopify Mobile App

Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok are excellent channels for reaching your existing customer base and promoting your app. With strong visuals and targeted messaging, social media is an essential part of any successful app promotion strategy. Consider leveraging influencer partnerships to boost your organic social media strategy!

5. Make use of App Store Search Ads

Similar to Google’s adwords, the Apple app store & Google playstore allow you to bid on keywords and appear for certain search terms such as ones relevant to your brand, competitors & sector. Start with a small budget to discover what search terms perform well and get a rough sense of conversion rates. Then work backwards from your desired CAC to get an idea of your CPT (cost per tap). Remember, your acquisition cost for mobile can afford to be slightly higher as your customers will retain better and spend more!

6. Add an App Banner to Your Shopify Website

Once you’ve invested in an app, it's essential to drive mobile users towards it. Adding a banner to your mobile website that promotes your app is an easy and effective strategy. A banner that appears when customers visit your website reminds them of your app, prompting them to either open the app (if they already have it installed) or download it if they don’t.

7. Set Up Universal Linking on Your Shopify Website

Take your app promotion one step further by setting up universal links on your website. Universal linking allows mobile users who already have the app installed to be automatically redirected to the app when clicking on a link from the mobile site. This creates a seamless user experience, encouraging app usage and increasing engagement.

8. Send Push Notifications Regularly

Push notifications are one of the most powerful tools for maintaining user engagement. They are 10 times more likely to be read compared to emails, making them highly effective for driving action. Regular push notifications can promote new products, seasonal collections, or exclusive offers. Automated push messages like abandoned cart reminders or back-in-stock alerts can also significantly boost conversion rates and app activity. Consider using Venn Apps’ exclusive lock-screen feature to collect push opt-ins and build hype before a launch!

9. Incentivise App Downloads with Exclusive Discounting

Who doesn’t love a discount? Offering exclusive discounts to users who download your app is a great way to incentivise downloads. Customers are more likely to install the app if they know they can access special offers, and it gives them a reason to start engaging with the app right away. 

10. Offer App-Exclusive Products

Another effective strategy is to offer exclusive products or collections that are only available on the app. By creating unique, app-only product releases or early access to new collections, you give users an incentive to download and engage with the app. This creates a sense of exclusivity and enhances the value of your app, making it more appealing to loyal customers.

By implementing these 10 strategies, you can increase your Shopify mobile app’s downloads, drive user engagement, and build a loyal customer base. At Venn Apps, we have helped many brands achieve lasting success with their apps, and we’re excited to continue supporting the growth of Shopify merchants in the UK and beyond.

For more insights on launching and scaling your mobile app, get in touch with us today!

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