When does a business need a smartphone app? Is a mobile website still enough? ...and if you take the plunge and build an app, how are you going to market it and make it a success? This presentation aims to answer those questions as well as a top level view of how to integrate mobile into your marketing.

1. StephenKenwright | | @stekenwright
vs.

2. Build
app
???
Profit

6. Web = reach? But there are search
results like this

7. Apps appear
above
organic in
google.gr

9. Apps
News
Organic x2

10. “bingo” or “poker” = “I want to play”

11. Source: Think with Google

12. 40% of search queries show apps in the top 5
Source: Search Engine Roundtable

13. Organic
Apps

14. “football” = “I want to know”

15. Reach depends on query intent. What do
you want your app to do?

16. So reach users on mobile web, funnel into
app and retain? Careful!

17. Source: Google Webmaster Central

18. Drive app downloads from
paid/owned media

19. IHG (Holiday Inn) gives reward points
to app downloaders

20. TripAdvisor
hides some
functionality
from mobile
web users
Out and
about? Read
reviews on
web. Want to
write one? Use
the app.

21. Why not use a CTA in ATL campaigns to
push consumers to your app?*
*(app users more valuable than hashtag tweeters + Google <3 brand
search)

22. Drive app downloads from the app
store

23. App store ranking factors
Ranking Factors Android iOS
Title
Short Description
Long Description
Keywords
Images
Publisher
Updates

24. Organic Search = longtail opportunities
App Store = brand and head keywords

25. Publisher = your brand
Build consistently great apps, rank better
Spam the Play Store and risk getting your
brand kicked out of all Google properties
Publisher is important

26. Positive ratings/reviews influence
app store rankings

27. Ratings/reviews will probably
influence Google rankings soon

28. Want to rank higher in the app store?
Get more downloads + get them fast

29. PR and SEO must be involved in an
app launch

30. iOS’ AppStore takes two weeks to approve
changes

31. Updating apps frequently does improve
rankings
However…

32. Paying to promote apps?
Frontload budgets

33. Speak to journalists/bloggers in advance

34. Google has access to the link graph,
Apple doesn’t – you need attention, not links

35. Plan your launch date carefully

36. “iPhone” Google Trends
Too late

37. Drive app downloads from social
media

38. 80% of Twitter’s 300M+ active users are
on mobile
Source: Twitter

40. But Twitter = “I want to know”
not “I want to play”?

41. User doesn’t display an immediate need…
…no immediate competition

43. Drive app downloads from
search engines

44. Logo =
improved CTR
But affects
m. traffic

45. Source: Will Critchlow

46. Source: Will Critchlow

47. Add your app to Google Search Console

48. CTR + position = forecasts!

49. (Part of) what
a deep link
looks likeYes…it’s a
separate bot

50. Read this via DeepCrawl:
‘App Deep Linking for Beginners’

51. 2/3 installed apps are never used
Source: Ofcom

52. Apps appearing in search results remind
users you exist

53. You can even index content from apps that
users haven’t installed

54. Google + Agawi
= app streaming

55. All reach. No retention.

56. So what are the options?

57. Mobile web + mobile app
Mobile web only
Mobile app only
Not really an
option…

58. Ignore how many competitors have apps…
…how many are indexed?

59. ROI on apps might never be as high

60. Thank you
stephen.kenwright@branded3.com @stekenwright slideshare.net/Branded3