You may have finished publishing your mobile application and wondered how you can begin to market and share your creation with the masses. Publishing the app itself is only the first in a series of steps to broaden the reach of your content. Below are some techniques which you may find useful in promoting your new ShoutEm created app.

Do you know your target audience?

Understanding who exactly makes up your audience allows you to tailor your app promotion to those who would likely be interested in your content.

Start by engaging your audience through social means, such as Facebook, Twitter, and your blog comments to find basic demographic trends. Keep in mind the age, location, and gender of those who embrace you/your content, as well as their interests.

• Do you attract a “geek and proud” crowd? Make sure your words and imagery evoke an understanding of the latest tech, software or web-trends as they relate to your content and banners.
• Arm-chair quarterbacks and desk-chair umpires? Pictures of the ballpark, sharing your club’s cheers and adding your team colors to the mix help your audience associate with your interests as well.
• As a “foodie”, let your refined palate extend into your promotion with mouthwatering close-up images and evocative culinary language.

Learning more on targeting audiences/markets will ultimately help you to create campaigns based on individual demographics for maximum impact. However, taking a geniune interest in your audience will help you craft your message as you begin to promote your app.

Should I blog about my new app?

Absolutely. Create a post which introduces your audience to your application. Explain its features and how it can be of benefit to them. For example:

• If you use your app to promote a podcast, explain that they can use your app to listen anywhere they have a mobile data connection.
• If you are as mobile as your app, mention that your audience can use location features to find your meet-ups, favorite restaurants/pubs, or where to hang out before the big game.
• Let them know that the blog they’re reading at this moment is accessible on your app! Using your app to view your content will save them a few steps during their mobile browsing experience.

You may want to show your app’s design or create a guide to using your app. Try taking a screenshot with your iPhone, which is a fairly simple process, or Android device, which may depend on your rooting situation, but provides apps such as Screenshot It or Screenshot ER.

How can I utilize my social presence?

Do you have a Facebook page? A Twitter account? If not, social networking tools are the simplest, and most cost effective way to maximize your app’s promotion.

• A friendly tweet or Facebook post that includes a link to your app in the iTunes store is a great way to announce your app’s arrival to your audience.
• If blog commenters are wondering where they can find more of your content, feel free to point them to you app. Let them know they can also comment and participate using your app’s social functions, if applicable.
• Try creating a page that explains your app and submit it to StumbleUpon.
• Use your network to spread the word. There’s no harm in asking your associates, family and friends to support you with a “like” or retweet.

These services are free, and are a great way to expand your potential audience.

Can I Use Banner Ads?

If you’d like! Banner ads are an easy way to provide a nice visual link to your app, both on your personal site or any site you have an agreement to display these on.

• You’ll want to use appropriate and eye-catching imagery/headlines in your banners, and make sure you’re including this around the content area, and “above the fold” for the best click-through rates. Here is a visualization of optimal banner placement/design.
• There are standard sizes for most ad banners which should be followed. You can find a list of ad banner sizes here.

Try to visualize what your audience would expect to see on one of your banner ads, and build from there.

Conclusion

Don’t let the publication of your new app be the end of your journey. Keep close tabs on statistics when introducing some of these techniques to see what works best for you and your audience.

It’s easy to maintain your existing audience, and love every minute of it, but there’s always potential for growth in your content delivery. Take the next step and promote that app!