How-To Guide
© 2012 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Mobile Apps
Executive Summary
A mobile app is a software application designed for smartphones, tablets and other mobile
devices that has been built on a mobile operating system such as iOS, Android, Blackberry
and Windows.
Mobile apps were originally developed for productivity and information retrieval. Today,
over 91% of all U.S. citizens have their mobile device within reach 24/7 (Morgan Stanley).
The rising use and accessibility of mobile phones has influenced many companies to enter
this growing market with new and innovative use cases.
This How-To Guide will outline the benefits of creating a mobile app, things to consider
before building a mobile app and an action plan to help you launch your new app.
Benefits of Creating a Mobile App
Mobile apps can help build stronger relationships with customers and prospects. The
following section outlines a few other benefits that can result from creating a mobile app:
Accessibility – Engage customers where/when it’s convenient for them.
Speed – Apps store large amounts of info which can greatly reduce loading time.
Visibility – frequent use helps to reinforce your brand and build loyalty.
Reach – Combine marketing messages with interactive content.
How-To Guide
© 2012 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Profitability – enter new markets.
Communication - allow users to communicate with each other.
Things to Consider
The following is a list of things that you should consider before creating a mobile app:
Technology - Apple and Android represent more than 75% of the smartphone
market (HubSpot). Learn about the different platforms that are available and start
talking to developers.
Competitors – Evaluate your competitors and examine their mobile apps. A few
things to consider when evaluating the competition include:
o Strengths – what are they doing right?
o Weaknesses – what are they doing wrong?
o User experience – Is the app easy to use? Is it easy to download?
o Metrics – number of downloads, overall rating, number of comments, etc.
Use Cases - Your app must achieve some purpose to keep users coming back.
Planning out use cases in advance will help you create a more personalized app.
Brainstorm possible use cases and document them using our Mobile Marketing
Business Case template.
End Users – Identify your end users and use our Mobile Marketing Usage Survey to
understand the following:
o Expectations – what do they want the app to do?
o Interests – what would they use the app for?
How-To Guide
© 2012 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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o Goals – what do they want to achieve as an end user?
o Requirements – identify hard and soft requirements.
o Technology – what technology are they using?
o Feedback – what do they like/dislike about the apps they are using?
Objectives - What outcome would you like to achieve? Fox example, will your app
generate revenue or will it be free? Use our Mobile Marketing Strategy Scorecard to
document your goals & objectives.
Action Plan: Launching your Mobile App
1. Promote your App
Create some “buzz” by marketing your mobile application thought various
channels before the launch date.
2. Get Reviewed
Getting a favorable review from a trustworthy source is a great way to generate
demand for your mobile app.
Promote your app to industry bloggers by offering them a free download in
exchange for an honest review.
Encourage end users to write reviews.
How-To Guide
© 2012 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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3. Create Content
People will only be interested in your app if they understand how they can
benefit from using it.
Be sure to add different types of content to explain how your app works. A few
examples of useful content include:
o Video (Demo, tutorial, etc.)
o Images (Screenshots, Diagrams, etc.)
o PDF User Guide
o Knowledge Base
4. Distribution
Research suggests that you should launch your app in one store first so that you
can manage feedback, fix bugs and concentrate on updates in one market before
rolling it out to others.
Examples of distribution outlets include:
o Android App Store
o The App Store (iOS, Mac)
o Google Play
o Widows Store
5. Promote
Create a page for your mobile app on your website.
How-To Guide
© 2012 Demand Metric Research Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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Increase visibility by promoting your mobile app on social media networks like
Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and LinkedIn.
Send out an email blast to your mailing list.
6. Monitor feedback
Monitor the feedback that you receive from reviews and users comments.
Positive feedback can help increase popularity and downloads. Negative feedback
can help you identify any issues with your app.
Respond to users and improve satisfaction by incorporating changes based on
the feedback that you obtain.
7. Evaluate Metrics
Review all metrics that are available.
Use a third part metrics program to get more details on specific user metrics.
Use our Mobile Marketing Metrics Dashboard to track and report on your results.
Bottom Line
Mobile apps are here to stay. With proper planning and execution, a well-designed mobile
app will allow you to reach a broader audience, tap into new markets and become
increasingly accessible to your customers and prospects.
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