[NEW APP] Best way to acquire organic app installs? [TACTIC INSIDE]

Hi there BHW members,

In a couple of days we will have fully developed an app for both Android devices (2.2+) as well as iOS devices (iPhone, iPod and iPad). It is NOT a gaming app.
This app has little competition, is high in demand and we are striving for one million, yes you read that right, ONE MILLION installs in a year from when we release the app.
The app already has a web-based version which has gotten 1500 organic visitors in its first month. Many of the users which visited the site and gave feedback really wanted us to create an app for their smartphones, so that's what we did.

In order to achieve said goal, which of course will be documented in the "my journey" sub forum of BHW, we need to properly market the app.
So my question to you guys is: How would one go about achieving said goal most effectively and efficiently, while keeping costs low in the process?

Our idea was as follows, Phase I:

• - First of all, add a separate page on the official website, on which users can download the app / get redirected to the Play/App store.
• - Secondly, make an animated video on YouTube where users can see why and how they can use the app and embed this video on the separate page.
• - Thirdly, post this video on many different social mediums and wherever we can, all posts will be posted by us and will be related to the subject of the official post.

Once there's some movement in regards to organic installs, we'll get to phase II:

• - Launch a campaign on Facebook targeting installs from around the world.
• - Buy ourselves into "app review of the (day/week/month)" on different sites which specialize in mobile apps and whatnot.

Depending on whether or not the app is on the first spot for the search term that we target:

• - We'll either sit back and enjoy the organic growth for the rest of the year while still posting regularly on different forums and social mediums OR
• - Buy a whole lot of app reviews and ratings + launch a second campaign on Facebook.
• - Create a dozen of YouTube videos and Churn&Burn them. If by then the app is not growing organically as we would like it to, we'll buy ourselves once again into "app review of the (day/week/month)" on different sites which specialize in smartphones/apps and whatnot.

So, what do you think of the above? Do you have any suggestions and/or tips? Let us know.

Cheers!

I like the fact that you actually have a plan. A little extra thingy that works is allowing people to share something in the app, for example in a photo app, i'd allow people to share their recently made picture on facebook, twitter or whatever other social network. I bet you already implemented that but i thought i'd make it clear for anyone interested in this topic.
Cheers,
Gill.

ceuroh said:

I like the fact that you actually have a plan. A little extra thingy that works is allowing people to share something in the app, for example in a photo app, i'd allow people to share their recently made picture on facebook, twitter or whatever other social network. I bet you already implemented that but i thought i'd make it clear for anyone interested in this topic.
Cheers,
Gill.

Click to expand...

Out of 264 views you're the only one that replied... that's BHW for you folks

Anyhow, thanks for the compliment. I'm not the type of guy going in without a plan seeing how it'd be foolish to do so when there's (a lot of) money involved.
Sharing was indeed an option we implemented, but later took out due to the fact that there's very few people who would have used the sharing tool within the app (privacy related). Thanks for the tip nevertheless, it's at least something!

Anyone else willing to give some input?

Cheers!

izeph00i said:

Out of 264 views you're the only one that replied... that's BHW for you folks

Anyhow, thanks for the compliment. I'm not the type of guy going in without a plan seeing how it'd be foolish to do so when there's (a lot of) money involved.
Sharing was indeed an option we implemented, but later took out due to the fact that there's very few people who would have used the sharing tool within the app (privacy related). Thanks for the tip nevertheless, it's at least something!

Anyone else willing to give some input?

Cheers!

Click to expand...

You said it in your post - you'll buy installs and promote on social media, so there's really not much left to give advice here if you have the budget keep buying installs, but try other networks not named Facebook. With Facebook you'll get the price per download down through trial and error but once it's down got can't get sufficient number of installs at that price. Try Appbrain and Tapjoy ( for incentive and not incentive)

Dante12 said:

You said it in your post - you'll buy installs and promote on social media, so there's really not much left to give advice here if you have the budget keep buying installs, but try other networks not named Facebook. With Facebook you'll get the price per download down through trial and error but once it's down got can't get sufficient number of installs at that price. Try Appbrain and Tapjoy ( for incentive and not incentive)

Click to expand...

Ahh excellent, thanks for the tips regarding Appbrain and Tapjoy.
We're now in the finishing stages of developing the app, after that it'll be reviewed by the Stores and we'll get the show started!

It might not bring you many installs but don't forget to publish the android version on other stores as well, this is nice list :
​http://joyofandroid.com/android-app-store-alternatives/

Interesting, I'm curious as to how much installs this can actually bring. Facebooks ads can be a hit or miss and and you would have to make sure that you're your ROI is higher than the cost.

Start up ads from AppNext seem to work wonders when implementing CPI campaigns.