When launching a new app to the public, it is important to prepare a marketing plan within the first 30 days of the app being live. The first month is important for the success of app downloads and use. Recently, GOGov has revamped its marketing team to help our customers with marketing, by providing marketing consulting and promotion kits to kickstart promotion. When planning to promote a new app, it’s important to implement social media engagement, video marketing, press opportunities, direct mail campaigns, Facebook advertising, community events & outreach, influencer marketing, website and landing page optimization, and user feedback & testimonials.  

Social Media Engagement

Creating engaging posts for social media platforms is a simple way to kickstart promotion to the public. We suggest creating graphics that include a screenshot of the app, a QR code, and the name of the app. Having the screen shot will give the audience an idea of what the app does, the QR code will easily direct the user to the app store, and the name of the app will also give people a chance to look it up on the app store. To create simple visuals, we recommend creating a free account on canva.com. It’s an easy way to create visuals and download them to post on your social media platforms.

Video Marketing

Creating instructional, short videos is the perfect way to visually showcase the app’s features and benefits. It is a perfect opportunity to inform the audience how simple the app is to use. Additionally, short videos tend to do very well on social media platforms, and it is easy for personal accounts to share the content, which will help with building awareness.  

Press Opportunities

Press opportunities are essential in the first 30 days of launching your app. Writing and distributing press releases about the app launch will set you up for press opportunities. It will help with spreading awareness and showing the functions of the app. Reaching out to local media outlets such as a news station, radio, or local newspaper are great options for coverage and interviews. Additional exposure may include partnerships with relevant organizations or influencers. It always is a positive if someone familiar in the community is promoting the app.

Direct Mail Campaign

For a new launch, direct mail campaigns can be a game changer! Whether it is a postcard, mail insert, or included in a newsletter, it can be a very successful method for the community. When designing print marketing, we recommend including a QR code to scan for easy access download links. It is also important to highlight key features and encourage residents to download and use the app. A mailing list is an important factor as well; it can be the entire community or an opportunity to cover a specific area, such as a senior citizen community.

Facebook Advertising

Targeted Facebook ads are a strategy used to reach specific demographics within the municipality. By using compelling visuals and persuasive copy to drive app downloads, you will see an increase in impressions and downloads. This strategy works in your favor, because it allows you to monitor ad performance and optimize campaigns based on results.

Community Events and Outreach

Hosting community events to introduce the app to residents is a simple way to successfully gain user downloads. For example, setting up booths or kiosks at local fairs, festivals or farmers markets can really increase awareness and encourage residents to download the app. Another option is partnering with local businesses or organizations for cross-promotion opportunities.

Influencer Marketing

Collaborating with local influencers or community leaders to promote your app will add value when promoting your new app. When a familiar face is recommending the app and explaining the benefits of downloading it, people will follow. Asking local government representatives, such as the mayor, to share their experiences with the app and encourage their followers to download it will increase usage! Whether it is a short video, event guest, or a social media post, this will get the community on board.

Website and Landing Page Optimization

Creating a simple landing page with a clear and compelling message about the app will help connect the app to your website. If your social media presence is not as strong, your website is the best place to market the new app.  

A landing page is a centralized information hub for your municipal-branded mobile app. It provides a one-stop destination where citizens can find all the essential details about the app, its features, and how to download it. By consolidating information on a single page, you ensure that users have easy access to everything they need to know. ‍

User Feedback and Testimonials

Encouraging users to provide feedback and testimonials about their experience with the app will give you truthful and informative content that you can utilize with app promotion. We tend to see that citizens trust each other’s words when it comes to apps. Displaying positive testimonials on your website, social media, and marketing channels will help spread the word and influence others to download the app too. Using feedback is a great opportunity to continuously improve and enhance the app based on user needs.

Start Promoting your Local Government Branded App today.

During the first month of launching your municipality branded-mobile app, its important to follow the top 10 marketing apps for a successful app launch. To recap, its important to implement social media engagement, video marketing, press opportunities, direct mail campaigns, Facebook advertising, community events & outreach, influencer marketing, website and landing page optimization, and user feedback & testimonials. It is essential to continue consistent marketing efforts beyond the initial 30-day period. With this, it’s encouraged to keep ongoing engagement and communication with users to foster long-term app adoption and satisfaction.  

Throughout your app launch, GOGov is here to help. We offer unlimited meetings with our Marketing team to answer any questions, offer promotional materials, brainstorm custom strategies, and more. It’s important to us to make sure your app is launched correctly, and that we are doing everything on our end to make it successful! If you would like to set up a meeting or have questions, send us an email at marketing@gogovapps.com.  

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