Promote your App, Increase your Downloads

P1Making sure everyone at your school knows about and downloads your App is critical to your success.  This can also be one of your first challenges. You have been involved in the creation and maintenance process and have talked about it excitedly to so many people….but don’t think that mean the word is out and that everyone is aware of this awesome tool.  It may feel like work to get the word out, but these easy tips will get you hundreds of downloads in no time!

Ideas for Promoting your App:

  1. All-school email from Principal announcing your app
  2. Ask the principal to add “and don’t forget to download our school’s app for the easiest way to stay connected” to all of the automated phone call scripts.
  3. Have the principal make an announcement at Back to School and Open House events.
    * Even asking parents right then and there to pull out their phones
    and go to their app store and download the App on the spot!
  4. Post links to the app stores on Facebook
  5. Hang a Poster (or 3) in the front office
  6. Tape up Flyers on classroom doors and/or windows
  7. Run a contest (see ideas below)
  8. Have cards printed with app and school information on it and keep at the front desk
  9. Send home flyers or half-sheets in weekly folders
  10. Put your promo graphics on the home page of your school and parent group websites
  11. Add App information to all of your newsletters
  12. Make sure the app information is in all of your “For more information” footers
  13. Add the App information to email signatures

Contest Ideas:

  • Set up a table and every person that comes by and shows you the school’s app on their phone is entered to win a drawing.
  • Create a form in your app that parents/students can complete as an entry in a drawing.
  • Ask parents to share the app announcement on their Facebook page. They can tag your parent group or leaders in the post. The post with the most likes & shares wins! Like = 1 pts, Share = 3 pts

 

Madownload1ke your App Invaluable

There are countless ways to spread the word about your App!  The final and best way to get downloads is to make the App THE best place to get information about your school.  That means including updated and correct information and doing frequent and relevant push notifications!  If you master that, you will gain an organic and meaningful following that will naturally promote your app.