In today’s saturated mobile app marketplace, there’s fierce competition to create demand. Currently, Google Play has over 2.8 million apps available for Android users, and the App Store has over 1.9 million available apps for iOS users. Needless to say, the mobile app market is a crowded one. And with so many apps to choose from, it can be a real challenge for apps to stand out and get noticed by users.

Catering to smartphone users with shorter attention spans only adds to the problem. This is why mobile app developers need to be effective with their advertising efforts in order to keep pace –– and keeping pace is the key to success. However, many developers think about mobile advertising through the lens of in-app ads and paid social media channels to get the attention of engaged, interested consumers.

We’re here to tell you there’s a better way….

How to Leverage Influencer Marketing to Boost App Installs

As the social media landscape continues to evolve and take on more functional uses beyond virtual communication and community, the use of influencers in marketing campaigns will only grow. In fact, influencer marketing is projected to become a $15 billion market by 2022.

Influencers play a pivotal role as liaisons, helping connect brands with consumers in meaningful and authentic ways that can deliver immediate return on investment. By tapping into influencers, mobile app owners and developers have a higher chance of their offer standing out in a saturated market.

Here are a few ways that influencers can help make a significant impact with mobile app marketing campaigns: 

• Drive brand awareness and credibility
  With so many apps available, achieving brand credibility goes a long way toward driving installs. And when it comes to brand, product, or service recommendations, 61% of consumers are likely to trust recommendations from an influencer on social platforms rather than the brand itself.
  
• Effectively reach a target audience
  It’s important for developers to choose influencers that already operate within their specific niche or category. In doing so, they can ensure their campaign is marketed to highly-targeted consumers that would be specifically interested in purchasing and using their app.
  
• Test and optimize campaign strategy
  Developers need to review impressions, engagement, and the average cost per install to determine how the audience of the influencer fits their app and whether or not future campaigns (or influencers) need to be adjusted.
  

What is Cost Per Install in Influencer Marketing? 

CPI is a very common pricing model in mobile app advertising and, unlike customer acquisition costs, it can be tied directly to your campaigns and help determine the overall return on investment.

CPI stands for Cost Per Install, which is the price paid each time a user installs a mobile app.

Here’s how it works:

1. A mobile app owner or developer decides they want to promote their app or offer with paid advertisements 

2. Influencers are selected that are aligned with their brand values and campaign objectives.

3. Customized ads are used within an influencer’s social media platforms in various digital formats, such as banners, videos, native, and interstitial, to entice new users. 

4. When a new user clicks on the ad and downloads the app, the advertiser (aka, the app owner or developer) is charged. 

So, how is cost per install for a specific campaign calculated? All you need to do is divide the total ad spend by the number of new installs from that same time period. For example, if you spent $500 on ads for your mobile app and generated 285 new installs, your Cost Per Install would be $1.75.

Keep in mind that not all smartphone users are not created equally –– Android controls 88% of the global market share. This probably explains why the average global CPI for Android apps in 2020 was almost half that of iOS ($0.44 in comparison to $0.86). Comparably, the average iOS CPI in the United States was $2.07 and Android app CPI was $1.72.

Measuring the ROI of Your Mobile App Install Campaigns

Mobile app campaigns with Influencer.co operate on a CPI basis, which protects from fake engagement and traffic. And to measure install tracking, we integrate with major attribution partners, such as Appsflyer, Adjust, Kochava, that allow mobile app developers to drive measurable installs that can be monitored for quality.

Are you ready to connect with engaged influencers, drive awareness to your app, and reach audiences that convert? Join Influencer.co today and get started for free.