APP promotion: How to increase users three times at low cost?

1. Project Background

A domestic financial APP project was launched in June 2018. After several months of exploration, it finally achieved explosive growth. The growth rate in less than two months in 2019 is nearly three times the total rate from June to December 2018, and the cost has dropped by nearly 50% .

Note: APP growth trend and cost change chart

This 0-1 project scale growth change can be roughly divided into three stages: exploration stage, growth stage, and explosive stage .

Note: Three steps of growth

1. Exploration period

The main purpose at the beginning of the project was to promote the registration and download of the APP , especially in the current environment where traffic costs remain high, the main direction considered was to tap into existing users .

The project did not achieve good results in the first few months after it was launched, with the results in the first month being zero. Of course, the main reason is that we don’t know how to operate the project itself, and we are moving forward by groping in the dark step by step.

2. Growth stage

The project has entered the second stage, and we are considering how to combine the existing user base to deeply explore more user scenarios .

By constantly reaching users through various channels and writing copy specifically for various scenarios, the effect will begin to improve after a period of time. And constantly sum up experience in this process.

3. Outbreak

The data growth in this stage showed a blowout state. Combined with the continuous exploration and summary in the previous two stages, we also overcome many pitfalls. The project management in this stage was also more mature.

2. Thinking Model

Combining my thoughts on projects during this period and my daily learning in marketing, I have compiled a set of thinking models. Although they are not perfect, I hope they can be used for communication and learning.

Note: Curve growth thinking model diagram

The overall idea revolves around the four steps of " discovery-connection-induction-reconstruction ".

1. Discovery

Whether we live in a fast-paced metropolis or in a pleasant rural environment. You will come into contact with different people and things, maintain a curiosity about the surrounding environment, and use a pair of discovering eyes to see more differences.

Discovery is a process of active thinking, just as every reader will see his own Hamlet.

Both life and work require a process of constant discovery. Learning to find multiple aspects of things and looking at problems from different angles will allow you to see more of the other side.

Discovery is only the initial stage of learning. More importantly, it is through the process of continuous discovery that you learn to understand the truth behind the appearances.

2. Contact

Philosophical knowledge involves many relationships, such as cause and effect, opposition, etc. Through discovery, we will find many relationships, and in analyzing these relationships, we will find certain connections between each link.

For example, in SEM data analysis, we will use funnel analysis and attribution analysis. From the process of search-display-click-browse-consultation-transaction, we will use data to analyze the connection between each link. Discover problems through data and then think about solving them in a targeted way.

When thinking about practical problems, sometimes it is difficult to understand and I don’t know how to deal with them. At this time, I will try to think from the other side of the problem. For example, I am the origin "0", and the problem is at the position of "1". For the time being, I don’t know how to establish a connection with "1", so I will think about what "-1" is.

Try to think in an opposing way, and you may get different results.

3. Induction

Induction is the process of continuous discovery and summary to find universal laws.

A term often heard in the marketing field is marketing methodology. Find a way to deal with the problem. Of course, everyone should have their own way.

The book "The Pyramid Principle" also discusses the two methods of deductive reasoning and inductive reasoning.

The form of deductive reasoning: major premise, minor premise, conclusion. Inductive reasoning emphasizes defining a central idea first and then analyzing multiple independent aspects around this central idea.

In the actual project implementation process, we combine the use of multiple methods to continuously summarize and reflect.

4. Refactoring

When quantitative change reaches a certain level, qualitative change may occur if sufficient conditions are met.

The process of executing a project is also a process of continuous self-optimization. When a project has gone through the test of multiple stages of "discovery-connection-induction", it may eventually lead to explosive growth.

My understanding of reconstruction here is that it is the starting point for entering the second stage of growth, that is, the origin of "discovery" in the second stage.

"Discovery-connection-induction-reconstruction" is an ever-increasing process. The "reconstruction" of the first stage of "discovery-connection-induction-reconstruction" will be the "discovery" of the second stage of "discovery-connection-induction-reconstruction".

I have always had a special passion for marketing. Although there are many things I don’t understand, growth is a process and I will keep running on this path.

3. Operational Strategy

In conjunction with the specific implementation of this project, I organized the operational ideas into: scenario -> creativity -> benefit point -> cycle -> channel.

Note: Project operation execution strategy diagram

1. Scenario

Scene can be understood as the place or moment where the target audience is .

Marketing, as I understand it, is a process of discovery. Users have certain needs, and advertisers happen to have suitable products/services to meet user needs.

How to discover the scene? Just imagine where and when financial users would use the APP.

For example, when we get up every morning to buy breakfast, we may use a payment app to make the purchase. Daily payment of telephone bills, water and electricity bills can also be completed using payment apps. Including salary management, daily transfers, credit card consumption, account balance inquiries, etc.

In short, we need to explore the scenarios/moments in which existing customers can use the APP in various aspects of their lives.

2. Creativity

Creativity is a very delicate thing. Good advertising copy can always leave a deep impression on people and achieve a good communication effect.

Saying the right words at the right place/time is like confirming each other’s feelings through eye contact, giving you a different experience.

Of course, after the creative copy is organized, the display effect should also be tested.

For example, there are many styles of SEM ads, and product ads will occupy a large area on the homepage, giving people a strong visual impact. The flash projection styles are gorgeous and rich, giving users more freshness. The display of advertising text in daily mobile phone text messages and APP message push are also everywhere.

Which of these advertising ideas that appear in our daily lives have impressed you the most?

During actual project execution, different copywriting is written for different scenarios to provide more targeted reminders to users and enhance user experience and perception.

3. Benefits

Sometimes, what allows users to complete the “finishing step” may be the preferential information mentioned in the advertising creative. After all, human nature has its weaknesses: greed for small gains.

In daily life, we always hear news about big sales in many supermarkets and shopping malls, such as 100 yuan off for purchases over 399 yuan, 20% off for two pieces of new spring products, 50% off for members, etc.

By exploring user needs and providing a suitable explanation, users may complete a transaction without even realizing it.

4. Cycle

The placement of advertisements involves a question of time. During the Spring Festival, there are advertisements for the Spring Festival, and during the National Day, there are advertisements for the National Day. The advertisements delivered to users in different cycles are also different.

But there are two points to note:

(1) There should be periodic control over user advertising and excessive marketing should be avoided.

This will disturb users and affect user experience. Many users still have some psychological aversion to advertising. In actual project implementation, we also found that excessive investment caused some customer complaints;

(2) Continuous advertising does not conflict with periodic advertising.

To maintain the effectiveness of advertising, the advertising campaign must be continued and not stagnant for too long. Some dormant users need advertisements to appear in their field of vision from time to time to remind them that we are always by their side.

5. Channels

There are currently many channels for advertising, including search, information flow, display ads, WeChat tweets, APP message push, etc. Regardless of the channel, the main purpose is to convey what the advertiser wants to express to the users in need.

Wherever the users are, we will use appropriate channels to reach them and meet their real needs.

The above is a brief summary of my overall experience based on the learning of the project itself and my thoughts on marketing during this period. I hope to communicate and learn with more marketing enthusiasts.

Source: Aichisem