1page.title=Build Buzz 2page.image=/distribute/images/build-buzz.jpg 3page.metaDescription=Generate interest and demand for your app. Here are some ways to help users find, download, and install your apps. 4page.tags="users, growth, promotion" 5 6@jd:body 7 8<div class="figure"> 9 <img src="{@docRoot}distribute/images/build-buzz.jpg"> 10</div> 11 12<p> 13 With more apps published each week in Google Play, building buzz 14 around your own apps helps them get noticed and makes it easier for 15 users to find and download them. 16</p> 17 18<p> 19 Building buzz doesn’t have a single formula. The tools and techniques 20 described here have worked for other developers, but finding the right mix 21 will depend on your apps, your audience, and your competition. And don’t be 22 afraid to try something different or quirky, taking a risk could pay big 23 dividends. 24</p> 25 26 27 <h2 id="link-to-your-apps"> 28 Link to Your Apps in Google Play 29 </h2> 30 31 32</div> 33 34<p> 35 After publishing your apps, you can take Android users directly to your 36 app/games detail page on Google Play by <a href= 37 "{@docRoot}distribute/tools/promote/linking.html">providing links</a> in your 38 social network posts, ad campaigns, app reviews and articles, your website, 39 and more. 40</p> 41 42<p> 43 You can also link to: 44</p> 45 46<ul> 47 <li>A <a href= 48 "{@docRoot}distribute/tools/promote/linking.html#OpeningPublisher">list</a> 49 of all of your apps 50 </li> 51 52 <li>A Google Play <a href= 53 "{@docRoot}distribute/tools/promote/linking.html#PerformingSearch">search 54 result</a> 55 </li> 56 57 <li>A <a href= 58 "{@docRoot}distribute/tools/promote/linking.html#OpeningCollection">collection</a> 59 on Google Play 60 </li> 61</ul> 62 63 <h2 id="use-the-google-play-badge"> 64 Use the Google Play Badge 65 </h2> 66 67 68</div> 69 70<div class="figure" style="margin:0 3em;"> 71 <img src="{@docRoot}images/gp-build-buzz-uplift-1.png"> 72</div> 73 74<p> 75 <a href="{@docRoot}distribute/tools/promote/badges.html">Google Play 76 badges</a> are an especially great way let Android users know that your apps 77 are available and link them directly to your Google Play page. Users are more 78 likely to download and trust your apps and games when the Google Play badge 79 is used. 80</p> 81 82<p>Badge your 83 websites, collateral, and ad campaigns. With the badge generator, they're 84 also easy to make and available in multiple languages. 85</p> 86 87<div class="headerLine" style="clear:both"> 88 <h2 id="cross-promote-from-your-other-apps"> 89 Cross-Promote from Your Other Apps 90 </h2> 91 92 93</div> 94 95<div class="figure-right"> 96 <img src="{@docRoot}images/gp-buzz-1.jpg"> 97 <p class="img-caption"> 98 Cross-promoting related apps. 99 </p> 100</div> 101 102<p> 103 Cross promoting, or house ads, is a great cost effective way to get users to 104 try out new titles. Be sure that your house ad is unobtrusive and presented 105 at a time convenient for users to leave your apps and try out your new title. 106 Also, be sure to include logic that allows users to dismiss the ad and 107 control if they will be asked again later. 108</p> 109 110<p> 111 Consider using free AdMob <a href= 112 "https://support.google.com/admob/v2/answer/3210452?hl=en#subid=us-en-et-dac"> 113 house ads</a> within your apps to create awareness and promote your entire 114 portfolio of apps. When launching new apps, an easy way to quickly attract 115 users is to promote directly to your existing customers. 116</p> 117 118<div class="headerLine"> 119 <h2 id="hold-a-contest"> 120 Hold a Contest 121 </h2> 122 123 124</div> 125 126<p> 127 Contests can be a great way to engage your users. If you have a game, hold a 128 tournament and promote it through your marketing channels. Use Google Play 129 Games APIs for leaderboards and achievements to stimulate competition. Some 130 app developers have provided prizes for creative uses of an app or social 131 engagement. For example, a photo app developer can hold a photo contest. 132</p> 133 134<p> 135 But be sure you’re complying with the appropriate legal requirements in your 136 country and provide a clear set of terms and conditions, accessible online. 137 Don’t let a lack of attention to detail spoil a great marketing opportunity. 138</p> 139 140<div class="headerLine"> 141 <h2 id="leverage-pr"> 142 Leverage PR 143 </h2> 144 145 146</div> 147 148<p> 149 Public Relations outreach can be a valuable marketing initiative. Many 150 developers use PR to announce new features in their apps or games, which, in 151 turn, builds demand for the updated release when it comes out. You can also 152 provide early copies of your app or game for the press to review, and publish 153 their reviews when the app or game launches. 154</p> 155 156<div class="headerLine"> 157 <h2 id="use-social-media"> 158 Use Social Media 159 </h2> 160 161 162</div> 163 164<p> 165 Social media is your opportunity to build promotion for your apps. Start with 166 your own channels: update users on your plans before launch, announce your 167 launch, and talk about progress after launch (downloads, new features, and 168 alike.) Then expand by encouraging your users to forward and share your 169 posts. 170</p> 171 172<p> 173 Take advantage of bloggers. Look for bloggers that cover Android and learn 174 what interest them. Remember to look locally as well as globally, gaining a 175 local following can be a great springboard to global success. When you’ve 176 selected a target group of bloggers focus on them by sending details of your 177 apps and free versions if the apps are priced. Follow up and ask them to 178 review your apps. A review on the right blog is a great promotion. 179</p> 180 181<div class="headerLine"> 182 <h2 id="publish-youtube-videos"> 183 Publish YouTube Videos 184 </h2> 185 186 187</div> 188 189<div class="center-img" style="padding-top:1em;"> 190 <img src="{@docRoot}images/gp-build-buzz-yt.png"> 191</div> 192 193<p> 194 YouTube videos are now an essential part of building buzz. Use them to 195 showcase your apps’ feature. Remember to do this before, at, and after 196 launch. Taking users on a journey through the development of your apps can be 197 a great way to drive downloads at launch. 198</p> 199 200<div class="headerLine"> 201 <h2 id="advertise"> 202 Advertise 203 </h2> 204 205 206</div> 207 208<div class="figure"> 209 <img src="{@docRoot}images/google/gps-ads.png" style="width:340px"> 210</div> 211 212<p> 213 Advertise your app in other apps to increase downloads. There are many tools 214 to help you target the right users for your apps and games. You can use 215 <a href= 216 "http://www.google.com/ads/admob/promote.html#subid=us-en-et-dac">AdMob</a> 217 to drive installs of your app at a target cost-per-acquisition (CPA). You 218 also get free house ads for your own app. <a href= 219 "https://apps.admob.com/admob/signup?subid=us-en-et-dac&_adc=ww-ww-et-admob2&hl=en"> 220 Sign up for an AdMob account</a> to get started. 221</p> 222 223<div class="headerLine" style="clear:both"> 224 <h2 id="maximize-your-marketing-spend"> 225 Maximize your Marketing Spend 226 </h2> 227 228 229</div> 230 231<div class="figure" style="margin: 0 3em;"> 232 <img src="{@docRoot}images/gp-build-buzz-uplift-2.png" style=""> 233</div> 234 235<p> 236 Maximize buzz and leverage the halo effect of cross-platform, multimedia, 237 simultaneous launches. 238</p> 239 240<p><strong>Developers who launch on multiple platforms at 241 the same time have received a 10-20% uplift.</strong>If you’re spending money 242 to advertise your launch or spending effort on press, shipping on multiple 243 platforms simultaneously helps you maximize your return on investment. 244</p> 245 246<div class="headerLine" style="clear:both"> 247 <h2 id="related-resources"> 248 Related Resources 249 </h2> 250 251 252</div> 253 254<div class="resource-widget resource-flow-layout col-13" 255 data-query="collection:distribute/users/buildbuzz" 256 data-sortOrder="-timestamp" 257 data-cardSizes="9x3" 258 data-maxResults="6"></div> 259 260