Dating app marketing strategy: how to promote your dating application
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Perhaps, you are here because you might be slightly frustrated about how to promote a dating app you have just created or going to create. Nowadays, when online media is flooded with advertising, it seems almost impossible to wedge into this ocean of digital information. It's not getting easier knowing that the average attention span of humans has fallen lower than 9 seconds (the average attention span of goldfish). So it's not a witty metaphor anymore, the things are getting worse and worse.
However, before you'll get completely disappointed in your perspectives and close this article in tears, there are still some bright sides and opportunities that might work for the promotion of your dating app.
Before continuing with the article, here are some things you need to consider before you start moving forward with dating app promotion:
- Make sure you know your target audience and specify it as much as possible. You don't have to compete with apps like Tinder or Bumble, but you might be a treasure for those looking for something specific. For example, a dating app for ex-pats in Barcelona. Only after you create a clear picture of your target group, you could be able to prepare a promotion strategy. Think about the general portrait of your typical user. What are their gender balance, country, and age group? What are theır onlıne dating habits?
- It would help if you also were sure that you have everything ready. Marketing materials like the description, professionally-made screenshots, and videos have been already prepared, and of course, the latest version of your app is ready to upload. If you feel overwhelmed by the details, you can always ask us to submit your dating app and just follow the whole process, so that you can concentrate on the other things.
- Be prepared to invest resources in your dating app promotion. Whether you do it yourself, with a team, or hire an external marketing person, you have to put money, time, and effort into it. Creating an Instagram profile and posting 2-3 pictures of a happy couple with your logo is not a Social Media promotion. You also shouldn't expect ]downloads will start automatically after publishing the app in the App store. If you are serious about promoting a dating app, you need to dedicate some time to digital marketing.
- It would help if you also were sure that you have everything ready. Marketing materials like the description, professionally-made screenshots, and videos have been already prepared, and of course, the latest version of your app is ready to upload. If you feel overwhelmed by the details, you can always ask us to submit your dating app and just follow the whole process, so that you can concentrate on the other things.
ASO Optimization
After you submitted the app to App Store, your next step is to take care of ASO - or - App store optimization. In simple words, ASO is a set of marketing activities that help you make your app more visible to app store users. If you want your application to be noticed, make sure that you took care of the following:
- Choose the most suitable primary category for your app. You can choose two categories in total: primary and secondary. However, it's mainly a primary one that will affect your discoverability. According to Apple's guidelines, for category selection, you need to consider 1) the main purpose of your app; 2) where your potential users will look for it? If it's a dating app for travelers, do you think it will still fit the "Social Networking" category or would suit "Travel" better? 3) which category is commonly used by your competitors?
- Work on your keywords. Same logic you use for SEO (search engine optimization), you apply for ASO: research the most relevant keywords for your dating application, and it will promote itself. Smoothly implement the keywords to the app's title and description. For example, if it's a travel dating app, you may add sentences with words like "online dating", "travel dating", "Tinder", etc.
- Localize your app. If you plan to conquer international markets with your app, make sure you adapt the data on your app's product page accordingly. It includes the translation and customized content for local culture. Before you release the app, you have an option to select the regions and countries you want to distribute the app. For paid application, you can set the prices in local currency.
- Add professionally designed screenshots and videos of your dating app. Not everyone dives deep into the description if they can just scroll the screenshots carousel and make up their mind. It's also an excellent way to highlight the app's features.
Implement a search engine optimization strategy for the dating app
By working on ASO, don't forget about SEO - Google search engine optimization. For this step, you are expected to have already had a website with proper written and visual content that describes your dating app. However, if you are really taking SEO seriously as a promotion tool, you really need to invest in your website's content.
Blog, FAQ page, successful stories page, maybe even a forum - all of these elements can help you to boost your SEO. But it's also not enough. Technical characteristics like the page loading speed, lack of error pages and etc. are expected to be optimized as well. Anyway, it's a whole new world to dive into. If you are planning to have a web version or a PWA of your dating app it can be worth trying at least.
However, if you are lacking resources for running SEO properly, it's better to just create an attractive landing page with the app's description and link to the dating app's page in AppleStore. There are fewer chances that your website will be featured in the top search results, however, you can still promote it through paid search, social media, and other channels.
Introduce Paid App Promotion
When it comes to heavy guns, a paid ad could be a serious weapon in your fight for the audience. Whatever platform you choose to pay for ad placement, it's all about setting the right targeting. But before we talk about it, let us first clarify the types of ads you could use for your dating app promotion.
Apple Search Ads
App Search Ads is the ad that appears in App Store's search results above the organic results. Promoting the app in the App store might be a pretty good idea as you have a "hot client" who's actively looking for the particular app and willing to download/buy it here and now. According to Apple, 70% of visitors use App Store's search to find their next app. So if you are willing to invest some money, Search Ads could be a wise choice. You can choose between two promotion options: basic and advanced. With Basic, you only need to set up your campaign's monthly budget, desired cost-per-install (you are paying for the number of downloads from the ad), and countries you want to be present. The rest is handled by Apple.
Advanced option Apple recommends to marketing professionals who know their audience and want to specify the ad placement, time, and user's demography.
Learn more in the "App Store Search Ads: Explanation, Setup, and Advantages" article.
Google AdWords
Many people assume that Google Adwords is the ads that appear in Google search above all the organic results. However, it's just the piece of the iceberg. Google Adwords is a powerful advertising system that helps you to target and reach your audience through Google search AND partner sites including Google Play, YouTube, and Google Discover. Apart from ads in search, you can create and manage:
- Display and text ads on various sites;
- Video ads on YouTube;
- App ad campaigns across Google Play, YouTube, Google Search, and the Display Network;
- Google shopping ads.
When we are talking about Google Search Ads, don't expect that you'll just pay some money, and Google will show your ad straight away for any relevant keyword. There is huge competition among advertisers, and if you want to win, you have to have a good quality of your ad, landing page, and website in general.
The main feature of using Google AdWords is its ability to target the audience very precisely. Google is collecting users' data as no one else, and if it may frighten you as a user, as an advertiser, on the other hand, you are blessed. For example, once the users visit your site without a purchase or download, they will be chased by your remarketing ad at any partner website.
Social Media Ads (Facebook/Instagram)
Another option for ad placement can be Facebook and Instagram. You can manage both social media channels from Facebook Business Suit. By choosing placement options, ad types, and targeting by interests, you are fully equipped to start a successful promotion of your dating app.
Although you might think that social media might be more suitable for the promotion of a social platform like a dating app, don't forget to mind your audience. For example, for a more mature audience you can try a static image ad on Facebook or Instagram feed, while for a young audience, a dynamic viral video ad could be more suitable for TikTok.
Source - Hootsuite
Speaking of Tiktok. It's a perfect advertising platform for you if you are targeting:
- Young adults 35 and under;
- Women, especially at the age 18 to 25;
- Asia or the Middle East market.
About the types of ads and possible placement options, we recommend you to check TikTok's Learning Center.
Display Ads
When someone is talking about display ads they are most likely referring to visually engaging ad blocks on different websites. It might be a video, image, or animated element that is placed on third-party websites. As we've mentioned before you can create and run a displayed ad through Google AdWords, Facebook, or any other platform. If you want your ad to deliver great results, make sure that:
- you set the right targeting audience;
- your message is clear: the image is not cluttering; the video is not overwhelming;
- you have a clear call to action (for example, download here or learn more);
- the landing page of the ad is accurate and is logically following the ad.
Display ads could be very helpful when you are just starting to widely promote your dating app brand as it's visual and usually more attractive than search ads, for example. However, there are mainly two big issues with this type of ad:
1) Ad blocks - browser extensions or special desktop programs that hide the websites' ads. This technology has become very popular in recent years.
2) Banner blindness - the users' habit of ignoring display ads due to their excessive use of them. It might be a challenge, so it's up to your creativity could you be able to get the attention or not. Rich media could be helpful in this case: you can use a sound, gamification, or any other engaging element to "hook" a user.
Viral content
Social Media is a great place to promote your dating application. However, to make your SM presence especially effective, you need to act boldly. You can create thousands of content explaining how your app works and why it's better than Tinder, but without any extra bait, no one would be interested.
You have less than 8 seconds to impress someone on the internet, do you remember that? So prepare your creativity to work hard to truly viral content. It can be a video, image, or an article that is so good/ funny/ interesting/ controversial by itself that it not just grabs people's attention but also stimulates them to like, comment, and share it.
When you hear viral content, we can bet that the first thing you think about is a video. Nevertheless, you may find it too expensive to delegate to a professional production company or overwhelming to do it yourself. So it's time to remind you that there are other ways to go viral and sharable.
For example, this "Dictionary for the Modern Dater" by OkCupid. What can be more entertaining than short jokes full of sarcastic and very on-point black humor? This is something you want to share with a friend or to even use as an ice-breaker.
Leverage heavily on influencer marketing
In the ocean of brands, products, and accessive supply of everything, modern customers are struggling to make purchasing decisions. Why risk and pay for something if it's not worse the hustle? Here comes influencers - bloggers or celebrities with a mass online following and, obviously, online influence. Some of them could be icons for millions of people, who are inspired to look alike and live the same lifestyle. Some of them have less following, but sometimes even more trust as they cover a specific niche. If you are a dating app start-up, your budget could be in tough shape for huge influencers, so you can always try bloggers with less following. The ideal candidates usually reflect your ideal/typical customer. So, for example, if you are a dating app for travelers, try to reach out to travel bloggers.
Share User-generated Content
User-generated content is any original content created and published by users or employees. For example, a life-hack video of someone talking about your app they've recently discovered, an honest review on the forum, or even an honorable mention in a podcast.
People trust people more than any creative ad, so working on your word-of-mouth is vital nowadays. You can reward your brand loyalists with extra features or discounts for inviting their friends to join the app (you can use referral links for this). If it is too complicated, just ask them to write an honest testimonial about their positive experience on your app.
Many niche dating apps and websites have successfully implemented this strategy by starting "Success Stories" pages where users share their romantic love stories.
Another inspiring idea comes from CoffeeMeetsBagel. They started a flashmob by offering their female users to share their empowering stories with #DaretoShare hashtag. Later the CMB team selected the most inspiring stories and published them in their blog. It's needless to say that such campaigns help not only raise brand awareness but also strengthen the brand's community and loyalty.
Press Release
Another way to popularise your dating app is to contact the media. From news and lifestyle online magazines to popular blogs and top-rated websites, online you can find them all. Create a list of potential websites and start emailing them with your press release. Compare the conditions from all of them and only after that make up your mind. The goal is to find the best balance between the website's traffic, audience quality, and price.
One more hint is to get into the best-rated Google lists. Articles like the "Top Dating Apps for" or "Top applications for dating" could bring more potential downloads. However, be prepared to have a budget for this PR.
Online Communities
Another guerilla marketing method to promote your dating app is to reach out to your target online community through social media groups, forums, and other community websites. Reddit, Quora, Facebook groups, Twitter, Telegram and Discord channels, ClubHouse and othersv- the list can be endless. Think about where your potential users hang out and chat, you can sincerely invite them to try the app you have been working. This option is perfect if you've just launched your dating applicattion and want to test it and get the first users and feedback. To make this method work, you need to dedicate some decent amount of time and energy. But the brightside of it is that it's completely free.
Final Thoughts
You can try different technics and combinations for your dating app promotion. If you're interested in promoting a dating site, study the "How to Promote a Dating Website" article. We advise you to try all free options first and see how it will go. It will take time and effort to make it work. Also, if something doesn't go as well as you planned, don't rush to judge the channel or the method you chose. Pay attention to how the execution process. For example, you have tested video advertising on Facebook and Instagram, and it didn't bring you any traffic or downloads. Before getting disappointed, check the targeting settings you've selected, maybe the audience was too broad? Or maybe, the message of your ad was not clear? Sometimes even stupid mistakes like adding the wrong landing URL could cause negative outcomes.
Finally, don't be scared to experiment and look for more promotion opportunities for your dating app. As we keep saying, the key is the audience. As long as you've found where they "hang out" online the most, the next step is to reach them by engaging and clear message. You could do it! Just keep trying and don't give up easily.
Alexa is a sure-handed digital marketing person who helps small and middle-size businesses to grow online. She believes that a well-thought SEO strategy, smart targeting, and communication strategy could skyrocket any business.
