Promote Through YouTube
Create a YouTube video describing and demonstrating your new app. You can set up an account for free in a matter of seconds on YouTube. In your video, highlight the use of your app and how its features and benefits make it worthwhile. Videos are very powerful because people tend to watch a video over reading about something. So once you post a video on YouTube, you can have literally thousands of views in a short period of time. People can comment on the video and your app just like on the App Store. But you can also comment back when someone posts a comment. This interaction will help you establish a community of followers to your apps and brand.
You can also create YouTube ads for your app using a Google AdWords account. As we recommend in this article, use this approach sparingly and go slowly before spending too much money. Gauge if your ads are going to work or not before committing too much money to it.
Promote Through LinkedIn
LinkedIn can be another great way to reach an audience of developers and buyers for your app, especially if you have written a business-related app that is geared to working professionals. You can join up to 50 LinkedIn groups based on your own target audience. A search of groups will reveal perhaps hundreds of groups that you can contact. Be sure to find groups that have many members so that your communication efforts are not in vain. There is a news category where you can let the group know about your app.
If you haven’t created your own LinkedIn profile, you need to do that to post to these groups. But having a profile showcasing your development skills is a huge benefit. You can post announcements on your profile about your app’s availability, and you can update your contacts about updates and other news about your brand.
Promote Through Blogs
You can create a blog if you don’t already have one, but remember blogging is a commitment, and you must post comments at least weekly to be followed with any regularity. You can use WordPress or Blogger, and they’re free and simple to use. There are so many ways to link and use your blog posts to spread the word about your app. For example, you post your blogs to your LinkedIn profile. You can send a Twitter message (Tweet) with a link to your blog post.
Create a Facebook Fan Page
Create a Facebook fan page to showcase your new app and develop your brand. A number of popular games apps are using Facebook fan pages and they have generated huge followings. Facebook fan pages are easy to set up and don’t cost you a dime. Your app page can be found in the search engines as well, which is going to help people find you. Additionally, when a visitor joins your fan page, the updates are broadcast to all members of that person’s group and they are helping you to spread the word about your app.
Create Digg Articles and Videos
You can spread the word about your app article or video online at Digg.com. Digg will post your submission immediately in “Upcoming Stories,” where other Digg members can find it. If the readers like your article, they will “Digg” it, meaning they will give it their approval. Once a submission reaches a large number of Diggs, your post can become one of the most read, and it jumps to the home page in its category, where even more people will read it. Be prepared to post many articles to this site before one of them takes off. It’s a lot of work but could be well worth it when your app get noticed in a very big way.
Visit Forums and Post Comments
Many developers are already members of forums and discussion groups where they can post comments about iPhone/iPad development topics. You can also identify new forums that meet your target audience criteria for your app and start a dialogue about apps in your category and other relevant topics. You can participate in discussions and talk about your apps as appropriate once you have established yourself as a regular. Be sure to follow each forum’s protocol, as we have discussed in earlier articles. This helps you build awareness for your brand and for your app.