Advertise your mobile app or game without shouting about it. Here's how: mobile app influencer marketing. 

This article will give you an overview of making the most out of this super-efficient approach. Tips, tricks, all in one place.

Mobile app influencer marketing: intro

What's influencer marketing all about? It's about using social media influencers—folks with a solid following who are seen as niche experts. We trust real people more than ads. 

Influencer shoutouts act as social proof for your app, making potential users more likely to jump on board. Social proof is all about fitting in with what influencers, who often reflect broader social trends, are into.

Mobile app influencer marketing lets you:

• Boost brand awareness
• Build lasting partnerships
• Hit your target audience
• Keep it real
• Strengthen your social media game
• Pull in new users

Ready? Let's go.

12 strategies for mobile app influencer marketing

Want to pick the perfect influencer, budget right, and catch the fine print? Try these strategies and let the numbers do the talking.

1. Find the right audience

Nailing your target audience for a mobile app or game isn't just about numbers. For example, if you've built a cutting-edge app for tracking NFT trends, you wouldn't pitch it to someone who's clueless about NFTs, would you?

To identify your audience, ask yourself:

• What's my app or game all about?
• Who in my circle would use it? My tech-savvy cousin or my 45-year-old colleague?
• What drives my audience—their interests, values, lifestyle?
• Where are they located? Should my app cater to multiple language speakers?

Once you've got this down, finding an influencer gets easier. Look for one who appeals to your audience. 

Platforms like BuzzSumo and Upfluence help you search by audience. They're paid services, but they're key in discovering data to find the influencer who fits your targets.

2. Determine when you need influencers

Got your target audience? Time to plan when to bring in an influencer. There are three key times for an influencer campaign:

• Pre-launch hype
• App launch
• Post-launch buzz

Pre-launch is about getting pre-registrations and creating buzz. Picture a fitness influencer teasing a new health-tracking app, building excitement before it drops.

The launch phase is when an influencer introduces your app. Think of a tech vlogger demoing a new AI-powered photo editing app on their channel, mixed with sponsored content.

Post-launch is for keeping the momentum. This could mean promoting new features or updates. Imagine a popular lifestyle influencer showcasing the latest update of a meditation app, highlighting new mindfulness exercises.

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3. Budget!

Ready to pay for influencer marketing? Price depends on the influencer. Consider their follower count and niche standing. You wouldn't lowball a top-tier influencer like MrBeast, famous for million-dollar giveaways, with a tiny offer.

To gauge their rate, use tools like HypeAuditor. Enter the influencer's name, get their estimated earnings. It's about matching your budget with their worth.

4. Go for the right type of influencers

Influencers come in all sizes. Some have a massive reach, others a niche crowd. Prices vary too—from sky-high to budget-friendly.

It's your call on who fits your campaign. Broadly, they're sorted by follower count:

Mega-influencers

Over 1 million followers. A-listers or viral internet sensations. Top-tier influencers need a hefty budget. But remember, more followers don't always mean better engagement. Big names might not guarantee the impact you're after.

Macro-influencers

500k to 1 million followers. They offer broad reach but aren't as costly as the megastars. Still, expect to invest a decent chunk of your budget.

Mid-tier influencers: 

50k to 500k followers. Not household names but have clout in their niches. They often boast better engagement and authenticity than the bigger names.

Micro-influencers

10k to 50k followers. May seem small in comparison, but they pack a punch with high engagement and affordability. They're a sweet spot for many brands.

Nano influencers 

1k to 10k followers, the smallest group. Like micro-influencers, they have strong engagement rates. Extremely budget-friendly, they're ideal for tight marketing budgets.

5. Do your research

If you're not into paid tools like HypeAuditor or Klear, there are other ways to find your influencer match.

Start by hashtag hunting on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or LinkedIn. Try combining your app's name with tags like #ad, #ambassador, #partner. Say you're promoting a fitness app; search #fitnessappad or #fitnessambassador.

Google's also a solid bet for top influencer lists. Many influencers are open to promotions for the right price. But for max impact, stick to those in your app's niche.

Here's what's trending:

• Co-creation: where influencers and brands team up to make something new. It's a win for everyone—brand, influencer, audience.
• Long-term partnerships: don't just hit and run. Stick with an influencer. Longer collabs build trust in your app.
• Short video ads: think TikTok, Reels, Shorts. If you're not using these, you're missing out. Keep tabs on what's viral, especially on TikTok.
• Always-on marketing: Keep a constant social reach through influencers. Be there in your audience's feed when they need you.
• Cross-channel campaigns: rare is the person with just one social account. Influencers on multiple platforms boost your app’s visibility big time.

6. Choose the right platform

Take the case of MrBeast promoting a tech brand on YouTube. The platform choice matters big time. Macro and mega influencers might be everywhere, but they usually rule one platform.

Don't ask a YouTube star to plug your app on Instagram. They might have followers there, but they shine brightest on YouTube. Platform choice also hinges on your target audience.

Say your audience is adult men. A whopping 63% of global Twitter users are male, and it's popular with U.S. adults.

 7. See the real engagement rates

This part's simple—check your influencer’s engagement rates. For Instagram, sites like inBeat and Phlanx offer handy engagement calculators. But you can do it manually too. Whether it's Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, or Facebook, just compare their likes and comments to their follower count.

8. Communicate your targets

To get results from your mobile app influencer campaign, the influencer needs to get your message. A chat will sort it out. Tell them what your app or game does, why you built it, and what fires you up about it. 

Make sure they know your target audience so they can tweak their message. Pick the right influencer, and they'll already have a handle on it.

9: Prepare a referral program

Most apps have a referral or affiliate program. If you don't, think about it as extra cash flow. These programs help you spot and keep top micro-influencers. Hit up their audiences regularly, and you'll build trust—key for your bottom line.

Take Aaptiv, the fitness app. They pay partners for each sale. Also, spice up your app downloads. Offer deals or unique in-app stuff via your influencers. See them as your sales squad, pushing your app. Back them up with all they need to promote and sell easier.

10: Support influencers with your own ads

Making fresh ad ideas is tough. Customers zone out seeing the same stuff—hello, ad fatigue. Beating this is key in media buying. Use micro-influencers as idea factories for unique concepts that keep costs per install low. They can come up with stuff you and your rivals haven't thought of.

Facebook's got this new trick—you can run ads via your influencers. First, enable partnerships in your Facebook Business Manager. Your influencer must do the same in their settings.

How about this: you're teamed up with 200 micro-influencers. That's 200 unique ad ideas hitting your target audience through their pages.

Give your influencers clear content rules and a copywriting blueprint to ensure those ads hit the mark. Include things like:

• Your unique selling point 
• The content format (story, carousel, video, etc.)
• Tagging details

These campaigns are great for retargeting and building solid social proof for your brand.

The ad's format, intent, and placement have limits. To max out your influencer-generated content on Facebook ads, repurpose it for separate ads. Just make sure you've got the rights to the content.

11: Be benevolent and generous.

Goodwill is key in influencer marketing. If your app does good, shout it out. Influencers, being real people, love causes they can stand behind.

For example, a mental wellness app giving free access to educators during stressful times racks up social goodwill. Imagine the social media reach—thousands of shares. This sort of move also boosts your web presence—think hundreds of new backlinks, including from big-name sites.

This blend of kindness and marketing works wonders. And it's not just apps. Look at lifestyle brands like a reusable water bottle company promoting environmental awareness. They're all in on goodwill marketing.

For mobile game marketing, it's trickier. The industry often gets flak. But, think about motivating influencers with charity donations per download. This could cut your costs and boost your game's image. If targeting specific groups like moms, choose a charity that resonates with them. Charity Watch is a great resource for finding effective charities.

12: Themed pages

This move is great for mobile games. Themed pages on platforms like Instagram will repost your stuff for a fee. They're not typical influencers; they don't make their own content. They're curators.

The advantage is that they’re not as in-demand as influencers. You could work with them for way less—think 10% of what you'd pay a regular influencer. Just know they won't create content for you.

Tailor your content to fit the theme of these pages. If you're targeting meme pages, make memes about your game. This boosts engagement and makes your brand more relatable.

Your main goal here is to pull in quality traffic. Focus on Instagram Stories with swipe-up links. That's your best bet.

Pitfalls to avoid

Oh yes, plenty of things to be on the lookout for.

Influencers with fake followers 

Beware of influencers with fake followers. Today's obsession with numbers leads some to inflate their follower count for quick cash. 

Always check: high engagement, real comments (not bot spam), and legit followers. Unsure? Use tools like FakeCheck to reveal that.

The wrong type of influencer

Choosing the wrong influencer type is a real risk. You might think you've wasted money. A micro-influencer could be more effective than a macro one for your app. And sometimes, an influencer might seem perfect for your niche but doesn't deliver.

To dodge this, chat with your potential influencer. Maybe even ask for a sample post to see how they'd handle your promo.

No disclosing of sponsored content

Resisting the full force of influencer marketing can be tough. But steer clear of influencers who don't openly say their posts are sponsored. Recent research shows over 75% of Instagram influencer promos bury necessary tags like #ad or #sponsored in the caption.

Sure, undisclosed sponsored posts might look more genuine at first. But people catch on. Plus, it's not just a bad look—it's often against social media policies and can be illegal not to disclose sponsorships.

Copy-pasting your pitch

When pitching to influencers, don't blast the same message to all. That might work for some, but not everyone. Craft different pitches for different types. One for gaming influencers, another for lifestyle ones, and so on.

Micromanagement

Don't be the bossy type with influencers. It's cool to give tips, but let them run your campaign their way. This keeps your app promo real.

Afterword

Thus, it's about being real. Choose influencers who get your app and can make it hit home with users.  Go with micro-influencers for engagement, mega-influencers for reach. Your campaign should feel like a friend's recommendation, not a sales pitch. Get influencers who reflect this, and you're set for trust, interest, and more downloads. Good luck!

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FAQ

What is mobile app influencer marketing?

Mobile app influencer marketing involves partnering with social media influencers to promote your app. It leverages their reach and authenticity to attract and engage potential users.

How to choose the right influencer for a mobile app?

Choose influencers based on their follower count, niche relevance, and engagement rates. Ensure they align with your app's target audience.

What are the best platforms for mobile app influencer marketing?

The best platforms vary based on your target audience. Instagram and TikTok are great for visual and creative content, while Twitter and LinkedIn suit professional or niche audiences.

How to measure the success of an influencer marketing campaign?

Measure success through engagement rates, app downloads, and conversion rates. Tools like HypeAuditor can help assess the influencer's impact on your app's visibility, while AppFollow will help you track installs and review scores.