Our sister company, jācapps, has been building mobile apps for radio stations for over ten years. After working with hundreds of radio stations on their mobile app strategies, one thing has become abundantly clear: the radio stations with the most mobile app downloads are the ones who promote their apps the most. It’s not enough to simply build an app and hope that your listeners will find it in the app store; you have to tell them it’s there. The mantra, “If you build it, they will come,” may work in baseball, but it doesn’t work with apps.
With that in mind, here are ten ways your station can promote its mobile app.
1. Create a Vanity URL: Create an easy-to-remember URL that redirects people to your station’s mobile app, such as wkrp.com/app. You will want to create this as a “technology redirect,” meaning a link that detects what operating system the visitor is using and redirects them to the iOS or Android app store accordingly. You will use this vanity URL in both your online and offline promotion of the app.
2. On Your Airwaves: Your DJs should frequently plug the station’s mobile app in live on-air mentions. Also, create production elements, such as promos or sweepers, that promote the app. These should all direct people to the app’s vanity URL: “W-K-R-P-dot-com-slash-app.”
2. Email Database: Send an email blast out to your database with the link.
3. Mobile Version of the Website: When people come to your website on a mobile browser, you know they’re on their phones. This is an ideal time to serve them up a link to your station’s mobile app. Use ads that only appear on the mobile version of the site.
4. Street Team Appearance Contests: When your street team members are out and about, have them require people install the station’s app and show their phones before allowing listeners to enter contests or play games.
5. Station Vehicle: The words, “Download our app!” should appear on the exterior of your station vehicle…
6. Banners: …and on the banners that your street team hangs at station events…
7. Pop-Up Tents: …and on the tent.
8. Wristbands, Tickets, and Hand Stamps: If your station hosts events such as concerts, use entry as opportunity to promote your mobile app.
9. Stickers: Promote your station’s mobile app on the sticker itself or on the peel-off backing.
10. Email Signature: Create a standardized email signature for everybody in your station to use. Include the vanity URL to your station’s mobile app.
The success of your radio station’s mobile app will depend on how much you promote it. Take advantage of every opportunity that you can find.
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