BFCM Marketing for Mobile Apps: Boost App Downloads on Holidays

The holiday shopping season almost always offers a great opportunity for BFCM marketing for mobile apps. With millions of consumers looking for deals and making purchases between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, apps that capitalize on seasonal promotions can see huge spikes in downloads and revenue.

According to recent statistics, e-commerce sales topped $1 trillion during the 2022 holiday season in the U.S. alone. Black Friday and Cyber Monday especially drive massive traffic as online sales jumped to $283 billion and $281 billion respectively. 

Thoroughly evaluating your app’s current status is the critical first step in preparing for the holiday rush. Start by analyzing user data and metrics from the last few holiday seasons. Look at past trends in acquisition, engagement, revenue, and churn to set realistic goals.

Specifically for ecommerce apps, evaluate seasonality in purchasing patterns. Which products or categories see the biggest spikes during the holidays? When does engagement typically peak – on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or in December? How long is the holiday sales boost sustained?

With a clear picture of your app’s current performance, you can set definite objectives and goals for the holiday season. Be as specific as possible and attach measurable KPIs to each goal.

For example, you may set a goal to acquire 100,000 new users from Black Friday through Cyber Monday. Or target a 25% increase in revenue from holiday purchases compared to last year.

Adequate budget allocation and holiday checklist is required for effective holiday marketing campaigns. Carefully determine how much you can devote to advertising, partnerships, and in-app promotions, and balance spending across these channels wisely.

For apps focused on the acquisition, dedicate the app marketing budget to holiday-themed ads across social media, search, and mobile ad networks. Retargeting campaigns also remind engaged users to download. Sponsoring influencer marketing gift guides or deals can further spread awareness.

Not all users behave the same during the holidays. Thoroughly analyze and segment your audiences to customize messaging and promotions. happy holidays message on the phone.

Loyal power users will be an easy sell for special holiday offers. Appeal to them with early access and VIP rewards to drive revenue. Casual users may need more convincing through attention-grabbing ads and FOMO-inducing messaging.

Festive app optimization and theming help apps stand out during the holidays. Update metadata, icons, and screenshots to align with seasonal keywords and imagery. Give your interface holiday flair with limited-time decorations and custom graphics. Send holiday-themed notifications and emails to spread cheer.

These small touches make your app feel more relevant to users during the festive season. Themed events and contests also engage users and give them an incentive to open your app.

Here are some pointers for BFCM marketing for mobile apps that continually work for most campaigns

• Building Excitement Through Messaging Campaigns
  

  Start building hype and urgency weeks before Black Friday and Cyber Monday with countdowns and sneak peeks at deals. Strategic teasers pique interest and get users to anticipate your sales. Schedule email campaigns, in-app messages, social posts, and push notifications to maintain a consistent presence leading up to the big days.

• Timing and Scheduling Messages for Maximum Impact
  

  Begin messaging early to extend your reach and give users time to plan purchases. Schedule emails, in-app messages, social posts, and push notifications to align with each stage of your campaign. Send reminders leading up to and alerts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday to maximize response.

• Leveraging Messaging to Boost Engagement
  

  Invoke the holiday spirit within your app through gamification. Give users festive challenges to complete and seasonal rewards to earn. Holiday-themed avatars, badges, leaderboards, contests, and gift referral programs boost engagement.

• The Power of Interactive Messaging and User Feedback
  

  Encourage UGC and reviews to build trust and social proof. The holidays are about connections, so enable users to share experiences with your app. Spotlight authentic recommendations and gift ideas from real customers.

• Planning Retention Strategies Post-Holidays
  

  Set up drip campaigns to nurture new holiday users into loyal customers long-term. Welcome sequences introduce your app’s value. Post-purchase follow-ups provide helpful tips for getting the most out of new purchases. Ongoing relevant offers improve retention.

• Reward Schemes to Inspire Loyalty
  

  Gamified holiday challenges and special seasonal loyalty tiers satisfy users’ desires for exclusivity. Give early access to deals for power users and VIPs. Reward referrals and holiday photo contests with points. Limited-edition swag also makes loyal fans feel special.

The holidays also present the best time for app marketers to boost installs. Even so, retaining users beyond the initial Black Friday and holiday rush requires ongoing engagement strategies.

• Post-Holiday Promotions to Extend Festive Spirit
  

  Post-holiday promotions should capitalize on the festive spirit into December. Offer extended seasonal sales, gift card promotions, marketing tips for Christmas and New Year’s resolution-themed content that provides value beyond just November.

• Timing and Scheduling Messages for Maximum Impact
  

  Begin messaging early to extend your reach and give users time to plan purchases. Schedule emails, in-app messages, social posts, and push notifications to align with each stage of your campaign. Send reminders leading up to and alerts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday to maximize response.

• Insights-Driven Engagement Strategies
  

  Insights-driven participation means leveraging user data to personalize communication and incentives. Understand motivations behind holiday purchases to craft relevant, intent-based messaging post-season.
  

• Implementing a Lifecycle Engagement Strategy
  

  A lifecycle engagement strategy delivers tailored messaging at each stage from onboarding to re-engagement. Capitalize on micro-moments across channels to guide users through an optimized journey.

• Personalization for Relevance
  

  Personalization is expected by users, so move beyond basic name personalization. Leverage CRM data and purchase history to deliver hyper-relevant content and offers at the right times.
  

• Adopting Omnichannel Marketing Techniques
  

  Omnichannel marketing that meets users wherever they are – app, email, web, social, etc. – is table stakes. Orchestrate seamless experiences across all touchpoints.
  

• Combating Seasonal App Declines
  

  Seasonality means holiday gains can quickly diminish without sustained marketing. Ongoing lifecycle campaigns combat app seasonality by continually demonstrating value.

With strategic planning, savvy marketing campaigns, and user-centric retention tactics, developers can acquire droves of new users ready to spend. 

By making the most of seasonal trends and enthusiasm, apps can build momentum that carries their growth into the new year and beyond. With preparation and creativity, marketers can turn the holidays into an app marketing bonanza.