App traffic: 4 essential strategies to drive traffic to your mobile app

App traffic is a measurement of user engagement, referring to the number of users actively interacting with your mobile app, how frequently they use it, session length and user retention rates. For development professionals and marketers, this metric is a vital indicator of your application’s success and profitability.

There are two kinds of mobile app traffic: organic and inorganic.

1. Organic trafficconsists of users who discover and install your app via non-paid avenues, such as through app store search results or referrals

2. Inorganic trafficis driven by paid app marketing campaigns, such as social media advertisements and pay-per-click initiatives

Why you need to understand where your app traffic is coming from

Compared to mobile web traffic, app traffic is three times more likely to convert. That’s why understanding app traffic is fundamental for app optimization, enabling developers, marketers, and product teams to identify potential issues, understand user behavior and make data-driven decisions to enhance the app’s overall performance. High app traffic often signifies higher user engagement, increased revenue, and greater success in the fiercely competitive app marketplace.

In 2023, the sharing for mobile VS desktop is:

Mobile traffic share: 69.7%

Desktop traffic change: -11.5%

Source: Digital Experience Benchmark report

4 effective ways to drive traffic to your mobile app

Apps play a critical role in delivering a great customer experience, attracting nearly four times the share of returning visitors when compared with mobile web traffic.

Driving traffic to your app involves a mix of effective app marketing strategies and a high-quality user experience:

1. Use App Store Optimization (ASO) to optimize your app’s title, description, and keywords, so you can enhance its visibility in the search results of app stores, like Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple users. The higher your app ranks, the more likely users are to discover and download it.

2. Paid advertising campaigns are another effective strategy to drive web traffic to your mobile app. Platforms like Google AdWords and Facebook Ads offer app install campaigns that target specific demographics, helping you reach a wider audience. These platforms also provide detailed app analytics, allowing you to track and optimize your campaigns for maximum results.

3. Social media marketing significantly boosts your app’s visibility and traffic. Sharing engaging content related to your app, participating in relevant discussions, and responding to user comments help you build a strong online presence and drive more users to your app. Also, partner with influencers or bloggers in your app’s niche to reach a larger audience and increase your number of app users.

4. Providing a high-quality user experience is crucial for driving and retaining app traffic. This includes creating an intuitive user interface and useful features, regularly making updates to fix bugs and improve performance, and sending push notifications to keep users engaged. A positive user experience not only attracts new users but also encourages existing users to continue using your app and recommend it to others.