How do I market a new app?
Marketing an app is a loop. Get the right people to the listing, get them to install, get them to use it and bring back others. Each step leaks, so fix the leakiest step first.
Work in this order. It costs the least to start and gives you data before you spend on ads.
- Name the one person you’re building for, and where they already spend time.
- Write the store listing and screenshots to speak to that person. See our ASO guide.
- Build a simple website with one clear page for the app, a link to each store and a way to join a waitlist.
- Pick one or two channels and run them for 8 to 12 weeks.
- Track installs, sign-ups and who is still using the app a week and a month later.
- Add paid ads once you know which message works.
What should I do before launch?
- Talk to 10 to 20 people who match your first users. Ask how they solve the problem now.
- Write one sentence: “[App] helps [who] do [what] without [pain].” Use it everywhere.
- Collect emails on a landing page. A list of people who asked for the app is the best launch audience you can have.
- Set up analytics before launch so you can see where users drop off. Install counts alone won’t tell you.
- Plan store assets early: icon, screenshots, short video and a privacy policy.
- Check the rules for your category. Health, kids’ and finance apps face extra scrutiny from the stores and from regulators.
If you’re still defining the product, start with an app brief. Good marketing starts with a clear idea of who the app is for.
Which marketing channels work for apps in Australia?
No single channel wins. The right one depends on who your user is and what the app does. Use this table to choose where to start.
| Channel | Good for | Cost to start | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Store listing (ASO) | Anyone searching for what your app does | Time only | Slow to move. Needs steady upkeep |
| Your own website and content | Problems people search for on Google, and AI answers that cite sources | Time, or a writer | Takes months to rank |
| Social media, organic | Visual or demo-friendly apps, community apps | Time | Needs regular posts. Reach isn’t guaranteed |
| Partners and communities | Niche apps, B2B, local services | Time, sometimes a fee | Needs a real offer for the partner |
| Email and referrals | Apps with repeat use or shared use | Low | Needs a reason to forward it |
| Paid ads (Apple, Google, social) | Testing a message fast, or scaling a working one | Budget per click or install | Costs can climb. Needs tracking set up first |
| PR and media | Novel products, local stories | Time, or an agency | Hard to predict. Don’t depend on it |
How do I use my website to market the app?
A website gives you something you own. The stores can change their rules or ranking, but your site and your email list stay yours.
Make one page per job the app does, written around the question a person would type. Explain it plainly, show the app and link to the stores. This is the same approach we use for our own work. Pantry Pic has a Next.js marketing site in 9 languages with a Sanity-powered blog.
Search engines and AI assistants both prefer pages that answer a question directly, state facts they can check and say who wrote them. Our guides on this site follow the same rule: answer first, then detail, then sources.
Need the site built alongside the app? See our website development service.
How much should I spend on paid app ads?
Spend a small test budget first, to learn what a sign-up or a paying user costs you. Scale only if that cost is lower than what a user is worth to you.
Apple added more ad slots to App Store search results from March 2026. That puts more paid results above the free ones, so in our view a strong listing matters for ads and free search alike.
Set a limit before you start. Ask your marketer or agency for a report that shows cost per install, cost per active user and cost per paying user. Installs alone can flatter a campaign that brings in people who never come back.
How do I get app reviews and word of mouth?
- Ask at a natural high point, right after the user finishes something they wanted to do.
- Use the system rating prompt. Don’t build a “rate us” button that only goes to happy users.
- Reply to every review for the first few months, good or bad.
- Make sharing a feature if it fits the app: invite links, shared lists, shared results.
- Fix recurring complaints and say so in your release notes.
Ratings and reviews also influence how your app ranks in App Store search, so this is marketing and ASO at once.
What does app marketing cost in Australia?
There’s no standard price. Free channels cost your time. Paid ads cost whatever you set as a budget. Agencies and freelancers set their own rates, so get written quotes and compare what you’d get.
The better question is how much of your total budget to hold back. Build cost is only part of it. Plan for the running costs in our app maintenance cost guide, and set a marketing line next to it. Our app development cost guide covers what the build itself costs.
How do I know if my marketing works?
| Measure | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Store listing views to installs | Whether the listing convinces people |
| Installs by source | Which channel brings people in |
| Sign-ups or first key action | Whether new users get started |
| Users still active after a week and a month | Whether the app is worth coming back to |
| Revenue or leads per user | Whether a user is worth what you paid to get them |
If people install but don’t stay, more marketing won’t fix it. Go back to the product.
Should I hire someone to market my app?
Hire when you know your user and your first channel, and you lack the time or skill to run it. Ask any marketer to show work for apps like yours, explain how they measure it and tell you what they won’t do.
Choosing a developer who understands launch helps too. See how to choose an app developer. If you want a team to build the app and set up the store, analytics and website with it, start with our mobile app development page.
Common questions
How do I promote my app for free?
Write a clear store listing, build a simple website with a waitlist, post short demos where your users hang out, ask partners and communities to share it, and ask happy users for reviews. These cost time, not ad spend.
What is the best way to market a new app?
Start with the store listing and a landing page, pick one or two channels where your first users already are, and measure who stays. Add paid ads once a message works. There is no single best channel for every app.
How do people find apps?
Many find them by searching the store. Apple says nearly 65% of App Store downloads happen directly after a search. Others arrive from a website, a friend, social media or an ad.
When should I start marketing my app?
Before you launch. Talk to your first users early, collect emails on a landing page and prepare your store assets while the app is being built.
Do I need paid ads to get downloads?
Not always. Many apps grow through search, word of mouth and content. Ads help you test a message fast or scale one that works. Set up tracking first so you know what you’re paying for.
Is ASO or paid advertising better?
They work together. ASO is cheaper and keeps working, but it is slow. Paid ads are fast but stop when the budget does. A strong listing also makes each paid visit more likely to install.
Do I need a website for my app?
Yes, in most cases. It is a place you own for your story, your privacy policy, your support contact and your email list. It also gives search engines and AI assistants something to cite.
How much should I budget for app marketing?
It depends on your market and goals, so we don’t give a single figure. Set a test budget, learn your cost per paying or active user, then decide whether to scale. Plan the budget alongside build and running costs.