I have my no-code app ready, now how can I get users?

You finally have your no-code app ready. You’ve tested your MVP, you’ve iterated on it several times, made all the necessary adjustments it needed. You maybe even managed to build a passionate marketing team that’s excited to launch the app and get working on it. But there’s still something that bugs you: how can I be sure that the users will actually come to my app? 

Well, sure, that’s a pretty big question. And let’s be honest: no one is ever going to be 100% certain that they’ll get users and make them stay and like and recommend an app. Not even the huge tech companies. But that shouldn’t discourage our development; on the contrary, that’s something that presents us with a thrilling challenge. 

Don’t you ever believe that you’re the first one dealing with this issue. Remember this, and let’s be honest again: in tech, your problem has been the same problem of many people in the whole world. So don’t worry, there are some validated tips and tricks –besides the obvious, which are social media campaigning, email marketing, building your own website, etc.– that you can bear in mind in order to increase your user base. 

Here are our 4 favorite strategies:

• App Store Optimization
• Find customers IRL
• Niche newsletters and communities
• Friends & family
  

Think about App Store Optimization (ASO)

This is really important: more than 50% of people discover apps in the same app stores. Everyone’s giving their best shots there, so why shouldn’t you? App Store Optimization is fundamental to convert clicks in downloads. Some key elements of ASO include:

• Creating creative and understandable titles (you can also add brief descriptions that explain in a nutshell what your app is about).
• Writing a keyword-rich description: you should know that descriptions will be compressed, so you better write the most important words in the beginning, so they will still be seen and there’d be no need to click on “more”.
• Earning positive ratings: encourage your first users to rate your app in the App Store so it can gain high ratings from the first steps.
• Choosing good looking icons
• Adding app screenshots and videos: they will help users have a taste of the app before choosing to download it.
• Choosing the right categories
  

Find your customers IRL 

This may sound old-fashioned –and probably is– but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true or efficient: go out and find your users in real life. Is your app targeted to healthcare professionals? Go to hospitals and find them. Is it targeted at musicians? Go to rehearsal rooms, music shops, or studios and find them! Being in the place where your users are will actually let you know more about them and the context in which they will probably use your app. Take it as an in-depth ethnography project that will save your business and get creative: stickers with QR codes, brochures, cards, merch, whatever you imagine! 

Find your users through niche newsletters and communities

This tip is like the digital version of the previous one. Don’t rely on the massive social media campaigning, which of course is good, but won’t necessarily provide you the passionate, dedicated niche users that you want to quickly catch so they can build loyalty to your app. There are lots of newsletters, forums, Reddit threads, even Facebook groups about everything. Check them out, make yourself a user of all those platforms and just pitch your app there. 

In the case of newsletters, you can offer to make content for them, sponsor them, give coupons, feel free to start a kind conversation with them. Surely the users that you want will be subscribers of those newsletters. 

Get Friends & Family into your no-code app, of course

Now, this sounds obvious but is absolutely necessary: tell your own personal network to use your app, to give you feedback, to rate it, to recommend it. Make them ambassadors of your project: they will always be the most loyal of all. 

But don’t get fooled: they definitely are the most loyal, but they’re also the most biased. So, yes, maybe their feedback might not be most sincere, but don’t underestimate the importance of a nice ego-boost when you’re starting!

To sum up: don’t let anxiety kill your good judgment and don’t get worried too early. You will get users and they will love your app, but it takes time and requires work. It’s not by magic that they appear. Follow these recommendations and you’ll see the results.

If you are looking to build your MVP and want someone to help you out, we are here to help! Apply to our MVP Sprint program and get the best coaching and guidance by the Bravo Team.