An install is not a result
Business owners often watch the download counter. But a download without a sign-up, an order or a payment is just a cost. The real goal looks different: a first order, a repeat purchase, a booked appointment, a renewed subscription.
A delivery app lives on repeat orders, a clinic app on bookings and returning patients, a shop app on carts and payments. The whole funnel is built around that goal, from the first ad to the notification sent after a purchase.
Before you start, be honest about whether you need an app at all. If your customers are used to ordering in Telegram and paying through Click or Payme, it may be smarter to strengthen the bot and the website first, and launch an app once there is a repeating use case.
Metrics and analytics before the first ad
Connect app analytics before publishing. Without it you see only the number of installs and cannot tell which of those people bought anything. Set up events: registration, product view, add to cart, payment, repeat order.
Cost per install only means something next to the cost of the target action. A cheap install that is deleted the next day costs more than an expensive one that leads to orders. Track sources separately: what came from Instagram, what from Google Ads, what from a blogger or a Telegram channel.
- installs by source
- share of users who complete registration
- cost of the first order or lead
- how many users come back the next day, after a week and after a month
- revenue per user
Your store listing on Google Play and the App Store
Some people will find the app by searching the store directly. Others arrive through an ad and still open the listing before installing. So the name, icon, screenshots and description are part of marketing, not a formality.
Write the description in both Uzbek and Russian, and use screenshots that show a real scenario, such as choosing, paying and tracking an order, rather than just the interface. Reply to reviews, because new users read how a company responds. Your audience splits between Android and iOS, and the balance differs by niche, so rely on your own analytics rather than assumptions.
Acquisition channels that fit the local market
Do not launch everything at once. Pick two or three channels, give them time, and compare them by the cost of the target action rather than by clicks.
- Meta Ads in Instagram and Facebook: campaigns optimised for installs or for a specific in-app event
- Google Ads: app campaigns plus search ads on queries from your niche
- Telegram: an announcement in your own channel, messages to your existing base, partnerships with niche channels
- Instagram: Reels and Stories that show how the app solves a task, plus work with local bloggers
- offline: a QR code on packaging, receipts, at the till, in the venue or on delivery
- website and SEO: organic traffic from people who search for the service, not for the app
A website as the anchor for your app
It is usually better to send ad traffic to a landing page than straight to the app store. There you can explain the benefit, show screenshots and reviews, detect the device and offer the right button: Google Play for Android, App Store for iPhone. People who open the link on a desktop can get a QR code or an order form instead.
The page is also measurable: you see how many people arrived, how many tapped the button and where they came from. Search engines, meanwhile, bring in people who do not know about the app yet but are already looking for, say, food delivery or a doctor's appointment in Tashkent. If you have no site, or it is not ready for ad traffic, fix that first. At markdev we build websites turnkey and connect them to advertising and analytics.
Retention: giving people a reason to reopen the app
Acquiring a user is expensive and losing one is easy. The first session should lead quickly to something valuable: short sign-up by phone number, a clear catalogue, payment through Click or Payme in a couple of taps.
Push notifications work when they are useful: order status, appointment reminders, a personal offer. Send too many and people mute them or uninstall. A Telegram bot is a good companion to the app, because it reminds users about you in a place where they already spend time.
Where to start
Define one measurable goal, set up analytics, prepare the store listing and landing page, launch two channels on a modest budget, and after a few weeks see which one gives the cheaper target action. Then scale what works and switch off the rest.
If you want to discuss promoting an app or building a website for it, the markdev team can review your task and suggest a realistic plan. Send a request and we will talk through your goal and budget.
FAQ
How much does it cost to promote a mobile app?
The price depends on your niche, competition, the channels you choose and the ad budget you set yourself. Specialist work and ad impressions are paid separately. A precise estimate is possible only after reviewing your goals and the current state of the app.
Which is better for an app: Meta Ads or Google Ads?
There is no universal answer. Meta Ads work well for introducing the product to an audience through Instagram, while Google Ads suit people who are already searching for a solution. Run a small test on both and compare the cost of the target action.
Do I need a website if I already have an app?
In most cases, yes. A website gives you a landing page for ads, organic search traffic and an entry point for people who are not ready to install an app straight away.
How soon will I see results?
First install data appears quickly, but whether a channel pays off shows only in target actions and user retention. That takes time and accumulated data, so be careful with anyone who promises exact timelines.
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