I often get asked for advice on promoting mobile apps. An app can be a powerful tool for building your brand and/or it can be something that makes you a good amount of money if it catches on. But that’s the hard part – getting your app to catch on.

Think about it – there are millions of apps in all the different app stores. Every single day, new apps are being released to the market, making it harder and harder for your new app to stand out. While you’re sitting there waiting for a surge of downloads, your app just keeps getting buried further and you just can’t seem to gain any traction.

Fortunately, there are lots of different things you can do to promote your app, including:

1. Write a press release—Step one is to let the world know about your new app. A press release is the perfect way to make this announcement. It can help alert reporters about your new app, which could get your app featured on news sites, trade publications, and blogs. Press releases will also increase your online visibility, increasing the chances that people will discover your app.
2. Spread the word elsewhere—Issuing a press release is a great place to start, but you need to get maximum exposure for your new app. That means you need to also be posting about your new app on your blog, sharing information on Facebook and other social media sites, advertising your app across the web, sending out emails about it, and so on. By getting simultaneous exposure for your app across multiple channels, you increase the chances of people taking notice.
3. Build a website for your app—Too many app developers overlook this simple promotional tool. A website can be a great way to promote your app. Building a dedicated site for your app allows you to describe your app in more detail than you might be allowed in the app marketplace, and it also lets you take advantage of SEO, PPC, and other online marketing tactics to increase your app’s visibility.
4. Offer a free download to reporters—A great way to spread the word about your app is to get it reviewed by industry reporters and bloggers. One of the best ways to make that happen is to offer a free download to these journalists. Once they try out your app, there’s a chance they’ll write about it. Just make sure your app is truly polished and ready to go before you take this step. The last thing you want is for this tactic to backfire and get you negative media coverage.
5. Use videos to promote your app—You can create videos that demonstrate how your app works and that get people excited to try it out. Have fun with your videos and get creative. Distribute your videos on YouTube and all across the web.
6. Offer a free version—Assuming your main app requires a purchase, you should consider offering a free version with limited features so people can get a feel for it and then upgrade to the full version if they like it. If people can’t try your app without paying for it, they’re going to be pretty hesitant to plunk down even a small amount of cash.
7. Promote your app on all your marketing materials—You should be marketing your app everywhere you can. That means in your emails, brochures, receipts, business cards, direct mail, print ads…you name it. Always be spreading the word.

These are just 7 easy ways you can start building a buzz for your new app. What are some others you’d add to this list?

This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (http://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download a free copy of the PR Checklist – a 24 point list of Press Release Dos and Don’ts here: http://www.ereleases.com/prchecklist.html