Seasonal Marketing: Trends and Tips for Advertising Apps in 2023

Seasonal marketing has become a “must” strategy for app marketers to drive downloads and engage users effectively. As we gear up for the summer of 2023, we must stay ahead of the curve and leverage emerging trends to maximize advertising efforts.

Here, you will discover the latest seasonal marketing trends and actionable tips for advertising apps during the summer. Backed by important and newest statistics and a unique perspective, these insights can help any app marketer make an efficient marketing campaign for summer.

Seasonal Marketing Statistics to Think About: Summer Edition

Summer continues to be a prime season for mobile app downloads. According to a report by App Annie, in 2022, app downloads experienced a significant surge during the summer months, with a 27% increase compared to other seasons. This trend is expected to continue and grow in 2023 as more users seek new apps to enhance their summer experiences.

Moreover, as kids enjoy their holidays, there has been a significant surge in downloads of games and apps for children aged 6 to 8. Parents often turn to mobile devices to keep their children amused during this period.

According to Appfigures data, travel-related app downloads have skyrocketed with summer holidays in full force. Tourists rely largely on their smartphones to help them during their adventures, whether planning a vacation, arranging accommodations, or finding local attractions.

Downloads of entertainment apps have also increased. People of all ages seek digital entertainment as they have more spare time. People are looking for methods to keep themselves entertained over the summertime, whether by streaming TV shows and movies, enjoying music, or playing games.

Source: Digital Information World

Now, let’s see which mobile app marketing trends are evolving in 2023 and how to make the best use of them.

1. Customized Advertising Experience

Since summer is associated with outdoor activities, wellness, and self-care, to effectively market your app during this time, make the most out of overall lifestyle and health trends.

If your app is related to fitness, nutrition, or wellness, emphasize the benefits of staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle during summer. Create content that inspires and educates your audience about the best summer workouts, food recipes, or self-care routines.

Interact with your audience through social media platforms, blog posts, or email newsletters to provide valuable tips and advice. In addition, try partnering with fitness influencers, nutritionists, or wellness experts to create compelling content and reach a broader audience.

If you align your app with the summer lifestyle and health trends, you position yourself as a valuable resource for users seeking to enhance their well-being during this season. Such an approach will attract new app users and encourage long-term engagement as users integrate your app into their summer routines.

Summer Lifestyle and Taking Advantage of CPPs

Here, we must also ensure that we get the users the same experience through ads and their “landing page,” i.e., the store listing. This can be done with Custom Product Pages (CPP).

The primary goal is to synchronize the message of the ad with the customized store listing you’ve created, which will increase the likelihood of people downloading your app.

Think about creating a CPP that aligns with the summer theme to leave a lasting impression and improve the user experience. Add summer-inspired visuals and interactive features to your product pages.

Again, with Custom Product Pages, any holiday or season can be personalized to resonate with your target audience.

2. Power of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing continues to dominate digital marketing, and its impact is only expected to grow during the summer of 2023. Collaborating with relevant influencers in your app’s niche can help you tap into their engaged audiences, leading to increased app downloads.

According to a recent survey by Influencer Marketing Hub, an overwhelming 89% of marketers believe that influencer marketing positively impacts their ROI. By carefully selecting influencers aligned with your app’s target audience, you can boost your reach and build credibility among potential users.

Consider partnering with influencers who have a genuine affinity for your app’s value proposition, ensuring their endorsement aligns with your brand’s image and the needs of your target market. As a result, building long-term relationships with influencers can lead to sustained growth and user engagement throughout the summer and beyond.

3. Interactive and Gamified Experiences

Since summer is here, people seek fun and excitement. To capture the attention of your target audience, consider integrating interactive and gamified experiences within your app marketing strategy. As we mentioned, research conducted by App Annie revealed a substantial 27% increase in mobile gaming downloads during the summer months in 2022.

Make the best of this trend by incorporating gamified elements in your ads (if possible), such as interactive quizzes, mini-games, or challenges. Such experiences make your app ads memorable and encourage active engagement.

If you reward users for their participation (offering exclusive discounts or unlocking additional features), you can create a sense of excitement and encourage app downloads.

However, you must remember to align the interactive elements with your app’s core functionality and ensure a seamless transition from the ad to the app (efficient user onboarding), providing users with a balanced and enjoyable experience.

4. Localized and Geo-targeted Campaigns

During summer, people are more likely to engage in local activities and explore their surroundings. Consider incorporating this trend by optimizing your app campaigns for localized and geo-targeted advertising.

Think with Google reports an astonishing 900% increase in “near me” searches on mobile over the past two years. Tailor your app ads to specific locations and include relevant local information, such as nearby attractions, events, or exclusive offers available in the area.

With such relevant content, you can attract individuals actively seeking summer activities in their area. Utilize location-based targeting options provided by advertising platforms to ensure your app ads reach the right audience at the right time.

Moreover, you can create a sense of personalization and increase the chances of app downloads and engagement.

5. Seasonal Events and Holidays

Summer is always associated with holidays, festivals, and special events. Incorporating these seasonal occasions into your app marketing strategy can significantly enhance user engagement.

For example, if your app is related to travel, focus on popular summer vacation destinations or create campaigns centered around major events like music festivals or sports tournaments. If you coordinate your app with trending summer events, you can tap into the rush and improve app downloads.

Create customized ad campaigns that reflect the spirit and themes of the events. For instance, if your app is focused on fitness and wellness, emphasize the importance of staying active during the summer months and highlight how your app can help users achieve their health goals.

Additionally, consider collaborating with event organizers or local businesses to cross-promote each other’s offerings (a bonus tip). By associating your app with well-known summer events, you can increase brand visibility and establish a deeper connection with your audience, leading to more app downloads and better user engagement.

6. Importance of User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) has emerged as a powerful way for brands to connect with their audience authentically. A survey conducted by Stackla revealed that 79% of consumers believe UGC highly impacts their purchasing decisions. Therefore, encourage your app users to create and share content related to their summer experiences with your app.

For example, you can run UGC contests, feature the best submissions, and provide incentives to promote active participation. By doing that, you generate authentic content and raise a sense of community around your app.

Share user stories, photos, or videos on your social media channels and within your app to showcase the real-life experiences of your users.

What is more, incorporate UGC in your ads to get trust and engagement. When potential users see others like themselves enjoying and benefiting from your app, they are more likely to be persuaded to download and engage with it.

7. Augmented Reality (AR) Experiences

Such technology has gained immense popularity in recent years, and it continues to be an interesting trend in the marketing industry. Integrating AR experiences into your app ads can provide users with immersive and interactive content.

For instance, if you have a shopping app, allow users to virtually try on summer clothing or visualize how outdoor furniture would look in their backyard. According to Statista, the number of AR users worldwide is projected to reach 1.96 billion by 2023.

Embracing AR can give your app a competitive edge and attract tech-savvy users seeking innovative experiences. You can even think about partnering with AR development companies or leveraging AR platforms to create captivating ads that showcase your app’s features and benefits.

Conclusion

As we continue to dive into the summer of 2023, app marketers must adapt to the latest seasonal marketing trends to drive app downloads and improve user engagement.

By embracing the power of influencer marketing, leveraging interactive and gamified experiences, optimizing for localized and geo-targeted campaigns, capitalizing on seasonal events and holidays, harnessing the power of user-generated content, and investing in augmented reality experiences, app marketers can only expect positive outcomes.

Stay aware of the evolving app ecosystem, and by implementing these strategies, you can create impactful app marketing campaigns that resonate with your target audience, leading to more downloads, greater user engagement, and long-term app success in the summer of 2023 and further.

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