Skarp
Online App Marketing Fundamentals: From Zero Downloads to First Users
A practical, beginner‑friendly course that walks you through the essentials of marketing a mobile or web app online. You’ll clarify who your ideal users are, position your app, optimize your app store pages, and set up simple, low‑budget campaigns across social, content, email, and basic paid ads—ending with a repeatable launch and growth plan tailored to your app.
Course Content
10 modules · 2h 30m total
From “Build It” to “Get Users”: How App Marketing Really Works
Instead of hoping users magically appear after launch, step behind the scenes of how small teams actually get their first real users—and why marketing is less about big budgets and more about a clear, simple system you can repeat.
Who Is This For? Defining Your First 1,000 True Users
Instead of trying to reach “everyone,” zoom in on the specific people who will actually care about your app—and uncover the real problems, contexts, and triggers that make them download and keep using it.
Positioning Your App: Why Someone Should Choose You (Now)
In a sea of similar apps, the ones that win are crystal clear about who they’re for and why they’re different—craft a sharp, simple positioning that makes your app instantly understandable and compelling.
App Store Pages That Convert: ASO Basics for Apple and Google Play
Your app store page is often the only “sales page” users ever see—turn it from a bland listing into a focused, compliant, high‑converting pitch that works 24/7 for you.
Simple ASO Keyword and Conversion Tuning (Without Expensive Tools)
Instead of getting lost in complex tools, use a lightweight, practical process to find the right keywords and iterate on your listing so each week your store pages work a little harder for you.
Social Media and Communities: Getting Your First Organic Users
Instead of shouting into the void on every platform, pick a few places where your users actually hang out and use simple, repeatable posts and conversations to drive real installs.
Content and Email: Turning Curious Visitors into Long‑Term Users
A download is just the start—use simple content and email flows to educate, remind, and nudge new users so they actually experience the value you built for them.
Intro to Paid User Acquisition: Small, Smart Test Campaigns
Rather than burning money on random ads, design tiny, focused experiments on platforms like Meta or Google that teach you which audiences and messages actually move the needle.
Measuring What Matters: Simple Analytics for Early‑Stage Apps
Skip the dashboard overload and focus on a handful of numbers that show whether your marketing is working—from store views and installs to the moments when users actually experience value.
Your First Launch and Growth Plan: A Simple, Repeatable System
Pull everything together into a lean launch and growth plan that fits on a single page—so instead of guessing what to do each week, you follow a clear rhythm of actions, experiments, and improvements.
Read the Textbook
Read every chapter for free, right here in your browser.
You can build a great app and still have almost no users. This is normal.
In this step, you will see why building and marketing are two different jobs, and why small teams need a simple, repeatable marketing system instead of a big budget.
Building vs. marketing Building an app = designing, coding, testing, fixing bugs. Marketing an app = helping the right people discover it, try it, and keep using it.
Study Flashcards
Key concepts from this course as flashcard pairs.
From “Build It” to “Get Users”: How App Marketing Really Works
App growth funnel
A simple model of the steps a user takes from first seeing your app to getting value from it. In this module: impressions → store visit → install → activation.
Impression
Any time your app or its promotion is shown to someone, such as an app store search result, a TikTok video featuring your app, or a link in a chat.
Store visit
When a user opens your App Store or Google Play page to learn more about the app before deciding whether to install.
Install
When a user downloads and installs your app on their device. Useful, but not yet proof that they are an active user.
Activation
The first clear moment a user gets real value from your app, such as completing the first task, focus session, or lesson.
User acquisition
The process of getting new users to discover and install your app, through organic or paid channels.
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Who Is This For? Defining Your First 1,000 True Users
Job-to-be-done
A specific task or progress a person wants to make in a situation. It describes why they would "hire" your app, independent of features.
User segment
A group of people who share a similar job-to-be-done, context, and often traits like life stage or role.
Early adopter
A person who feels the problem strongly, is willing to try new solutions early, and gives useful feedback, even if your app is not perfect yet.
Usage context
The real-world situation in which someone uses your app: device (mobile/web), place, time, and emotional state.
On-the-go usage
Short, distracted sessions, usually on mobile, while commuting or moving between places. Best for quick checks and simple actions.
At-desk usage
Longer, more focused sessions, often on a laptop or desktop, suitable for deep work and detailed planning.
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Positioning Your App: Why Someone Should Choose You (Now)
Value proposition
A short statement that clearly says who your app is for and what value it gives them (the overall promise).
USP (Unique Selling Point)
The specific thing that makes your app different or better for your target user compared with alternatives.
Positioning
The simple, sharp idea in your user's mind about what your app is and why it matters to them, compared with alternatives.
Feature
What the app does from a technical or product point of view (for example, offline mode, reminders, AI search).
Benefit
The positive outcome for the user that comes from a feature (for example, work without internet, never forget a task).
Alternative / Competitor
Any other way your user can solve the same problem: other apps, tools like spreadsheets, paper, or even doing nothing.
App Store Pages That Convert: ASO Basics for Apple and Google Play
App Store Optimization (ASO)
The process of improving your app’s store listing so more of the right users can find it (discovery) and decide to install it (conversion).
Discovery vs Conversion
Discovery is helping users find your app in search and browse. Conversion is turning page views into installs through clear, compelling, and trustworthy content.
Subtitle / Short description
A short line under the app name (Apple: Subtitle, Google Play: Short description) that states the main benefit and can include important keywords.
Keywords field (Apple)
A private field in App Store Connect where you add search terms. Users do not see it, but it affects how your app appears in Apple App Store search.
Full description (Google Play)
Up to 4,000 characters of text describing your app. It is indexed for search, so natural use of relevant keywords here helps ASO.
Conversion-focused screenshots
Screenshots designed to quickly show the promise, key features, and outcomes of your app, using simple visuals and large, readable text overlays.
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Simple ASO Keyword and Conversion Tuning (Without Expensive Tools)
ASO (App Store Optimization)
The process of improving how easily users can find and install your app in app stores, by tuning keywords, visuals, and messaging on your store listing.
Keyword (in ASO)
A word or phrase that users type into the app store search bar to find apps. In ASO, you choose keywords that match your app's features and user problems.
Conversion Rate
The percentage of people who visit your store listing and then install your app. For example, 200 installs from 1,000 visitors = 20% conversion.
Impressions / Store Listing Visitors
The number of times users see your app in search results or visit your store page. Higher impressions usually mean better search visibility.
Relevance (for keywords)
How closely a keyword matches what your app actually does and who it is for. High relevance means the keyword describes your real features or use cases.
Intent (for keywords)
What the user wants to accomplish when they search a keyword. High-intent keywords show a clear problem or action, like "track expenses" or "learn Spanish".
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Social Media and Communities: Getting Your First Organic Users
Organic users
Users who discover and install your app without paid ads, for example through social media posts, community mentions, or search.
Primary social channel
The main social platform where you post content regularly (for example TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, X, LinkedIn) to reach many people.
Community channel
A place where people mainly talk with each other (for example Reddit, Discord, niche forums) and you join conversations instead of just broadcasting.
Content cadence
Your regular rhythm of posting and interacting, such as three social posts and three community interactions per week.
Micro-influencer
A creator with a relatively small but highly engaged audience (often 1,000–20,000 followers) who can promote niche apps effectively.
Call to action (CTA)
A clear instruction telling people what to do next, such as 'Download on the App Store', 'Link in bio', or 'Search [app name] on Google Play'.
Content and Email: Turning Curious Visitors into Long‑Term Users
Email list
A collection of email addresses from people who have agreed to hear from you, usually managed in an email marketing tool.
Lead magnet
A free, useful resource (like a checklist, template, or mini course) offered in exchange for an email address.
Landing page
A simple web page focused on one main action, such as signing up for your email list or installing your app.
Onboarding emails
A short sequence of emails sent to new subscribers or users to welcome them and guide them to their first success.
Quick win
A small, fast result a user can achieve with your app, helping them feel early success and stay motivated.
Consent (for email)
A clear agreement from a person that you may send them emails, usually collected via a signup form with clear wording.
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Intro to Paid User Acquisition: Small, Smart Test Campaigns
Cost Per Install (CPI)
Average cost to get one app install. Formula: CPI = total ad spend / number of installs.
Cost Per Action (CPA)
Average cost for one important in-app action (like signup or purchase). CPA = total ad spend / number of actions.
Lifetime Value (LTV)
Estimated total value or revenue from a user over their time using your app. In early tests, often approximated with 7–30 day revenue or conversion rates.
Hook (in ad creative)
The first line or idea in an ad that grabs attention by calling out a specific problem or desire.
Call To Action (CTA)
The part of the ad that tells users what to do next, such as "Install now" or "Start your free trial".
Learning Budget
A small amount of money set aside for experiments whose main goal is to learn which channels, audiences, and messages work.
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Measuring What Matters: Simple Analytics for Early‑Stage Apps
Funnel
A sequence of steps a user goes through, such as impressions → store visits → installs → activation → retention. Helps you see where users drop off.
Impressions
The number of times your app listing or ad is shown to people, for example in search results, browse lists, or ad placements.
Store visits / product page views
How many people open your app’s store page (App Store product page views or Google Play store listing visitors).
Installs
The number of first-time downloads of your app from the store over a time period.
Activation
The first moment a new user clearly experiences value in your app, such as completing a workout or saving a first note.
Retention
How many users come back and use your app again after some time (for example, Day 1 or Day 7 retention).
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Your First Launch and Growth Plan: A Simple, Repeatable System
One-page launch and growth plan
A short document (often a single page) that summarizes your target users, main goal, focus channels, weekly routine, experiments, and short-term targets.
Activation
The moment when a new user first experiences real value in your app (for example, creating their first task, finishing a workout, or sending a first message).
Retention
How many users come back to your app after a certain time, such as day 1, day 7, or day 30. It shows whether people find enough value to return.
Experiment (in marketing)
A small, time-limited change you make (such as a new ad, onboarding flow, or video hook) with a clear hypothesis and metric to see if it improves results.
Weekly marketing routine
A simple, repeated schedule (for example: Create on Monday, Promote on Wednesday, Measure and Iterate on Friday) that keeps you learning and improving every week.