How to Effectively Market Your New Software
Successfully marketing new software can seem overwhelming and complicated, especially when you are working in a highly competitive industry, or if you are unfamiliar with effective marketing methods and techniques. With the right marketing strategy, increasing your online reach while appealing to the right audience without going over your budget. Marketing software does not have to feel impossible with a proper campaign strategy in place.
Target the Right Audience
Software releases are not appealing to everyone, but they often fill a need of a specific audience. Consider the individuals you want to appeal to along with their age range, location, and interests. Sprout Social insists that it’s going to make your life easier. Determining the demographics of your audience is the first step to take before you begin launching marketing campaigns both online and off.
Identify the Needs of Your Customers
Why does your audience need your software? How does your software benefit users and help their everyday lives? Identify the needs of your customers and create marketing campaigns that convey messages that represent your software, its features, and why it is necessary for your users.
Tap Into Past Customers and Relevant Contacts
Tap into past customers and business contacts who have a use for your software by creating a new email newsletter list that is separate from a new list you plan to collect. Past customers are more likely to have trust in your business and brand, prompting them to learn more about your new software and make a purchase. Inc. says if you want to tap into your current clients’ network, consider giving them some incentive to use your services or product. If you have business contacts in your industry, reach out to them individually or with a segmented email list that is separate from your traditional email newsletter list.
Connecting with business contacts individually is a way to request guest posts on blogs or promotions on other websites and social media pages, which can increase your online exposure.
Launch Branded Social Media Pages
Create social media pages that represent your software using the same logo as your official website. Utilize the same color scheme as your website to solidify the branding of your business while helping your software to look more authentic, legitimate, and professional to new users and followers.
Keep all of your social media pages active via a posting schedule while promoting your new software. Gain traction and momentum by keeping your users intrigued and fascinated with tidbits about your software along with videos and imagery that are relevant. Interact with followers by answering questions and responding to inquiries to promote transparency. Showcase your software with video media on your social media pages and on your official website. Share your software’s features and abilities using quick video ads or colorful animations. When launching video ads on social media, monitor analytics and traffic reports to determine the audience who is most intrigued and which type of ad works best for your users. Include who the software is for and why with each video ad or animation you share to encourage users to learn more while prompting them to make a purchase.
Take Advantage of Hashtags and Keywords
Research keywords and phrases that are most relevant to your brand and currently popular on social media. Take advantage of trending hashtags and keywords in the campaigns and marketing ads you launch. Create your own hashtag that is memorable, funny, or relevant to your software based on the type of branding you want to implement for your business. According to Forbes, another good idea is to use local hashtags to create interest around your new business or a new service you might be offering. Keep track of keyword and hashtag trends using tools such as Google Trends.
Create an Email Newsletter
Create an email newsletter that is visible immediately upon visiting your software’s official website. Motivate visitors to subscribe to your newsletter by offering discounts, freebies, and exclusive offers or giveaways. Email newsletters help keep track of your users and provide you with the ability to generate segmented lists based on previous shoppers, users with items in their shopping carts, and new subscribers. With more segmented email lists, target individuals based on their current needs and shopping habits while on your website.
Gather Reviews and Testimonials for Your Website
Shoppers unfamiliar with a brand or product seek customer referrals and testimonials. If your website does not include any current reviews of your software, users are likely to feel uneasy or uncomfortable making a purchase from you. In fact, according to Podium, 80% of consumers trust reviews as much as they trust recommendations from family and friends. One quick Google search is all they need to make a decision about your business. Obtain reviews before full launch to share them on your official website and within your individual social media campaigns. Showcasing testimonials and reviews on your official website and within advertising campaigns encourages users to learn more about your software and how it is useful to them. Highlighting positive reviews and testimonials also helps to build trust between your business and prospective customers who are interested in your product.
Getting the most out of your marketing campaign strategy for your new software is possible when taking the appropriate steps and maximizing your online reach. Especially when you use data reporting and visualizations to help. When you know how to reach your intended audience, craft marketing campaigns that are appealing, relevant, and motivating to your followers and prospective customers.