The Complete Guide to Buying App Installs: How to Grow Your App in 2024

Launching a successful app requires much more than just development skills. Even the best apps can fail to attract users without an effective marketing strategy. One proven app marketing tactic is buying app installs.

But what exactly does “buying installs” mean and is it right for your app? This complete guide covers everything you need to know, from the benefits of buying installs to tips for getting real users and ratings from paid promotion.

What Does “Buying App Installs” Mean?

Buying app installs simply means paying an ad network, agency, or other marketing platform to drive user downloads to your app. The installs come from real people around the world who download your app in exchange for incentives like cash rewards or app store credit provided by the ad network.

So in short:

• You pay per install – Costs typically range from $0.50 to $5+ per download depending on country, platform, and targeted users
• Partners drive real downloads – Ad networks have access to large volumes of users who will download apps to earn rewards
• Get more visibility quickly – Paid user acquisition helps scale downloads for higher rankings/visibility

While buying downloads doesn’t guarantee retention or engagement, it can rapidly gain exposure and credibility signals in competitive app stores.

The Benefits of Buying App Installs

As an app developer or marketer, buying installs provides important app store and marketing benefits:

1. Improve App Store Rankings

Top charts and search rankings weigh download velocity heavily. More installs signals market demand for your app, leading to better featuring that drives exponentially more organic users over time.

For example, Apple’s App Store ranks downloads over the past 7 days as 30%+ of the overall score while Google Play weighs 28-day velocity as one of its top three signals.

Install campaigns allow developers essentially “borrow” download velocity to signal demand before earning it organically. 10-20k bought iOS installs can spark a doubling of organic installs within 30 days according to Devada. Initial paid installs compound further on Android where higher visibility means 2-4X more organic downloads.

Paid install campaigns are an efficient way to kickstart the critical mass of downloads needed for a high score. They demonstrate market traction to boost you above the millions of unseen apps.

2. Gain Credibility for Unknown Apps

Even amazing apps can struggle until they reach a critical user base and social proof. The #1 reason users pass over apps is lack of credibility indicators like install counts, ratings, and reviews.

Install campaigns allow you to buy that initial traction needed to build app store social proof. New apps purchasing 10,000+ quality installs gain instant authority and peer ratings to drive viral adoption.

In fact, apps with 10-50k installs see 23% higher conversion rates on store listings according to SensorTower. Purchase volumes also increase mobile search visibility as terms become associated with your app.

Bought installs essentially “seed” referral effects that compound into exponentially greater organic discoverability. This is the concept of borrowing initial signals to boost credibility with downstream payers.

3. Reach Targeted App Users

The best marketing targets clearly-defined app users most likely to convert to loyal, high-value customers. Buying installs through programmatic ad networks or interest-based channels is an ideal way to reach those high-potential users.

Leading advertising platforms like Facebook offer advanced targeting capabilities to deliver ads/offers to precise user segments like:

• Similar apps installed
• Mobile device capabilities
• Screen size
• Carrier networks
• Wifi vs cellular
• Income
• Purchase history
• And hundreds more

Targeting paid install campaigns to the right users also means higher retention and engagement metrics to support organic growth. Segmenting users also helps estimate downstream value to calculate positive return on install campaigns.

4. Scale User Acquisition Marketing

Driving efficient returns from paid user acquisition channels like Facebook ads continues to challenge mobile marketers as costs and competition rises across networks.

Buying installs through sources like geo-targeted mobile ad networks supplements other paid channels in two ways:

1. Improves Targeting: More scale from install campaigns provides optimization data to refine targeting and creatives in channels like Facebook.

2. Enables Volume Discounts: Install volume can help you gain additional volume discounts across paid channels using bonuses, tier structures, or spend commitments.

As a supplementary paid channel, buying installs improves return on all your user acquisition investments with better data and marginal efficiency gains.

As you can see, buying installs is about much more than just the installs themselves. It’s an investment in bootstrapping organic growth through credibility building, app store algos, and user targeting.

Next let’s explore the leading options for purchasing installs…

4 Best Services for Buying App Installs

Many ad platforms allow you to buy mobile app installs, but quality and performance vary widely. Here are the top services in 2024 based on install volume, targeting capabilities, and campaign management:

1. Geoads – Top Pick for Managed Install Campaigns

Geoads stands out as the premier platform for buying installs thanks to its self-managed and fully-managed campaign offerings.

Geoads provides the transparency to purchase self-serve Android and iOS installs priced dynamically across 240 countries and 1000+ device models. Their managed campaigns powered by expert media buyers take performance even further through hands-on optimization.

With Geoads you get leading targeting granularity, quality supply at scale, and support services to convert installs into engaged users and app store success.

Visit Geoads to Learn More

2. AppGrowth – Top Network for Self-Serve Android Installs

AppGrowth offers one of the largest sources inventory for developers to buy their own Android app installs. Pricing is dynamic similar to Geoads but AppGrowth focuses specifically on Android.

Their self-serve platform gives independent devs and studios access to over 2 billion Android devices globally. Campaigns can target downloads by device, geo, carrier & more. Performance tracking and optimization tools help maximize ROI from install budgets.

For those with app marketing knowledge, AppGrowth provides amazing reach and scale to run self-optimized Android install campaigns.

Sign Up for AppGrowth Here

3. Moburst – Full-Service Mobile User Acquisition

Moburst brings a white-glove approach to app install marketing through dedicated campaign managers. They plan, launch, manage, track, optimize, and scale install campaigns as a full-service agency.

Experts at Moburst leverage their preferred high-quality supply channels to drive real app users across ad formats like social and video. Campaigns balance scale, target filtering, and aggressive ROAS optimization.

For those wanting help buying and converting app installs, Moburst delivers as a proven top app marketing agency. Their custom strategies and managed services effectively grow mobile apps through paid UA.

Learn More About Moburst‘s Services

4. UseViral – Reach Interest-Based Audiences

UseViral takes a different approach to app installs through native advertising. Instead of pure scale based on devices and geos, they engage interest-based audiences with relevant content and rewards.

Campaigns seed sponsored stories across UseViral’s 1,500+ native mobile apps and sites. Targeting filters users by age, gender, interests, apps used, location, device, income, etc. Install costs trend higher but engagement and retention gain a boost from interest targeting.

For apps with defined audience personas, UseViral delivers quality users through native mobile inventories. Granular targeting and creative options allow personalized messaging as well.

Get Your UseViral Audit

These four platforms provide leading options for buying app installs in 2024 whether your goal is scale, management support, or high-precision audience targeting. Make sure to evaluate multiple partners to find the right fit.

Now let’s explore how to run effective and profitable paid install campaigns…

6 Tips for Choosing the Right Install Service

While buying downloads can achieve app store and marketing objectives, quality varies greatly across ad platforms. Low-quality installs waste budgets while also risking app stores penalties.

Follow these tips when vetting platform partners:

1. Request third-party audits – Leading attribution companies like AppsFlyer, Kochava, Adjust can confirm impression & install volumes across channels.

2. Evaluate geo location mix – Install geo distribution should align with your app’s target markets.

3. Check carrier distribution data – High volumes across major carriers signal real mobile users.

4. Compare device model distribution – Quality sources provide downloads across hundreds of real-world device models.

5. Analyze uniqueness scores – Metrics like AppsFlyer’s UniQ scores evaluate user duplication/fraud across sources.

6. Review campaign analytics – Install breakdowns by channel, creative, device, geo, age, gender ensure variability from unique users.

Evaluating platforms on these factors ensures your app pays only for real, high-quality users delivered through transparent sources.

Measuring the ROI from Paid App Installs

Driving install volume is an important first step, but install campaigns provide exponential value when optimized for engaged users and organic lift. Here are key metrics to track:

1. User Retention

Monitor new user retention post-install across cohorts to quantify engagement and pinpoint good target users/channels. Top apps average over 40% D1 retention from paid UA channels and retention directly impacts downstream values.

Source

2. Lifetime Value

Evaluating user lifetime value change from paid channels highlights profitable targets. For example, Pepper Pan achieved massively higher LTV from their bought installations:

Positive ROI requires balancing bid costs with expected user value amplification.

3. Organic Uplift

Measure organic install, session, and revenue growth pre/post-campaigns to value total marketing impact. Organic visits represent the compounding effects of credibility lifts from paid installs.

Apps may calculate $0.20 ROAS from bought users then see 100%+ organic revenue gains in following quarters.

4. ROAS

Calculate return on paid install spend based on marginal user value gains to scale budgets efficiently. Top media buyers target 2-4X returns optimizing install sources, creatives and targeting.

High, sustained ROAS signals effective paid UA strategy. Low or negative returns prompt reevaluation of bidding, inventory or targeting.

Optimizing campaigns based on these downstream indicators maximizes the ROI from initial paid user acquisition budgets. Value generated from buyers exceeds standalone returns.

Getting Reviews from Bought Installs

The top reason users download apps is positive feedback through ratings and reviews. This social proof is especially important for new apps to gain initial traction.

You can encourage ratings/reviews from bought installs with best practices like:

• Delay review prompts 2-7 days after first use when experience informs users
• Localize review prompts for better reception across geos
• Personalize with custom texts and incentive offers where allowed
• Limit to 5-star users initially to seed positives
• Evaluate comment themes to guide app improvements

Apps often combine these tactics to achieve 20%+ review rates from quality paid installs. The right strategy builds the marketplace social proof vital for organic discoverability and conversions.

Buying Installs Case Study: Food Delivery App

Consider this case study of a Yumtracks, a fictional on-demand food delivery app using install campaigns to rapidly scale their initial launch.

Pre-Launch Goals

Yumtracks sought to:

• Reach #1 Food & Drink app
• Launch with 500+ reviews
• Achieve $0.75+ first month ARPU

Install Campaign Results

Geoads managed Android installs targeted Canada foodies. Campaign outcomes included:

• 102,000 installs over 2 months
• Steady 38% D1 retention rate
• 4.1 star reviews from 5372 users
• $0.96 ARPU from bought users

The paid user burst ranked Yumtracks #1 in the category and accelerated viral adoption. Subsequent quarters saw 300%+ organic revenue growth as credibility lifted conversions.

Paid UA provided transforming impact through credibility borrowing.

4 Tips to Avoid Fake Installs

While buying downloads provides clear app marketing benefits, marketers must be vigilant against ad fraud in the form of fake or low-quality installs.

Guard your budgets and app integrity with these tips:

1. Continuously Evaluate Supply Partners

Conduct regular audits of new vs. existing sources with attribution platforms to detect shifts in technical KPIs like conversions, in-app events, retention or device metrics.

2. Analyze Install Characteristics

Profile installed users for tell-tale signs like concentrations in cheap device models, carriers, geos or other unusual patterns.

3. Monitor Quality Over Counts

Prioritize markers of real mobile users like carrier distribution, technical functioning, refined targeting over install counts alone.

4. Lead With Managed Partners

Leverage managed programmatic buyers with financial incentives to provide real users verified through third-party attribution.

Buying high-quality installs is integral to achieving app marketing goals. While buying app installs does require diligent screening, leading advertising platforms make it possible to gain real engaged users that boost organic discovery and conversion.

Conclusion: Buying Users Drives Organic Success Flywheel

In closing, buying app installs is a strategic marketing investment made by leading apps across verticals. Acquiring an initial user base kickstarts the organic success flywheel:

More installs > Higher visibility > Increased organic users > More social proof > Faster organic growth > Repeats

Investing upfront in paid user acquisition allows you to compete with established apps by essentially “borrowing” credibility signals before earning them organically. This ignite strategy works especially well when combining interest, geo, and device targeting to reach high-potential users.

Evaluating multiple trusted platforms for buying downloads ensures quality supply and performance transparency from the start. Managed programmatic buyers add further accountability through financial contracts requiring real engaged users.

If planned well, an initial paid user acquisition phase fosters exponentially greater organic adoption velocity. This growth compounding makes buying app installs extremely cost efficient long-term when accounting for higher lifetime values.

In competitive markets with tuned apps, buying installs serves as rocket fuel to accelerate organic flywheel effects. Test launches today to validate the power of borrowing signals to boost credibility.