App Guardians | App Growth Network"s Mobile Marketing Agency

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the CEO and founder at GEM. We are a mobile SaaS gifting platform for influencer marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Growth Network, and what were your goals?

GEM needed explainer videos that were on brand and that gave clear direction, verbally and visually, to our users.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Teagan, the business strategist, did a wonderful job explaining their process for video production and did soft introductions on their team and their backgrounds which made me feel comfortable moving forward. He took many calls with me on short notice to answer any questions or concerns I may have had and always made me feel as if AGN was available for my needs 24/7

Describe the video(s) and the process in detail, including the project steps and all stages of production.

The moment we agreed to work together I was kindly greeted by the entire AGN team that would be involved in the project. Immediately I was added to a Slack channel where I was able to communicate with everyone involved. Once we got started and the scripts were drafted, AGN made sure to include me throughout the process so I was able to add any suggestions to the videos, a total collaborative effort. Usually within a couple days we would have new material to review and if we had any suggestions for edits, they were made same day. No time was wasted from start to finish.

Who did you work with and what was the feedback process like?

I worked with Jennifer directly and she was a dream to work with! The communication was always clear and she never had me wondering what the next steps were or when I should expect any drafts for review. Jennifer made sure to keep me in the loop throughout the entire process. If I had any suggestions Jennifer would relay my message to the team and I would see AGN working on our edits live. Very streamlined process.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Any time we are able to post on social media or send out an important email, we always make sure to post the explainer videos AGN has created. The response we have received from our peers has really given us the credibility and peace of mind that with solid videos you can get the right message across to future users.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Communication was strictly on Slack where all team members were involved. I loved this approach especially since if one team member was busy, the other was able to reply on their behalf, wasting no time. Typically within 24 hours (or same day) any suggestions we had were completed immediately.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I was blown away by the quality of the videos and how they were perfectly on brand. The animations, cuts, edits, and scripts were on brand which is typically tough to accomplish when bringing in a new agency.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

The scripts took a more collaborative effort since AGN didn't understand our industry as well as I wish they would have.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the group project manager at Keap, and we build automation and marketing software for small businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with App Growth Network?

We had a mobile app offering, and we wanted more users to sign up for it. We were looking to increase the number of prospective clients seeing our app through app stores. We needed help marketing our app and increasing our organic and paid user acquisition efforts.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We work with App Growth Network to create different creative sets for ads on Google and Facebook. 

Notably, App Growth Network has helped us create video ads so our audience can understand our app. They’ve produced a video campaign that showcases our product in an entertaining and simple way. They’ve handled all aspects of production, including scriptwriting, casting, shooting, and editing. 

What is the team composition?

We’ve worked with eight teammates, including Fouad (Founder & CEO), data specialists, analytics specialists, creatives, and an account manager. 

How did you come to work with App Growth Network?

We researched companies that could help us with this project. We narrowed our search from 15 companies to three.

We chose App Growth Network because Fouad understood our challenge and what we were trying to do. He had a similar experience with the same problem as ours, so he understood our pain points and the factors necessary to make our vision come to life. We also liked App Growth Network’s cost-effectiveness.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $70,000–$100,000. 

What is the status of this engagement?

We’ve been working together since May 2021, and our partnership is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

Within three months, App Growth Network has helped us grow our total installs by 226% and decrease our average cost per impression by 26%. 

App Growth Network’s ad has performed well and received excellent reviews from internal and external viewers. In fact, the video has been nominated for a mobile app advertising award. They’ve done a great job with the video ad, and it produces positive results — it speaks to our brand and product. 

How did App Growth Network perform from a project management standpoint?

App Growth Network is very effective at project management. They do a great job setting goals and steps to follow. I feel confident about their ability to execute the project. We have bi-weekly meetings where we recap results and action items, and we primarily communicate through Slack. 

What did you find most impressive about them?

We feel App Growth Network is a part of our team — we don’t feel like we’re contracting with them. They think very creatively about helping us accomplish our goals. 

Are there any areas they could improve?

App Growth Network can be more precise on the client’s responsibilities during the engagement. 

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Be clear on your goals, and ensure that it’s aligned with what App Growth Network will work on.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

ThinkUp is the #1 app for positive affirmations and motivation

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Growth Network, and what were your goals?

We felt that our app was not reaching its full potential in terms of growth. AGN's goal was to inspect the app (product and funnel), identify areas of improvement, and build and execute an ASO, ASA, creatives strategy to facilitate further growth.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

AGN were recommended by their partner that we trust on app growth.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and marking tools used.

AGN team of experts worked on various tasks - creatives - screenshots design and preview videos, ASO, GP optimization, funnel optimization recommendation, and Apple Search Ads management.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

I was very impressed by a team of experts in various fields - creatives and design, data analytics, apple search ads. A project manager (Liana) was assigned to the project, she coordinated all the experts and was super attentive to all my (numerous :-)) questions and requests. All the tea experts were super responsive on Slack and provided data and reports of their work and progress. Liana and the rest of the team created very professional presentation and reports to be presented during our weekly/bi-weekly meetings.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

The AGN team identified weaknesses in our funnel and made specific, data based recommendations where to focus our devs.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Very effective, communication over slack was great. We're working with various freelancers and AGN are one of the most effective agencies I've worked with (in terms of communication/time difference etc)

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Great communication. They're a very broad team of experts that can create results in a short time.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

A better balance between the tactical execution and a more strategic planning.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the owner/co-founder of a small business with a wellness app focused on increasing the quality of life and overall happiness of its user base through habit building, completing small daily tasks, daily personal reflection, and improved personal accountability.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Growth Network?

We hired AGN for app launch services (inclusive of market research and ASO) and two months of growth.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

We researched several marketing companies via online reviews (including Clutch reviews) and had two meetings with AGN about their proposed package and marketing strategy.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

The AGN team performed market research, analyzing competitors for market demographics, app functionality, cost structure, and keywords. They managed an ASO campaign based on their keyword research with several iterations, greatly increasing our ASO and making our app more easily discoverable in the App Store with our core keywords.

They also created niche personas to target with Facebook ads. AGN made ad creatives for the App Store consisting of still images and a 30-second video as well as ad creatives for the Apple Search and Facebook ads. They ran our Apple Search and Facebook ad campaigns for a little over one month.

Early on, we requested a more organic growth strategy of an influencer campaign, which was our preferred marketing strategy to target our niche. They reached out to one of their vendors and one other company then did not pursue this any further. They seemed focused mainly on paid advertising campaigns.

What was the team composition?

Our team underwent several leadership transitions (outside of the control of AGN), losing 2 project leads (their seasoned startup expert and his replacement) and 1 project account manager. We were disappointed by this as working with their startup expert was one of our deciding reasons for hiring AGN.

Our team eventually consisted of a project manager, a creative director, a data analyst, and a few additional team members with smaller roles.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The project leadership team changed several times early on, which was stressful/anxiety-provoking for a start-up launch as we transitioned from AGN's lead startup expert (who we were very excited to work with) to a replacement that also subsequently left within 4-6 weeks, to a relatively new Mobile Growth Consultant, Eric.

We unfortunately lost the startup/launch expertise, but Eric did a great job filling in and rising to the occasion on short notice. He was great to work with and is likely one of AGN's rising stars.

The market research and competitor analysis was robust and very helpful. The ASO campaign was also successful, resulting in ASO/visibility for a brand new app/brand. While initially part of the team, Eric eventually took over as lead after market research, prior to launch.

The App Store creatives were very aesthetically pleasing and professionally done. They also included a 30-second video highlighting the important features of the app. The Creative Campaign Manager, Jennifer, was very engaged and receptive to feedback. She was a joy to work with. Most of the ad creatives for the paid ad campaigns were excellent. Some were more basic, similar to a PSA, that may have resulted in app installs, but didn't appear to translate into active users from our limited data.

The initial target personas that AGN created unfortunately did not perform well with an average CPI ~7x higher than projected. After removing the target personas and relying on the Facebook algorithm to discover the target audience, the CPI dropped, though remained above the projected CPI.

As a new small business, we had to follow our marketing budget relatively strictly and it became clear that the "pay for user" approach would be cost prohibitive for us. AGN was not able to engage any influencers for our desired influencer campaign.

Our limited experience with our AGN data analyst, Aleksei, was very helpful. Aleksei was very engaged and provided a lot of insight within a short time. We really wish we had more time to work with him.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

Our app development was delayed and AGN was accommodating during this process (and had said they would be prior to signing our contract). Given their staff departures, it worked out well for both parties. The team was very responsive to Skype messages and flexible with meeting times and frequency. They were very easy to work with and we developed a strong rapport with our key team members.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

One of their major strengths was their competitor research, market analysis, and ASO implementation. AGN communicated effectively and was very responsive. Eric, Jennifer, and Aleksei were excellent to work with.

Is there any area for improvement or anything that could have been done differently?

It seems their primary marketing strategy is paid advertising, which requires a large marketing budget for a new brand/product launch (probably at least mid to high 5 figures), which is difficult for a new small business. They also can grow out an Instagram Influencer network given the much higher engagement rate of Instagram and the potential for organic growth.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

Veereo is a video sharing platform with a focus on unsigned musicians.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire App Growth Network, and what were your goals?

We wanted to develop a mobile app for users to access via their phones and computers. We were essentially starting from scratch so our main goal was to get up and running in a way that would attract users from the very beginning.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We interviewed with several other companies but once we met with App Growth Network, it was clear that they understood our vision and were willing to walk us through, step by step--all while adhering to our budget.

Describe the scope of work in detail, including the project steps, key deliverables, and technologies used.

Fouad and his team at App Growth Network were incredibly thorough from start to finish--outlining their plans and meeting every milestone and goal that we'd expressed to them. From preparing us for iOS and Android release, to guiding us on design elements, their attention to detail, timely communication and support for our often changing needs/ideas made what could have been a very stressful process one that was much easier and manageable.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We had a team of eight. Their positions were project manager so with someone focusing on each of the following: social media content, social media research and development, data analytics, market research, event taxonomy and firebased analytics.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the project or general feedback about the deliverables?

We hired them at the very inception of development but due to our company's own internal delays, we've put a temporary pause on things until we launch. At that point, I will have a better grasp of outcomes.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

They're clear and timely communicators. Response time was nearly always immediate and the professionalism throughout was remarkable.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

I appreciated their ability to break things down in a way that was easy to understand and execute, especially for someone who's not technologically proficient.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

I think they could benefit from more internal cohesiveness.