The power of performance-driven organic growth on social media for user acquisition 

In the dynamic and competitive landscape of app user acquisition, marketers are constantly seeking innovative strategies to drive growth, engagement, and revenue.  

One such strategy that has gained significant traction in recent years is organic growth marketing. The goal of this approach is to boost in-app revenues by effectively managing social media pages such as TikTok or Instagram to increase visibility and thus users within the application. We specifically want to focus on performance-driven organic growth on social media which stands out by combining the analytical precision found in paid campaigns with the authenticity and cost-efficiency of organic growth methods. This approach not only capitalizes on the strengths of organic marketing but elevates it with the measurable and goal-oriented results associated with paid user acquisition. 

So what exactly is performance-driven organic growth marketing, and why should an app prioritize it in its acquisition efforts? 

3 organic levers to work on for more visibility

Organic growth, in this context, refers to the strategy of improving and optimizing social media accounts, such as TikTok or Instagram, to expand online communities. Here, the focus is not on the overall growth of a company, but specifically on how social media pages are curated and managed to increase the number of followers and, consequently, revenue. This approach, centered on performance-driven growth through social media leverages three main levers to drive growth. 

SEO strategy: profile optimization (username, bio, hashtag etc.), internal linking, keywords, referencing, and more. All of this enhances the visibility of both the account and content, as they align with platform algorithms making the app more discoverable and likely to attract potential users.   

Content strategy: content roadmap and posting calendar, identifying themes/topics in tune with market and trends. Strategic planning is essential as consistent presence and repetition are key to fostering a community. Posting just once isn’t effective; therefore, a precise calendar and roadmap are necessary to determine when to deploy various types of content. 

Creative production: UGC and motion production flow and integration, brand ambassador program, filter production, and more thanks to internal technologies developed at Addict Mobile. This is the true essence of staying competitive. It’s imperative to renew content regularly as trends constantly evolve. This is what ensures visibility, virality, and ultimately, success. 

While organic strategies may require less upfront investment than paid campaigns, they often require significant time, effort, and resources to yield results.  The impact of such strategies leads to more credibility, trust, and recognition in a brand, as well as a better reach, engagement, and visibility.  

How to measure organic growth to turn it into an in-app performance lever?

However, at Addict Mobile, we think that while awareness is important, focusing solely on this matter overlooks the broader goal of driving tangible performance outcomes, such as daily active users and revenue. Indeed, in today’s competitive app market, in-depth KPI monitoring, and analysis are essential to generate performance. With our experience in performance-focused user acquisition and analysis of campaign results to draw learnings and optimize accordingly, we have developed a broad understanding of what drives success. That’s why we believe a performance-oriented approach to organic growth is essential in today’s environment. 

By implementing performance-driven organic growth strategies, apps can achieve sustainable growth by driving acquisition, and engagement over time, therefore maximizing ROI.

At Addict Mobile, we measure the results of organic growth strategies using our expertise and deep understanding of each platform (Meta, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat). Key metrics for evaluating organic growth include: 

1. Social KPIs: views, reach, engagement rates, hashtag performance, follower growth rate, profile clicks, and more, to get a better understanding of the direct impact of actions on the community.  

2. Store and MMP KPIs: app ranking, paid and organic installs, DAU, retention, ARPU, ROAS, incremental to have visibility on more metrics and focus the analysis on performance. 

In order to provide the most comprehensive analysis, it is also essential to compare periods with and without organic growth strategies, on organic versus paid results, with a long and short-term view. 

The strength of organic growth on social media and paid UA synergy 

Organic growth strategies can be useful in several situations, such as for apps that need to reassure potential users (medical, dating, finance…), create a community (social apps mostly), or simply struggle to generate acquisition (B2B, gambling…). 

However, these strategies can also be combined with paid acquisition strategies, for apps that have reached a ceiling and can no longer reach new audiences, or apps that have already reached a high level of investment and/or are struggling to generate incremental users. 

Therefore, while paid strategies can deliver quick results and scale, organic strategies offer sustainable growth and overcome limitations encountered with paid strategies. By combining the strengths of both approaches, a holistic user acquisition strategy that drives app growth and success can be achieved.  

Exploring the advantages of combining organic growth with paid strategies reveals several positive impacts:

• Reduced ad fatigue  

Organic creatives can be reused in paid campaigns, leading to less ad fatigue thanks to more frequent creative refreshments.  

• Increased reach  

By investing in both channels, the app benefits from increased visibility, enabling a greater reach. This allows algorithms to identify new potential areas for profitability by accessing audience segments that were previously undiscovered or underexploited. 

• Multiplied insights for enhanced Ad relevance  

Organic channels provide valuable insights into user behavior, preferences, and interests. By leveraging these insights, an app can create more relevant and personalized paid ads that resonate with target audiences.  

• Improved CPI 

Paid campaigns’s CPI is positively impacted thanks to better app visibility. Users who are already familiar with an app through organic content are more likely to engage with an ad, which allows a better CTR and CVR as well as lower cost of acquisition.  

• Cross promoted content  

Organic content that performs well can be promoted through paid campaigns to reach a wider audience. This cross-promotion and amplification strategy can lead to increased ad exposure, engagement, and ultimately, better ROAS. 

Boosting app success by trusting one performance-oriented partner with user acquisition and organic growth 

Given all the above, it becomes clear that marketing success lies in mastering both organic growth and paid user acquisition strategies. While each approach offers unique benefits, the true power lies in the synergy that arises when they are managed together. 

By consolidating organic growth and paid user acquisition strategies within a single performance-oriented partner, apps are guaranteed amplified results and better outcomes for their businesses.  

Strategic budget allocations for ROI maximization  

From a performance point of view, handling both organic and paid strategies allows the marketing partner to optimize budget allocation across channels to maximize ROI of the strategy. It can strategically allocate resources based on performance data and campaign objectives, ensuring that the budget is allocated where it will have the greatest impact. 

Goals alignment for maximum outcomes  

A performance-oriented partner is driven by specific, measurable goals . By aligning both organic and paid strategies with these objectives, the agency can make sure that every marketing effort is geared toward achieving meaningful outcomes. 

Data-driven expertise for proactive decision-making  

For performance-driven organic growth to be effective, working with an agency with a strong background in data analysis is essential. Addict Mobile offers this expertise, drawing on our experience with advanced tracking tools and a deep understanding of advertising networks. Similar to our approach for UA campaign strategies, we deliver detailed analysis and consistent reporting, enabling quick and data-based decisions. This includes actions such as pausing underperforming campaigns or generating new creatives, all aimed at achieving optimal outcomes.

Flexibility to navigate industry changes 

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, adaptability and agility are essential. A performance-oriented agency is equipped to navigate industry trends, consumer behavior shifts, and algorithm/platform updates swiftly and effectively. By managing both organic and paid activities, agencies can pivot and adjust their approach in real time to capitalize on emerging opportunities and mitigate risks. 

Unified Marketing for cohesive brand experience 

The agency can ensure seamless consistency and cohesion across all marketing endeavors. A unified approach fosters alignment in messaging, branding, and targeting, creating a cohesive user experience that strengthens brand identity. 

Access to extensive creative resources  

It’s also important to outsource these two levers to an agency with the necessary resources for creative production. Indeed, the development of visual content is a central element in both strategies, where it’s essential to diversify content as much as possible (videos, statics, UGC, iteration of formats…) and to produce in large quantities in order to refresh campaigns and maintain regular posts on organic. 

Interested in exploring how the synergy of organic growth and paid user acquisition can benefit your app? Reach out to Addict Mobile for a comprehensive audit of your account!  

Author: Carla Vassalo, Head of Growth and UA Manager @Addict Mobile