Why do you need an app landing page?
Uh, have you looked at your iPhone’s App Store lately? How about Google Play? We’ve seen landfills with better curation.
With more than two million apps available on each store, people have a much better chance of finding a pearl in an oyster than randomly stumbling upon your app. No matter how appealing it is—no matter how entertaining or even life-changing—most people won’t discover it without a robust marketing campaign.
(And, to paraphrase Contently’s Bradley Little, going viral is not a strategy.)
The first step in marketing your iPhone or Android app is finding the right channels to promote it. Using Google Ads’App Ads is a strong starting point, but many marketers get extra mileage from traditional PPC campaigns, social media marketing, app cross-promotion, or even email blasts to newsletter subscribers.
In these cases, you’ll need a stellar landing page to overcome that hesitance we all feel about installing yet another piece of software onto our phones. For this reason, ensuring a buttery-smooth post-click experience is fundamental to the app marketer’s toolbox.
These are some of the best app landing page examples out there, all of ’em built with Unbounce. We want to highlight how you can create a page to promote your own mobile app and, as importantly, why a well-designed landing page can make all the difference. Along the way, we’ll throw in our two cents about what sets them apart.
So hop right into the examples below, or keep reading for a handful of best practices to get you started.
Here’s what you need to know about mobile app landing pages:
- What is an app landing page?
- What are the benefits of landing pages for apps?
- How to build mobile app landing pages
- Mobile app landing page examples
What is an app landing page?
A landing page for a mobile app is a standalone web page created with one and only one mission: to get potential customers to download your application. Imagine you launch a new app, then decide to promote it through paid ads or emails. An app landing page is where a potential customer “lands” after they click on one of those links.
App landing pages (like all landing pages) are super effective at drivin’ downloads because they’ve got just a single call to action (or “CTA” for short). These pages don’t have any distractions. They’re specifically designed to keep visitors laser-focused on your CTA, like clicking through to your page on an app store. Your website doesn’t have that singular focus, and it might leave folks feeling lost or distracted.
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You can build simple landing pages for your app in Unbounce—no coding or advanced design skills needed. Just drag-and-drop the elements you want to use, style them however you’d like, and you’re ready to publish. Plus you can test drive Unbounce completely free for 14 days.
What are some benefits of app landing pages?
“But hold on, Unbounce. Why can’t I just send visitors directly to the app store?”
Great question, you! There are a number of benefits to having an app landing page before someone gets to your download page on the App Store or Google Play:
- More conversions (like, lots more). Landing pages for mobile apps allow you to speak more directly to your target audience—and drive ’em directly towards your call to action. Because these landing pages are direct and distraction-free, you often end up with a whole lot more app downloads (or conversions) than you would sending visitors to a regular download page.
- Create fully branded experiences. You can improve the first impression of your app with a beautifully-designed landing page that compellingly presents your brand. You’re not bound to the stark, white app store aesthetic that leaves *much* to be desired. With landing pages, you can create a branded experience for folks that’ll get ’em even more pumped to download your app.
- Provide more (and clearer) messaging. With a landing page, you’ve got a lot more room to persuade a potential customer than on an app store page. You can go in-depth about your app features and benefits, include testimonials (even video testimonials), and add other trust signals like review scores or badges.
- Keep ’em in your ecosystem. Your app store pages let potential customers do two things: download your app (good!), or see similar apps from other developers (bad!). We don’t usually recommend including links on your landing page except for your CTA—but if you’re worried that visitors need more information before they download your app, you can add links to educational resources and avoid introducing folks to your competitors. Clever, right?
With app landing pages, you also have the ability to control your call to action. You can make the messaging on your CTA specific toyour app and your brand—whereas on the App Store or Google Play store, your visitors get automatic default messaging like “Download” or “Get.” Your landing page CTA can speak more clearly to the value your customer will get.
And that’s just scratching the surface. With landing pages, you can target exactly the right people. Boom.
(Wanna learn how to write the most persuasive messaging for your landing pages? Read our free copywriting guide).
How to build mobile app landing pages
If you’ve created a landing page for any ol’ purpose, you may have encountered some of this advice before. But it’s worth revisiting in the context of app marketing since some elements gain increased importance when you’re hoping to score some downloads. Let’s get started:
- Establish your conversion goal first. As you’ll see from the examples below, an app landing page can be a lot of things. It can be a simple download page with links directly to the Android and iOS app stores. Or you might want your customers to subscribe to your service first. Or they might need to purchase a physical product for the app to work. Regardless, your conversion goal will have a significant impact on your calls-to-action, your copy, and even your design. So start there.
- Start with mobile. If you’re like me, you default to desktop when building a new landing page. (Our builder kinda sorta encourages it, to be fair.) But since apps are designed primarily for phones, it usually makes sense to create your mobile version first. That way, you’ll better set yourself up for those visitors who’re most likely to download your app.
- Keep their attention. This is true of all landing pages, but app pages that encourage a direct download in particular benefit from a 1:1 attention ratio. So don’t give ’em the world. Instead, hit your visitors with the essential information they need to convert.
- Show the device. Ideally, you want to show your app running on a device that’s as similar as possible to what customers are using. Sometimes that’s an iPhone. Sometimes it’s an Android phone. It’ll differ depending on use cases, the campaign you’re running, and the kinds of customers you court.
- And stay fast! It can be tempting to take a kitchen-sink approach to your app landing page, especially if you have a lot of features to show off. But generally a slow post-click experience (think, four seconds or more) is going to generate a ton of frustration and decrease your conversions. Make sure your pages load lightning fast.
Don’t worry, building a landing page is easier than it sounds. Check out our guide and learn how to create a landing page in 10 easy steps.
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You can also start with a pre-built landing page template to save a ton of time and guesswork upfront.
The template can act as your initial “shell” so you don’t have to manually build the core sections and elements on your page. Just add your copy, tweak the styles to match your brand, and add any extra elements you’d like then you’re all set.
The best mobile app landing page examples
1. Aaptiv
How Aaptiv nails it: Design your app landing page differently for desktop versus mobile devices.
(Industry: Fitness)
Aaptiv is a name that ensures this app will appear at the top of any alphabetical list. (Ahem, like this one.) But abecedarian branding is not enough to guarantee discovery. Instead, having a powerful marketing campaign, complemented by carefully targeted app landing pages like this one, can help a lot. This particular page focuses on employers who might want to include an Aaptiv account as part of their company’s wellness plan.
Why it works:
- Include big-name clients. The testimonial from an existing Aaptiv member speaks to the flexibility of the app as well as the motivation it provides. I love it. But for employers, logos from prestigious brands like Starbucks and Amazon might be even more significant. If I want my employees to feel like they work for a first-class company, I really can’t do better than matching my wellness offerings with some big names.
- Design for the device. We’ve included screenshots of both versions of the landing page here to highlight the differences between them. For instance, the desktop version has a handy breakdown of some of the app’s features. It also includes a few extra visuals that the mobile version tosses in favor of speedier loads. This ensures both versions are lightning-fast—and both still look like a million bucks—no matter the device that visitors are using.
- Clarity shows confidence. When you’ve got something genuinely hot to show off, as Aaptiv does, it’s best to let your product speak for itself. That’s why the copy here is so straightforward. In the desktop version, Aaptiv’s pitch includes screenshots and copy that show off unique programs, expert trainers, and custom tracking in action. And that’s way more effective than flouncy language.
2. Headspace
How Headspace nails it: Getting you to commit to a trial plan as well as downloading their app.
(Industry: Wellness)
Headspace (ever heard of ‘em?) says they’ve got one mission: to improve the health and happiness of the world. But we believe they have another mission, and that’s to get their potential customers to sign up for a trial and download their app at the very same time. This tactic is bound to get people using the service quicker—and probably makes for stickier users, too.
Why it works:
- One button achieves two goals. Headspace isn’t bombarding you with different options on their app landing page. Instead, they’re presenting you with one all-encompassing option: signing up for a trial also means downloading their app. Do you have similar opportunities to hit two birds with one stone on your mobile app page?
- Show ‘em what you’re about. Just because someone hasn’t downloaded Headspace yet doesn’t mean they can’t get a sense of the app experience. Headspace doesn’t wait for visitors to become customers to see what they’re all about—they’re demonstrating their commitment to mental health through their branding, giving folks a consistent experience from a copy and design perspective.
3. Advanced Producer
How Advanced Producer nails it: Cut down on frustration by texting your desktop visitors a download link.
(Industry: Real Estate)
The Advanced Producer Mobile App by Advanced Commission doubles as an educational tool and a time-saver for REALTORS® using the company’s commission lending service. Though they have other pages for mobile campaigns, this one’s designed specifically for desktop viewing. Let’s take a look at some of the smart choices they’ve made in creating it.
Why it works:
- Use texting to get them downloading. How do you ensure a download if you’re putting a landing page together for desktop viewing? After all, if visitors don’t have remote app install set up—and not many do—clicking a link to either app store from a desktop leads to an error message. That’s… not good. Advanced Producer cleverly gets around this problem by sending an SMS directly to their phone.
- Use powerful language. REALTORS® are a competitive bunch, and they don’t have time to waste on namby-pamby apps. Both copy and design here respect that. It’s not just a matter of using forceful words (“dominate your market,” “devour pages of pro-level tips”) but also of being direct and to the point.
- Say what platforms you support. For a while, it seemed app developers were all about Apple. But since Android phones outnumber iPhones in the US, it’s a good idea to let your visitors know that your app is downloadable on Google Play as well as in the iTunes app store (assuming, y’know, that’s actually true).
4. Cameo
How Cameo nails it: Show your app in action.
(Industry: Talent/Gifts)
Cameo’s unique service: personalized shoutouts from celebrities, athletes, and influencers that you can send to your friends, family, or coworkers. Talent earn money for a minute of their time, and customers get the thrill of a lifetime. It’s a charming idea, and an easy-to-use app lies at the heart of it. Trust me, your mom will love those birthday wishes from RiFF RAFF.
According to Tyler Mabery, the designer from KlientBoost who created this page, the challenge was letting users know how to use Cameo:
I made a section that explains the three steps in getting a Cameo so that users know exactly how the service works. I decided to have it peeking above the fold so that users would scroll down more to read about the service. It worked and this page is getting an 85% click-through rate.
Why it works:
- Keep-it-simple steps. As Mabery says, the page isn’t shy about letting users know exactly how it works. In Cameo’s case, you don’t need a degree in rocket science to understand the app—browse talent, book talent, get yer video from talent. 1-2-3. But that’s the point. It’s easy. Listing steps when it’s effortless reinforces simplicity.
- Show them how it works. It’s not always possible to highlight everything your app does. But clever use of animation or video can show off either functionality or results. Here, for instance, Cameo provides a sample from “Mr. Wonderful” himself, Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary. Another video, showing a fan’s reaction to a message from Cody Ko, is even more powerful. (And, yeah, I had to look him up too.)
- “What’s it good for?”That’s the kind of question that a lot of marketers forget to answer about their products. Cameo’s app landing page uses a lot of space to communicate its many uses. They even provide lively, humorous examples—“Have Chris Harrison give a gift better than ‘the Final Rose’”—that inspire creativity and fun.
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Remember, launching your landing page is only the first step. After V1 is live, it’s time to start A/B testing to boost your conversion rate.
Not sure where to start? We’ve got two things for you…
1. A guide on how to do more with less when A/B testing.
Download the A/B testing guide
2. An expert-led webinar that covers A/B testing best practices.
Watch the A/B testing webinar recording
5. Carly
How Carly nails it: Design a landing page that actually fits your offering.
(Industry: Automotive)
Some apps just install and go. In those cases, just providing a download link can be the best choice. (Though you should take care that your app landing page doesn’t end up looking generic.) But like many sophisticated tools, Carly’s “connected car” needs a little something extra to unlock your car’s hidden features. For this reason, they’ve designed a page that funnels potential customers into the right checkout flow for their needs.
Why it works:
- Offer options (if you have to). Now, usually Unbounce recommends keeping your landing pages focused on a single call to action. But here’s another approach. Since it can be a challenge to accurately target prospects based on the car they drive, Carly’s page features seven buttons. Clicking on one takes you to a shop page that matches your needs. (Hitting a store page right away might be jarring, though, so it’d be worth testing what might happen if visitors are funneled to a second-stage landing page tailored to each manufacturer.)
- Keep the eye moving down. Ideally, a visitor would immediately check to see if Carly supports their automobile. Then they’d buy the device. But conversions rarely work out that way. (We wish they did!) For the unconvinced, an animated arrow keeps them scrolling to a more detailed rundown of the product, its benefits, and some crystal clear illustrations of what it can do.
- Under the influence. I don’t know the first thing about Beemers. (I take the bus to work most days.) But Justin Buice does. He’s an influencer who runs a successful channel dedicated to customizing and upgrading BMWs, and his YouTube video is featured in place of a testimonial on this page. If I were to tell you that Carly rocks, you’d likely scoff. (“Take a hike, bus boy!”) But the same claim from someone like Justin will convince you.
6. Strava
How Strava nails it: Highlight the most impressive thing about your app
(Industry: Fitness)
Fact: Strava is the largest online sports community in the world—and you best believe they’re gonna tell you about it. Over 100 million athletes in 195 countries use Strava, and they want you to know immediately that whatever your activity and goals, you’ll have that digital community at your back. Talk about social proof.
Why it works:
- Self-promotion done right. It ain’t bragging if it’s true. Sometimes numbers themselves can act like testimonials and social proof. There’s no way an app with over 100 million users is gonna be a disappointment… right? Strava leans into their biggest strength—which is exactly what you should do on your own landing page.
- WYSIWYG. Giving your audience a sense of how your app looks and functions can be super persuasive. Strava shows you their app features in action through product images: set your goals, analyze your data, and measure your progress. Not only does this entice a potential customer to go for that download button, it also tells them exactly what to expect after they download the app.
7. Crash Detech
How Crash Detech nails it: Provide free alternatives to paid services.
(Industry: Automotive Safety)
South Africa has some of the most dangerous roads in the world, and Crash Detech helps keep drivers safe by alerting emergency responders. But even a life-saving idea needs a brilliant marketing campaign behind it. That’s where this app landing page comes in. It’s actually the second step of a “free medical id” campaign that’s designed to encourage subscriptions to the service.
The company’s CEO, Jaco Gerrits, provides a little context about how it works:
Our main aim is to convert users on our paid subscription, but we also offer an alternative where they could ‘try the app for free.’ Once the user clicks the CTA, a welcome SMS/Text is sent with a link to our app, encouraging users to download and sign-in. We then use automation techniques to retarget users who have not downloaded and signed in to the app, to further improve our conversion rates.
Why it works:
- Offer a free alternative. There are two buttons here, allowing visitors to either sign up for the paid subscription now or to get a free version of the service. Onboarding people into your app with limited functionality (or using a free trial) does two things. First, it lets them try before they buy. And, second, it begins a lead nurturing strategy that’ll eventually convert many unpaid users into paying customers.
- The promise of safety. Safety and security can be powerful motivators, as they are throughout this page. According to Gerrits, the copy here immediately establishes “a strong connection with the visitor using emotive header text. Our sub-header summarises our benefits, providing a solution to keep you both safe and secure.”
- Use media coverage as a source of credibility. If you’ve been lucky enough to be featured on local or international news—for good reasons, I hope—including it on your landing page, as Crash Detech does, can lend you legitimacy and overcome skepticism. (In an age of ‘fake news,’ it’s best to go with the most reliable sources you can.)
8. Hearth
How Hearth nails it: Keep it simple to keep visitors focused.
(Industry: Home Renovation/Financing)
Hearth offers quick, affordable financing for home renovations. They also work in partnership with contractors to help connect potential customers to lenders and close more sales. That’s where this app comes in: it allows people to pre-qualify for a renovation loan during an on-site visit (or at any other time, really).
Why it works:
- Just the essentials. If you’re a creative, it can be easy to get carried away adding bells and whistles to your landing pages. The truth is, Hearth has other pages on their site that do a lot of the persuading. This landing page has one purpose—encouraging existing subscribers to download their app—and it does that cleanly and directly.
- Buttons above the fold. It’s very common to see an app landing page that forces users to scroll to find a download link. Instead, Hearth smartly chooses to put them both near the top. They also keep them large and spaced apart to overcome the “big hands, small device” issue that plagues contractors.
- Lighten the load. At Unbounce, we have a lot to say about the importance of speed. But speed is doubly important for mobile app landing pages. When you access this page on a phone, you notice how snappy it loads (in about 2 seconds). That’s because Hearth keeps it light for smartphone users by resisting the urge to include unnecessary content (like, for instance, an animated .gif showing the app in motion).
9. Evo Car Share
How Evo nails it: Show visitors how they’re getting a bang for their buck
(Industry: Car Sharing)
Evo self-identifies as the evolution of car sharing built for British Columbians. (What up, BC!) They’re also not shy to tell you about the free perks you get once you sign up for their app.
Why it works:
- Who doesn’t love free stuff? Evo car share is telling you about that FREE trial and those precious 30 minutes of driving for FREE. (Emphasis theirs.) But you’ll also notice that they have a pretty creative way of showing you exactly how much you’d spend per minute with an interactive pricing slider.
- Keepin’ it simple. On this app landing page, Evo is leaning into one key value prop: price transparency. Sure, they showcase a couple other perks, but they’re confident that price is enough to win new customers. They keep the page distraction-free and use color contrast on the CTA button to make sure visitors stay focused on the campaign goal.
10. Ibotta
How Ibotta nails it: Use a simple page as a gateway to more mobile engagement.
(Industry: Retail Rewards)
Ibotta promises real cash back when you make purchases at participating retail stores. The app allows shoppers to scan receipts, link their loyalty cards, and even make purchases directly from their phones. Because there’s a fair bit of onboarding involved, however, they use simple app landing pages like this one as gateways to a more detailed sign-up. (Also, say their name aloud for today’s ‘aha!’ moment.)
Why it works:
- Simple doesn’t mean silent. Like the example from Hearth above, Ibotta’s app landing page looks pretty basic. But just think about how much they’re saying on this page with a couple dozen words. First, their promise is crystal clear: “Earn Cash Back on Everyday Purchases.” Then, they sweeten the deal with the promise of a bonus for signing up. Even the button reminds you that the app is free to use.
- Cut it short. If you look at the whole page, then you’ll notice that Ibotta only bother to include the top third of the phone here. Beyond what you can see when the page loads, in fact, there’s nothing but the footer. This keeps the page light and focused. It also means that the option to download Ibotta—whether you click the button or on the footer link—is never not on the screen. Genius!
- Downloading the app is just the start. For Ibotta to succeed, they need users to get aboard that sweet mobile engagement loop and start using their app on the regular. For this reason, clicking brings visitors to a more detailed sign-up page (where they can create an account using Facebook or Google) that also serves to better onboard subscribers.
11. Overwolf
How Overwolf nails it: Gamify your app marketing campaigns.
(Industry: Gaming/esports)
Considering the size of the gaming industry, ‘niche’ is definitely not the right word to describe Overwolf’s target market. But this landing page is a killer example of just how engaging a specific demographic goes beyond witty copy and sharp design. As part of a cross-promotion with 20th Century Fox’s The Kid Who Would Be King, Overwolf has crafted an experience that speaks directly to younger gamers who make up the audience of this film.
Overwolf’s Communications and Content Manager, Shay Zeldis, lays out the strategy in detail:
It’s a page built for players of CS:GO, League of Legends, and Rocket League, with strong incentives and gaming hardware prizes, in a tested layout that increases conversions. To drive traffic and gamers who are ready to participate, we focused on community, social and video channels, with relevant materials hyping up gamers even before they land in the page.
Why it works:
- Gamify your app download. This isn’t just a landing page, it’s a challenge: how do you get started on your path to glory? You download Overwolf’s Game Summary app, win a match of one of three popular games, then share the results on Twitter. It’s a brilliant way to incentivize downloading and reflects the competitive spirit of esports.
- Lean into cross-promotion. The tie-in with The Kid Who Would Be King goes beyond just using a logo. The copy here blends Arthurian legend (“Set out on a magical adventure”) with how gamers speak to one another (missions, custom games, eliminations, goals) to create a sense of fun.
- Pick the right social channels. As CEO Uri Marchand put it in a recent Medium post, “brands trying to reach gamers in the same ways they approach random website visitors quickly learn their mistake.” Overwolf, for instance, has learned to hit the community and social channels where young gamers actually congregate. For example, they created these awesome promo and reaction videos on YouTube that hype before they ever see the landing page itself.
12. Amazon Music
How Amazon Music nails it: Give your visitors an unbeatable deal
(Industry: Streaming service)
Amazon Music shows that even with big players like Spotify and Apple Music around, they’re not afraid of sluggin’ it out in the music streaming marketplace. This app landing page entices new customers with a sweet deal and showcases their benefits in a way that differentiates them from competitors.
Why it works:
- Call out your differentiators. On their app landing page, Amazon Music makes damn sure to bring up that they have the “most ad-free top podcasts” and how you can start and skip “any song, ad-free.” They also throw a lil’ shade at Tidal, saying that you can “listen in HD, with no extra cost.” Their messaging goes the extra mile to do some differentiating.
- Take advantage of keywords. Hello, everybody searching for “spatial audio” because of Apple Music—Amazon Music is offering you the same service. This tactic is great for any app landing page: Get ahold of popular keywords from competitors, target them in your paid ads, and speak to ‘em on your app landing page. In Amazon Music’s case, they went as far as adopting an actual product feature, but this tactic is doable on smaller scales, too.
Don’t wait for your app to be discovered—build an app landing page
You’re a SaaS company looking for subscriptions to grow your business? Cool. An indie game designer hoping to release the next Flappy Bird? Great. Just generating ad revenue by providing a free tool? That’s terrific. In any case, creating a mobile-responsive app landing page is a great way to introduce yourself to an app-hungry public. And, heck, we’ve got several slick app landing page templates ready to get you started, so it’s something that you could launch very quickly.
These days, there’s an impressive variety of businesses that are out there promoting an app of some sort. Sometimes it’s the very core of what they do. Other times, it’s an add-on that enhances an existing service. For some apps, a clean download page and a tightly run PPC campaign are all that’s needed to strike digital gold. But others require incredibly nuanced design, whip-smart workarounds, or Gary Kasparov levels of strategy.
(I’d venture to say you’ve seen all three in the examples above.)
Whatever your approach, though, and whatever your app is promising, you’ll need to stand out from the competition. An app marketing campaign that includes a few spiffy landing pages is your best bet in kickin’ off that mobile engagement loop.