How Do I Get App Downloads Without Paid Advertising?

A farming app that helps track crop yields launched with a £50,000 advertising budget. They spent every penny on Facebook and Google ads. Downloads came in, sure, but the moment they stopped paying? The downloads stopped too. Meanwhile, their competitor—an app that helps farmers identify plant diseases—spent nothing on ads but built a following by answering questions in farming forums and creating helpful YouTube videos. Their downloads kept growing month after month without spending a single pound. It's a bit mad really, but that second approach is what we call organic growth, and it's what this guide is all about.

Look, I get it. When you've poured your time and money into building an app, you want downloads immediately. Paid advertising seems like the obvious answer—you spend money, you get users. Simple, right? But here's the thing: most app businesses cant sustain paid advertising forever, and the moment you stop paying, your growth flatlines. Its like being on a treadmill that you can never step off.

After building apps for over eight years, I've watched countless clients burn through their budgets on ads only to find themselves with users who dont stick around. The apps that succeed long-term? They master organic growth. They figure out how to get people downloading their app without constantly paying for the privilege.

Organic app downloads are users who find and install your app without you directly paying for that specific install through advertising

This guide walks you through the strategies that actually work for getting organic downloads—the kind of growth that compounds over time and doesnt disappear the moment your marketing budget runs dry. We're talking about app store optimisation, building communities, creating content people actually want to share, and dozens of other tactics that dont require you to hand money over to Facebook or Google. Some of these methods take time. Some require effort rather than cash. But all of them build a foundation for sustainable growth that paid ads simply cannot provide.

Understanding How App Stores Actually Work

Right, so here's the thing—most people think the app stores are basically just big shops where your app sits on a shelf waiting to be found. But that's not really how it works at all. The App Store and Google Play are more like search engines that also happen to sell things; they're constantly trying to match people with apps they'll actually use and keep using. That last bit is key really, because the stores don't just want downloads—they want apps that people stick with.

When someone searches for something in the app store, the algorithm looks at dozens of factors to decide which apps to show. Its looking at your app's title and description obviously, but also things like how many people download your app after seeing it, how quickly people are downloading it right now, what ratings you've got, and—this is the big one—how many people are still using your app days and weeks after they downloaded it. The stores can see all of this data, and they use it to figure out if your app is worth showing to more people.

And here's where it gets interesting: the app stores actually reward apps that keep users engaged. If people download your app and then never open it again? That sends a signal that maybe your app isn't as good as your listing made it seem. But if people download it and use it regularly—even if its just for a few minutes each week—that tells the algorithm your app delivers on its promise. This is why retention matters so bloody much for getting more organic downloads; it's not just about keeping the users you have, its about getting shown to new ones. If you're struggling with users who've stopped engaging, understanding effective re-engagement strategies can help improve those crucial retention signals.

The other thing people get wrong is thinking categories matter more than they do. Sure, being in the right category helps people browse and find you, but the vast majority of app discoveries happen through search. So understanding what words people actually type when they're looking for an app like yours? That's where the real work needs to happen.

Making Your App Store Listing Work Harder

Your app store listing is basically your shop window—and right now, it might be letting thousands of potential users walk straight past without even noticing you exist. I mean, you've spent months building your app, but if people can't find it or don't understand what it does in about 3 seconds, they're gone. And here's the thing that always surprises people: most developers spend 90% of their time on the app itself and maybe an afternoon on their store listing. That's backwards, honestly.

The app stores use something called ASO (App Store Optimisation) to decide who sees your app when someone searches. Its a bit like SEO for websites, except the rules are different and they change more often than you'd like. Your app title is the most important thing you can optimise—Apple gives you 30 characters and Google gives you 50. Don't waste this space on clever wordplay or company names nobody knows. Put your main keyword right there in the title where it counts.

What Actually Makes People Download

People make download decisions fast. Really fast. They look at your icon first (you've got maybe half a second here), then your screenshots, then—maybe—they'll read your description. Your icon needs to be simple and recognisable even when its tiny. I've seen brilliant apps fail because their icon looked like every other app in their category... nobody could tell them apart.

Your screenshots are where you tell your story. Don't just show empty screens with no context. Show the app being used, solving real problems, making someone's life better. The first 2-3 screenshots are all most people will see before they decide, so make them count. Add text overlays that explain the benefit, not just the feature—"Find recipes in seconds" works better than "Recipe search function". Getting your app store screenshots to convert better can dramatically improve your download rates without changing anything else about your app.

Keywords Nobody Tells You About

Apple gives you 100 characters for keywords and most people blow this opportunity completely. Don't use spaces between keywords, use commas with no spaces—that's how you fit more in. Don't repeat words that are already in your title or subtitle; the algorithm picks those up automatically. And don't waste characters on competitor names or category terms like "app" or "free"... the stores already know that stuff.

Google works differently—they scan your entire description for keywords, which means you need to write naturally but strategically. Your first 3 lines matter most because that's what shows before someone taps "read more". I always put the main value proposition right there, with the primary keyword worked in naturally. Then use the rest of your description to cover related search terms people might actually type.

Update your screenshots every few months to reflect seasonal events or new features—the app stores reward fresh content with better visibility, and it shows potential users that your app is actively maintained and improved.

One thing that catches people out: localisation matters way more than you think. If you're only writing your listing in English, you're missing massive markets. Even basic translations for French, German, Spanish can double your organic reach. The app stores will show localised listings to users in those regions, which means you suddenly appear for searches you weren't even ranking for before. You don't need to translate the entire app at first, just the store listing—that's your foot in the door.

Reviews and ratings aren't just social proof; they're ranking factors too. Apps with higher ratings get shown more often in search results. Its a bit mad really, because it creates this cycle where good ratings lead to more visibility which leads to more downloads which leads to more ratings. That's why asking for reviews at the right moment (right after someone completes a valuable action in your app) makes such a difference. Don't ask when they first open your app—they haven't experienced the value yet and they'll probably say no.

Your conversion rate—the percentage of people who view your listing and actually download—tells you if your store presence is working. If people are finding you but not downloading, your listing is the problem, not your visibility. Test different screenshot orders, rewrite your first paragraph, try a new icon. Small changes here can double your downloads without spending a penny on ads. Track what works and do more of it.

Getting Users to Tell Their Friends About Your App

The best downloads you'll ever get are the ones that cost you nothing—and I mean the ones where your existing users do the heavy lifting for you. When someone recommends your app to a friend, that friend is way more likely to download it, actually use it, and stick around long-term. Its a simple truth really; people trust their mates more than they trust your marketing.

But here's the thing—users won't just magically start telling people about your app. You need to give them a reason. And honestly, most apps get this completely wrong by thinking a generic "share" button is enough. It isnt. You need to think about why someone would interrupt their day to tell another person about your app, and what's in it for them? Building an app community that naturally promotes itself is one of the most effective ways to create this kind of organic word-of-mouth marketing.

Ways to Get People Talking

There are loads of methods that actually work, but you need to pick ones that make sense for your app. A fitness app might reward users for inviting workout partners (because exercising with friends makes sense) whilst a note-taking app might focus on collaborative features that require multiple users. The key is making the sharing feel natural, not forced.

Here are some approaches I've seen work really well over the years:

• Give both the referrer and the new user something valuable—discount codes, premium features, extra storage, whatever makes sense for your app
• Build sharing into the core experience so users naturally want to include others (think WhatsApp groups or Spotify playlists)
• Create something worth showing off—whether thats beautiful designs, impressive results, or funny content people want their friends to see
• Make the referral process dead simple; if it takes more than three taps, you're losing people
• Time your referral prompts carefully—ask when users have just had a great experience, not when they've barely opened the app

One mistake I see constantly? Apps that spam users with referral prompts before theyve even understood what the app does. That's backwards. You need to let people fall in love with your app first, then give them easy ways to share that love with others. The timing matters just as much as the incentive itself.

Building an Audience Before You Launch

Here's something most people get wrong—they build their app in secret, launch it, and then wonder why nobody downloads it. I mean, it makes sense on paper, right? Keep it quiet, perfect everything, then reveal it to the world. But that's not how organic growth works anymore.

The apps that succeed without paid advertising are the ones that start building their audience months before launch. Not after. Before. And I'm not talking about some massive marketing campaign either; I'm talking about genuine community building that costs nothing but time and effort.

Start with a landing page—literally just one page that explains what your app does and why people should care. Include an email signup form. That's it. Then share that page everywhere you can: relevant subreddit communities, Facebook groups where your target users hang out, LinkedIn if its a professional app, even TikTok if you can make it interesting. The goal is to collect email addresses from people who actually want what you're building.

Building an audience before launch turns your release day from a whisper into a proper conversation with people who are already waiting for you.

But here's the thing—you can't just collect emails and disappear. Send updates every few weeks about your progress. Show screenshots. Ask for feedback on features. Make people feel like they're part of the journey, because honestly, they are. When you finally launch, you'll have hundreds (maybe thousands) of people who are genuinely excited to download your app and tell their friends about it. That's organic growth right there. No ads needed.

I've seen apps get 5,000+ downloads in their first week just from a pre-launch email list. It works, but only if you start early enough.

Using Social Media Without Spending Money

Social media can feel like a full-time job when youre trying to promote your app—and honestly, it kind of is. But here's the thing: you don't need a massive advertising budget to make it work; you just need to be smart about where you spend your time and what you post. The key is understanding how to build a social media following before your app launch so you have an engaged audience ready when you're ready to promote.

The mistake I see most app developers make is trying to be everywhere at once. They create accounts on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and then post the same generic "download our app" message across all of them. It doesn't work. Different platforms attract different people who want different types of content.

Pick one or two platforms where your potential users actually spend time. If youre building a fitness app, Instagram and TikTok make sense because people there are already interested in health content. If its a business productivity tool? LinkedIn and Twitter are probably better bets. I mean, you wouldn't look for professional accounting software tips on TikTok, would you?

What Actually Gets People's Attention

The posts that work best aren't the ones shouting "download now!" every five minutes—they're the ones that provide genuine value. Show people how to solve a problem your app addresses. Share quick tips related to your apps niche. Post behind-the-scenes glimpses of what you're building and why. People connect with stories and useful information, not sales pitches.

Actually engage with your audience too. Reply to comments. Answer questions. Join conversations that relate to your apps purpose but aren't directly about your app. This builds trust over time, and trust is what converts followers into users.

The key is consistency—posting once a month won't do much, but posting a few times a week over several months? That's where you start seeing real results without spending a penny.

Creating Content That Brings People to Your App

Content marketing is honestly one of the most underused strategies I see for getting organic app downloads—and its a shame, because when done right it can bring in users for months or even years after you publish something. The basic idea is simple: create content that people actually want to read, watch or listen to, and make sure it naturally leads them to download your app. Sounds easy, right? Well...the execution is where most people trip up.

Here's the thing—you need to think about what your potential users are searching for online. If you've built a fitness app, people aren't just searching for "fitness app"; they're looking for things like "how to lose weight at home" or "best exercises for beginners". That's your opportunity. Write blog posts, create videos, record podcasts that answer these actual questions, and somewhere in that content you mention how your app helps solve that specific problem. But here's where people go wrong: they make it all about the app. Don't do that. Make it 90% useful content and 10% about your app, otherwise people will smell the sales pitch a mile away and they'll leave.

I mean, think about your own behaviour online. When you search for something on Google, do you want to read a thinly veiled advert? Course not. You want genuine help. So give people that help first, build trust, and then introduce your app as a natural next step. Its not manipulative, its just good content marketing.

What Type of Content Actually Works

Different types of content work better for different apps, but here are the formats I've seen drive the most downloads over the years:

• Blog posts that solve specific problems your target users have (aim for 1,000+ words and make them genuinely helpful)
• Video tutorials on YouTube showing how to do something, with your app mentioned as a tool that makes it easier
• Infographics that get shared on social media—people love visual content they can save and share
• Podcast episodes where you interview experts in your industry and naturally discuss your app's purpose
• Case studies showing how real people have used your app to achieve results
• Comparison guides that honestly compare different solutions (including your app)

The key word there is "genuinely"—you cant fake this stuff. If your content isn't actually helpful, people will bounce off your site in seconds and Google will notice. Search engines are pretty smart these days; they track how long people stay on your page, whether they click through to other pages, and loads of other signals that tell them if your content is any good.

How to Get Your Content Seen

Creating great content is only half the battle—you also need to get it in front of people. This is where most app developers give up because it feels like shouting into the void at first. Trust me, I get it. You spend hours writing something brilliant and then...crickets. But here's what works: start by sharing your content in relevant online communities where your target users hang out. Reddit has communities for basically everything; Facebook groups are still huge; LinkedIn is great if you're targeting professionals; Twitter can work if you engage properly rather than just posting links.

But—and this is really important—don't just dump your content and run. Actually participate in these communities. Answer questions, help people, become a known face. Then when you share your content, people are more likely to actually read it because they recognise you as someone who contributes value. Its a longer game, but it works.

Also, reach out to other websites and blogs in your industry and offer to write guest posts for them. Most sites are desperate for good content, so if you can write something useful for their audience, they'll often say yes. You get exposure to their readers, they get free content—everyone wins. Just make sure you're targeting sites that your potential users actually read, not just any site that will take your article.

Write down 20 questions your target users might search for on Google, then create one piece of content answering each question; this gives you 20 opportunities to be found by people who need your app.

One thing people always ask me is "how long does this take to work?" And honestly? It varies. Sometimes you'll publish something and it'll take off immediately. Other times it might take months before Google starts ranking it and sending traffic your way. The content I published two years ago still brings in downloads every single day, which is the beautiful thing about content marketing—it compounds over time. Your paid ads stop working the moment you stop paying; your content keeps working as long as its online and relevant.

Getting Featured and Winning Awards

Getting featured by Apple or Google is like winning the app lottery—it can send thousands of downloads your way overnight. But here's the thing, its not actually random at all. Both app stores have editorial teams who actively look for apps that deserve attention, and they're looking for specific things.

Apple tends to feature apps that showcase whats possible on their platform. They love apps with beautiful design, apps that use their latest features (like widgets or live activities), and apps that tell a compelling story. I mean, if you've built something that makes clever use of the Dynamic Island or takes advantage of their newest APIs, you're already ahead of most developers. Google works a bit differently—they often feature apps around themes like "apps for productivity" or "games for families", so timing your pitch around these editorial calendars helps.

The application process is actually quite straightforward. Both stores have forms where you can submit your app for consideration. You need to explain why your app deserves attention, what makes it special, and why users will love it. Be honest here, dont oversell it. The editors can spot marketing fluff from a mile away.

What Actually Gets Featured

From what I've seen over the years, these things make a huge difference:

• Apps with exceptional design that follows platform guidelines perfectly
• Apps that solve real problems in clever ways
• Apps with strong user ratings (usually 4.5+ stars minimum)
• Apps that perform well technically—no crashes, fast loading times
• Apps from developers who regularly update and improve their products
• Apps with a clear, compelling story behind their creation

Awards Actually Matter

Winning industry awards gives you credibility and something to shout about in your app store listing. Sure, some awards are more prestigious than others, but even smaller awards give you social proof. The Webby Awards, the App Store Best of Year awards, and category-specific awards in your industry all count. When you win something, update your app description immediately and mention it in your next release notes. People trust apps that others have recognised as being good quality, and it gives potential users confidence that they're downloading something worthwhile.

Working With Other Apps and Businesses

Right, so this is where things get interesting—because working with other apps and businesses can genuinely multiply your reach without spending a penny on ads. I mean, think about it; if you've got 1,000 users and you partner with another app that has 5,000 users, you've just opened up a potential audience that's five times bigger than yours. The trick is finding partnerships that actually make sense for both parties.

App integrations are probably the most powerful thing you can do here. When you integrate with apps your users already love, you're essentially borrowing their trust and their user base. Say you're building a fitness app—integrating with Apple Health or Google Fit isn't just technically smart, its a marketing move. People searching for "apps that work with Apple Health" will find you, and suddenly you're appearing in places you never paid to be. I've seen apps double their downloads just by adding a few smart integrations and making sure they're discoverable through those platforms.

The best partnerships feel less like marketing and more like two businesses genuinely helping each others users solve problems better together.

Cross-promotion with non-competing apps is another massive opportunity that most developers completely miss. Find apps that serve the same audience but don't compete with you directly—if you've got a meal planning app, partner with a grocery delivery service; if you've got a language learning app, work with a travel booking platform. You can swap push notifications, feature each other in onboarding flows, or even create joint content. But here's the thing—you need to bring value to the table. Smaller apps can partner with bigger ones if they offer something genuinely useful, like access to a niche audience or a feature that complements what the bigger app does. I've brokered partnerships where a startup with 500 users partnered with an app that had 50,000 because they filled a gap the bigger app couldn't.

Finding the Right Partners

Start by making a list of apps your ideal users probably have on their phones already. Then reach out—most indie developers are actually quite open to partnership conversations because they're facing the same user acquisition challenges you are. Don't overthink the pitch; just explain how both user bases would benefit and suggest something specific you could test together. The worst they can say is no, and honestly, I've found that smaller companies are often more responsive than you'd expect because they understand the struggle of growing without a massive ad budget.

Getting app downloads without paid advertising isn't easy—I won't pretend it is. Its hard work and it takes time. Much more time than most people expect actually. But here's what I've learned after years of doing this; the apps that succeed organically are the ones that solve real problems and give people genuine reasons to share them with others.

You can't just tick off a checklist and expect downloads to pour in. It doesn't work like that. What does work is building something people actually want, making sure they can find it in the app stores, and giving them reasons to tell their friends about it. Simple to say. Not so simple to do!

The methods we've covered in this guide—optimising your store listing, building an audience before launch, creating useful content, working with partners—they all feed into each other really. Your content brings people to your website which builds your email list which gives you launch day downloads which helps your app store ranking which brings in more organic traffic. Its a cycle that takes months to get moving properly, but once it starts working its much more sustainable than paid advertising.

I mean, I've seen apps spend thousands on ads only to watch their download numbers drop to almost nothing the moment they stop paying. That's not a business; that's just renting users. The organic approach we've talked about here builds something more permanent—an audience that actually cares about what you're building.

Start small. Pick one or two methods from this guide that make sense for your app and your skills. Do them properly rather than trying everything at once and doing it all badly. Track what works and do more of that. And remember, the best time to start building organic downloads was six months before launch. The second best time? Right now.