Last-minute Valentine’s Day campaign ideas for app marketers

Did you check the calendar, only to grimace with the realization that we’re almost two weeks out from Valentine’s Day and you still haven’t created a campaign for your app for this holiday? Don’t fret, we’ve put together some last-minute Valentine’s Day campaign ideas for mobile apps. And if you’re thinking it’s not worth it, Adjust data reveals that Love for mobile apps grows on Valentine's Day, with all verticals enjoying almost a 9% increase in installs compared to the monthly February average. Below we offer campaign ideas for all budgets and verticals, so don’t miss out on acquiring users in the second week of February.

1. Place an ad for your app on a dating app

For shock factor, we’re kicking off our list by suggesting that app marketers focus on users who identify as single. With around 2.12 billion single people on the planet, many of whom are using dating apps, shoot your shot on a dating app. For those users not celebrating the holiday of love, they very well might be searching for it on a dating app this time of year. With dating app installs up by almost 14% on Valentine’s Day, don’t miss this window of opportunity for a catchy ad placement.

2. Optimize your Google Business Profile

If your business has both a physical location and an app, take advantage of people performing local searches on Google or Google Maps. You can optimize your physical location(s) in your Google Business Profile to rank further up on Google Maps and be found in local searches. This tip is budget-friendly. Perform a local SEO audit to see which keywords you need to utilize and try to add more reviews in the next two weeks to rank higher.

3. Gift discounts, upgrades, and offers

Of course, there’s the classic, “Happy Valentine’s! To show we care, here’s an offer from our app.” No matter the holiday, current and potential users appreciate an offer, be it, a free month of your app subscription, in-app loyalty rewards and upgrades, extra points or lives for gaming apps, or discounts on your e-commerce app’s products and services. For example, last year the restaurant Taco Bell gifted its app’s users one free taco on Valentine’s last year.

4. Leverage an influencer

Even though we’re close to Cupid’s holiday, reach out to several influencers to see if they’d be willing to quickly collaborate with your app business for a Valentine’s Day promotion. We recommend pursuing a micro-influencer—defined as an influencer with 1,000 to 100,000 followers— to see if they’d post a photo, make a reel, or livestream regarding your app. For more insights on working with influencers, check out Part 2 of our guide to Scaling your app to 1 million users.

5. Spread the love! A.K.A. Referral campaigns

Valentine’s Day is a great excuse to run a referral campaign for your app.

Consider these referral campaign ideas:

• % off subscription app for you and a referred friend
• Big prize or cash raffle
• Mystery gift for a referral

For example, at one point, the trading and investment app Robinhood had a referral promotion in which both the referral and the original user would get free stock. The excitement? Each had a one in 80 chance of getting Apple, Facebook, Ford, or Microsoft stock. The chance of getting a valuable stock hyped up Robinhood’s referral campaign. So, whether it’s a valuable prize or one that evokes curiosity, you can amp up your referrals.

6. Pump up the user-generated content

Authenticity sells. Leverage user-generated content (UGC) for cross-channel marketing. Showcase loyal users and the good reviews they leave to create campaigns across social media or Google. Don’t forget to do your research to see which hashtags are trending this year. Plus, sweeten the pot by holding a contest for the top posts or reels shared, offering a reward or discount for users sharing their stories with your app.

7. Ask for reviews guilt-free

Related to the last point, Valentine’s Day is an opportune time to shamelessly ask for user reviews to further your app store rankings. Through in-app messages or notifications, you can request users “share their true feelings” in the app stores. As this costs $0 to your ad budget, it’s an excellent way to increase your organic traffic and visibility. To learn more about app store optimization, check out the first part of our guide: Scaling your app to 1 million users.

8. Collaborate to maximize reach

Consider partnering with another brand to expand your app’s reach. Keep in mind that a big collab will likely require more planning time, but we’re confident the determined can make it happen! Last year, Uber Eats and Starbucks partnered together for a sweet deal: On Valentine’s Day, if users ordered from Starbucks via Uber Eats, they’d get 50% off, up to USD$10 off, with a certain holiday promo code. Tip: Before suggesting a collab with another brand, be sure your offer benefits both parties.

9. Go for the alternative crowd

Rather than thinking about this holiday as one of love, consider the alternative ways in which Valentine’s Day is celebrated for inspiration for your app’s campaigns in February.

Alternative Valentine’s Day angles:

• Galentine’s celebrators: Geared toward women who celebrate February 14th together.
• Anti-Valentines: Depending on your app’s branding, pursuing users who don’t love this holiday may be a winning campaign strategy.
• Treat yourself crowd: This group sees most holidays as opportunities to invest in themselves, and that could include your app.

Food delivery app Deliveroo ran a survey and found that 54% of its customers would be happy to be a “third wheel” of a couple’s Valentine’s Day date. For that year’s Valentine’s, the app offered a “Third-Wheel Meal Deal”, a discount for the third wheelers out there. So, get creative!

10. Efficiently maximize campaigns with Adjust

Ensure your campaigns for Valentine’s Day and all year round are running optimally. With Adjust’s mobile analytics platform, you’ll get accurate data and insights at a glance, automated bids and budgets for scaling, and proactive solutions preventing fraud. Request your personalized demo now!