For the app market, Halloween isn’t just a time for pumpkins and spooky costumes; it’s a golden opportunity to captivate audiences through cleverly themed content and strategies. The holiday season is a playground for creativity and engagement, and understanding how apps leveraged this spooky season last year can provide invaluable insights.
With tactics from keyword optimization to festive in-app events, last year’s Halloween season showcased how apps can successfully tap into seasonal trends to boost visibility and user engagement. Whether you’re in Games, Education, or Health & Fitness, there’s a strategy to enhance your app’s Halloween spirit!
Keyword optimization
Keyword popularity score chart of “halloween” keyword analyzed with Keyword Trends by MobileAction.
The keyword ‘Halloween’ consistently holds a modest level of interest throughout the year but experiences a significant surge as October 31st approaches, reaching a peak popularity score of 53 on Halloween Day itself. This increase reflects the heightened user interest in Halloween-related content, making it a prime time for app marketers to capitalize on this trend.
Share of Voice analysis of the “halloween” keyword analyzed analyzed with Keyword Trends by MobileAction.
Currently, despite a lower overall popularity score of 5, an impressive number of 242 apps are vying for visibility under this keyword, integrating it into both their organic and paid marketing strategies. The most enthusiastic adopters of the ‘Halloween’ keyword are found within the Games, Entertainment, and Puzzle categories, with Games apps taking the lead at 81%.
Games category apps Halloween Match Made in Terror, Halloween Home and Entertainment category app FrightMaps – Halloween Finder are leading the list organically. On the Apple Search Ads side, Lifestyle category app MyScreen – Live Wallpapers leading the list, after that, Games category apps; Off to Bed – Bedtime Stories and Jackpot Party – Casino Slots placed at the top 3.
Strategic app updates
Seasonal updates to your app’s metadata are a strategic move that can significantly boost user engagement and visibility. During times like Halloween, when user interest in thematic content increases, optimizing your app’s presentation to align with the season can lead to higher downloads and increased interaction. By refreshing elements such as app icons, screenshots, and descriptions, developers can tap into the festive mood, making their apps more attractive and relevant.
App update made by Cooking Diary Restaurant Game on October 11, 2023 analyzed with App Update Timeline by MobileAction.
Cooking Diary Restaurant Game brilliantly adapts its app icon and screenshots to the Halloween theme, making it a standout example of seasonal marketing in action. As a restaurant and cooking simulation game, it embraces the iconic pumpkin motif, a hallmark of Halloween. Additionally, the game enhances its spooky appeal by switching the caption backgrounds from red to Halloween’s signature purple. Subtle yet effective modifications to character costumes, including seasonal clothing items, further align the game with the festive spirit.
App update made by Khan Academy Kids on October 3, 2023 analyzed with App Update Timeline by MobileAction.
Khan Academy Kids also skillfully capitalizes on the Halloween season within its app metadata. While fundamentally an educational app not directly related to Halloween, it cleverly incorporates seasonal elements into the app description. This approach not only maintains relevance during the holiday but also resonates particularly well with its primary audience of children, who are especially enthusiastic about the Halloween festivities.
Leveraging in-app events and promotional content
Halloween provides an exceptional opportunity for apps to drive user engagement through themed in-app events and promotional contents. These events are crucial for re-engaging dormant users and attracting new ones.
In-app events run during 2023 Halloween season analyzed with In-App Events by MobileAction.
This past season, Games apps like Supermarket Village – Farm Town, Diamond Cash Slots 777 Casino, and Merge Mayor featured Halloween-specific challenges and rewards, significantly increasing user interaction during the holiday. Education category apps like Khan Academy Kids and playful platforms like Toca Boca World incorporated themed educational content and interactive Halloween activities, making learning fun and timely. Even utility apps such as Countdown Widget & Timers joined in, offering Halloween countdowns which serve as daily engagement triggers. Utilizing Halloween-themed promotional content can expand an app’s reach and enhance its relevance during the festive season. Entertainment category app Wallpapers for iPhone & iPad and Graphics & Design category app Quote Maker – Poster Creator leveraged the theme to refresh their content offerings, appealing to users seeking to customize their devices for Halloween.
Promotional contents run during 2023 Halloween season analyzed with Promotional Content by MobileAction.
On the Google Play side, games such as Kakele Online – MMORPG, Parchis CLUB – Pro Ludo, Mystery Matters, Rising Super Chef 2 – Cooking, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, CodyCross: Crossword Puzzles and Cooking Diary Restaurant Game along with apps in non-gaming categories like Quit smoking buddy app – Smaxy, used creative promotional campaigns centered around Halloween. Especially Health & Fitness category app Quit smoking buddy app – Smaxy presented a perfect example of there being no limitation when it comes to seasonality. In order to relate themselves to the Halloween season, they utilized creativity in their promotional content around the Halloween theme and came up with the idea of Smoke October.
These campaigns not only increased visibility but also provided a seasonal touchpoint that resonated with users, demonstrating the versatility of promotional content in enhancing user engagement across various app categories.
Custom product pages
Custom product pages run with “halloween” keyword analyzed with CPP Intelligence by MobileAction
Custom product pages are an important opportunity for tapping into user searches during peak seasonal times like Halloween. Last year, Seekers Notes: Hidden Objects and Highrise: Avatar, Chat & Games demonstrated the potential of these pages. By tailoring content to the Halloween theme, they were able to capture the attention of users specifically looking for holiday-related content, which likely improved their conversion rates.
Going forward, there is substantial room for innovation in this area. Apps can utilize A/B testing to refine their designs and messaging to better appeal to target audiences, ensuring that they not only attract users but also deliver content that leads to higher engagement and retention.
Creative ad strategies
Ad creatives that were live during the 2023 Halloween season analyzed with Top Creatives by MobileAction.
The nature of Halloween allows for creating visually appealing and engaging ad creatives. Last year, Forest Island, Summoners War, Seekers Notes: Hidden Objects, Halloween Coloring Book Games, and PhotoApp – AI Photo Enhancer showcased ads featuring thematic elements like spooky landscapes and mystical creatures, which not only drew attention but also enhanced user engagement. These ads leveraged the Halloween spirit to boost visibility and interest in their respective apps.
Given the successes of last year, this Halloween we anticipate even more innovative ad creatives, incorporating advanced digital marketing tools and analytics for personalization. We can expect interactive experiences such as augmented reality features or mini-games that immerse users in the Halloween theme, allowing them to interact directly with the ad content. Additionally, the trend toward engaging video content and social media influencer collaborations will likely increase, enhancing the reach and resonance of campaigns. These strategies will aim to create a memorable user experience that drives engagement and fosters a deeper connection with the target audience.
Reflecting on last year’s Halloween, we see a treasure trove of effective marketing strategies from keyword optimization to engaging ad creatives. These strategies not only boost visibility but also deeply engage users. As we approach this Halloween, embracing these proven tactics with a twist of innovation and personalization could set your app apart.
Eager to learn more about how these strategies can be tailored to your app’s needs? Schedule a demo with MobileAction today to explore how we can help make this Halloween season your most successful yet!
