How to Get More Installs for Your Shopify App: Think Like B2B

At StoreCensus, we work with developers every day who are trying to get traction with their apps. The truth is, most developers approach promotion like it’s a consumer app and wonder why installs never come. If you want results, you need to start thinking like a B2B company, because Shopify stores are businesses. This guide breaks down what actually works, based on real results from our own launch and the success of others using our data.

We’ll cover two proven growth paths: Slow (SEO/content) and Fast (outbound outreach).

Track 1: Slow – The Compound Interest Route

This is your long-term foundation: SEO, content, and social posting. It takes time, but it scales—just like compound interest.

Start creating content that solves the problems your app addresses. Focus on long-tail keywords: these are the search terms actual merchants use when they’re looking for solutions.

How to do it:

• Go to Google Ads Keyword Planner
• Enter search phrases your users might type (e.g., “how to reduce shipping complaints on Shopify”)
• Find keywords with decent volume but low competition
• Write blog posts, tutorials, and breakdowns around those phrases

Example:
If your app helps with post-purchase communication, publish content like:
“How to Reduce ‘Where’s My Order’ Support Tickets on Shopify”

Post it to your blog, LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitter, Facebook—wherever your audience hangs out. Commit to consistency, not perfection.

Over time, you’ll build a system that brings installs without lifting a finger. It takes 3–6 months, but it works.

Track 2: Fast – The B2B Outreach Route

If you need installs this week, start with direct outreach. This is how nearly every successful B2B SaaS company starts, and it works just as well in the Shopify ecosystem.

Step 1: Identify Targeted Leads

Not all Shopify stores are good leads. Go after ones that have already shown intent.

Example:
If you built a tracking app, target stores that are already using a competitor. These merchants have the problem, they’ve paid to solve it, and they’re more likely to switch for something better.

Use StoreCensus to:

• Filter stores by installed apps, revenue, country, tech stack, etc.
• Export verified lead data (emails, traffic, phone, and more)
• Build a focused list, not a random one

Clean the list using a tool like Emailable or ZeroBounce to reduce bounce rate.

Step 2: Send Direct Emails

Write a brief, non-spammy message. Skip the fancy links. Here’s a working example:

“Hi, I saw you're using [competitor app]. I built [your app] to make it easier for customers to track their orders without digging through emails. It’s free to try—let me know if you’d like to check it out.”

• Keep it short (3–4 sentences max)
• No links (prevents spam flagging)
• Use a real signature (name + site)
• Keep the tone casual, helpful, and honest

Send 60–100 emails per day using warmed-up domains through tools like Emailchaser, Instantly, or Apollo.

Most people won’t respond. Many will still go to the App Store and install silently. Outreach works even without replies.

Talk to Every User

Support is not a cost center. It’s your fastest feedback loop.

When someone installs, reach out. Ask what confused them, what they expected, what didn’t work. Every answer gives you a roadmap for improving UX and copy.

And when you help someone—ask for the review:

“If that helped, would you mind leaving a quick review? It really makes a difference.”

Reviews build trust. Trust drives installs.

Final Word: Persistence Beats Luck

The App Store isn’t a traffic faucet. Installs don’t happen by accident. You have to earn them through content, outreach, and iteration. If you quit too soon or rely on organic discovery, you’re playing the wrong game.

The formula is simple:
Cold Outreach + SEO + Feedback Loops = Growth

This isn’t theory. This is what’s working right now—for us, and for the most successful developers using StoreCensus.

Keep building. Keep promoting. Keep iterating.

Success happens one install at a time.

—The StoreCensus Team