shopify app

How to Get Your First 100 Installs as a New Shopify App Developer (3 Uncommon but Proven Tactics)

Nick Dooley

02 Sep 2025 — 3 min read

You’ve launched your Shopify app. Congratulations.

Now the real game begins: getting actual merchants to install it.

Here’s the reality: the Shopify App Store isn’t going to magically funnel traffic to you. Unless you already have an audience, you’re competing with thousands of apps for the same eyeballs.

Most people will tell you to “run ads” or “start content marketing.” Sure, but those are slow burns or expensive bets. If you want traction fast without spending like a VC-backed giant, you need unconventional moves that punch above their weight.

The three tactics below are exactly that. They’re actionable today, require no team, and have been battle tested by indie app founders hitting triple digit installs in weeks, not months.

1. Cold Email Sniping: Target Stores Already Using Competitor Apps

This isn’t “spray and pray” cold outreach. It’s precision targeting.

The Playbook:

Identify competitors in your niche.
Example: You’ve built an order tracking app. Competitors might be 17Track or AfterShip.
Find stores already using them.
Tools like StoreCensus or BuiltWith can surface Shopify stores running specific apps.
Pull verified contact info.
Skip generic contact forms. You want decision maker emails.
Send short, hyper relevant cold emails.
Speak directly to a known pain point, and clearly position your app as the better, faster, or cheaper alternative.

Template that works:

Subject: Quick question about your [feature they care about]

Hey [First Name],

I saw you’re using [Competitor App] for [function]. Curious, have you run into [specific pain point]?

I built [Your App Name] to [main benefit]. Here’s a 60 second demo: [link].

Want me to set up a free 14 day trial for you? No strings attached.

Best,
[Your Name]

Pro Tip: Warm up your sending domain and cap at 50–75 emails per day initially to protect deliverability.

2. Review Hijacking: Embed Yourself in Complementary App Reviews

Merchants read reviews before they click “install.” You can ride that trust wave.

The Playbook:

Find apps that complement yours, not compete.
If you have a tracking app, think delivery scheduling or upsell tools.
Install and actually use the app.
A genuine review is key. Fake praise is easy to spot.
Leave a thoughtful review that mentions your app naturally.
Example:
“We’ve been using this with [Your App Name] and together they’ve cut our support tickets by 50%.”

Guardrails:

Never paste the same review everywhere.
Post only a few per week to avoid spam flags.
Make each review specific to the merchant’s experience.

Done right, your mention reads like a peer recommendation, not an ad.

3. Influencer Roundup Hijacking: Get into “Top Apps” Lists

Every month, blogs, YouTubers, and newsletters publish “Top Shopify Apps” content. These lists drive massive install volume because they’re built on trust.

The Playbook:

Search “best Shopify apps + [your niche]” on Google and YouTube.
Build a spreadsheet of bloggers, video creators, and directory owners.
Pitch them directly.
- Offer free lifetime access.
- Send a short, polished demo video.
- Include case studies with real merchant results.
Negotiate sponsorships if needed.
Many accept placement fees that are far cheaper than running cold ads.

Advanced Move: Ask them to embed your retargeting pixel in their article or video description link. You’ll be able to run ultra cheap ads to anyone who saw the content, creating the “you’re everywhere” effect.