How SEO Can Cut Your App’s Marketing Costs in Half?

When it comes to promoting an app, most marketers turn straight to paid ads, but what if there was a smarter, more sustainable way to reduce that spend without compromising reach or results? The answer lies in one of the most powerful yet often underestimated tools in the digital marketing playbook, SEO.

Search engine Optimization isn’t just about ranking on Google; it’s about creating a long-term, cost-effective ecosystem where users find you organically. And according to Shanta Naranng, Marketing Team Lead at Zell Education, SEO can help cut your app’s marketing costs by as much as 50%.

Why SEO Matters More Than Ever?

In today’s competitive market, user acquisition costs are climbing faster than ever. But as Shanta highlights, when you optimize your website and landing pages for high-intent keywords, potential users find you naturally through search, meaning you don’t have to pay for every single click.

Reducing your app’s marketing spend by 50% with SEO is possible. When you optimze your website and landing pages for high-intent keywords, people find you through organic search and do not need to click a paid ads, “ she explains.

This organic visibility doesn’t just save money, it attracts the right audience. Users searching for solutions to your app already have intent, so they are more likely to convert compared to those reached through generic ads.

Real-World Example of SEO in Action

Gathering from her 14 years of SEO experience, Shanta shared a success story that perfectly illustrates the power of a well-structured SEO and ASO (App Store Optimization) Strategy.

“One of the brand I worked with improved install conversion by 35% and reduced cost-per-install by 42% after optimising their store metadata systematically running creative tests, and enhancing their ASO,” she shares.

That’s not just a marketing win, it’s a business transformation. By aligning SEO with user intent and continuously testing creative elements, the brand was able to attract more engaged users while significantly lowering acquisition costs.

The Lesson: Invest Early in Organic Growth

Many Startups pour their initial budget into paid campaigns, hoping for quick traction. But as Shanta advises, the smarter approach is to invest early in content and a well-optimized web presence.

“Create content against user intent, link content directly to your app install flow, and shift budget from ads to organic acquisition,” she suggests

The strategy not only brings steady, long-term traffic but also ensures that even as your ad spend fluctuates, your visibility remains stable.

Final Thoughts

The takeaway is simple yet powerful: SEO is not an expense, it’s an investment. By focusing on organic discovery and optimizing your user journey from search to install, you can achieve sustainable growth at half the cost.

As Shanta concludes, the results speak for themselves: “Overall spending can be lower than doing the same thing entirely with ads, achieving nearly 50% lower install costs.”

In the ever-evolving app ecosystem, that’s the kind of smart marketing every brand should aim for.