For SaaS products with a mobile app, the app store is only one channel — and usually not the main one. Most B2B users discover the product through your website, search, sales or colleagues, then download the app after signing up. App marketing for SaaS therefore focuses on driving signups on the web, guiding users to install the app once they see value, and using the app to increase daily usage and retention.
Key takeaways
- Most B2B app users sign up on the web first.
- Use deep links and invites to drive app adoption.
- Store ratings matter for trust more than discovery.
- Compare renewal rates of accounts with high and low app use.
Where SaaS app users come from
- Website sign-ups that are prompted to install the app
- Team invites from existing customers
- Search for the problem the product solves
- Integrations and partner marketplaces
- App store search (smaller, but still worth optimising)
Connect web and app
- Deep links from emails and web pages straight to the right screen in the app
- QR codes on desktop to install the app instantly
- One account across web and mobile with seamless login
- Prompt to install at a meaningful moment (“Get notified when your report is ready”)
Optimise the store listing anyway
Business buyers check reviews and screenshots before rolling out an app to their team. Use screenshots that show business outcomes, keep ratings strong and reply to reviews. See our ASO guide.
Use the app to drive retention
- Useful push notifications tied to work tasks
- Mobile-first features: approvals, quick updates, offline access
- Usage reports to admins showing team adoption
Measure the right things
Track app activation within accounts, daily and weekly active users, and whether accounts using the app retain better than those that don’t. That tells you how much to invest in app adoption.
See our app marketing for SaaS companies.
A worked example: field-service software
A company sells job-management software to maintenance firms. Office managers sign up on the website; technicians use the mobile app on site. Marketing focuses on web sign-ups through search and LinkedIn. During onboarding, managers are prompted to invite technicians, who receive an SMS or WhatsApp link straight to the correct store page with their account pre-linked. Push notifications alert technicians to new jobs, which drives daily use. Accounts with most technicians active in the app renew at a much higher rate, so increasing technician adoption becomes the key app marketing goal.
Metrics to track by account
- Share of invited users who installed the app
- Weekly active users on mobile
- Key actions completed in the app
- Renewal rate of accounts with high versus low app adoption
Store reviews from business users
Business users rarely leave reviews unprompted. After a user completes a meaningful task in the app — closing a job, approving a request — trigger the official in-app review prompt. Ask your customer success team to encourage satisfied accounts to review, and respond to every review in the store. Strong ratings reassure IT teams evaluating your product.
Frequently asked questions
Should B2B SaaS run app install ads?
Usually only for products with strong individual or mobile-first use. Most B2B products get better results driving web sign-ups.
Is ASO important for B2B apps?
Less for discovery, more for trust — buyers and IT teams check ratings and screenshots.
How do we get teams to use the mobile app?
Show a clear mobile benefit, prompt installation at relevant moments, and give admins adoption reports.
Sources and further reading
