A client approached us with a mobile document scanning application that has been at the top of the App Store in its niche for over 15 years. The app helps millions of people worldwide convert paper documents into digital copies in seconds.
Despite a long history of success, the client faced new challenges:
- a competitively saturated market;
- rapidly rising cost per acquisition (CAC);
- lack of a systematic marketing model.
The client clearly defined its main task:
“To increase the number of downloads from 50K to 150K per month, while maintaining the target CAC at an economically viable level.”
This was the starting point of our cooperation.
| How long did it take to develop the strategy? | 200 hours, 6 working weeks |
| What is the composition of the marketing strategy development team? | Head of Marketing Team, Head of PM Team, Head of Content Team, 2 operational marketers, SMM marketer, Head of PPC, Facebook PPC. |
| How was the result of the work used? | Independent implementation by specialists on the client’s side. |
We have signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), so this case study is without names and sensitive data.
Getting to know the project
An iOS mobile application that allows you to scan any paper documents into PDF format.
Its features include:
- automatic document border detection;
- perspective correction, shadow removal;
- OCR support for 25+ languages, which allows you to search and edit text;
- integration with Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud;
- the ability to organise documents, add tags, create folders;
- password protection for documents.
When a client comes to us for a marketing strategy, they want to see a map of opportunities, risks and know where and when their product can take the lead. But we always start with facts and figures.
Market analysis
The world scans — faster, smarter, and on the go.
In 2023 alone, there were over 255 billion mobile app downloads.
🟡 By 2032, the document scanning market is projected to reach $8.7 billion, and that’s without counting emerging use cases — from lawyers to TikTok creators scanning contracts before shooting ads.
🟡 AI, OCR, cloud storage, integrations with Google Drive and Dropbox — these aren’t just “gimmicks” anymore. They’re the new expected standard.
📈 Demand is consistently high
Demand for scanners has grown since 2009 along with smartphone cameras. The peak — 2011–2012. Yes, the built-in iOS Notes feature somewhat “ate” the niche, but didn’t kill it — the expectations simply grew.
Today, for a user, a scanner is a standard thing, so for a client to want to pay for a subscription, you need to adapt and offer extra tools: AI, text recognition, filters, signature, etc.
🌍 Geography matters
USA and Canada are the subscription’ kings.
People here aren’t afraid to pay if they see the value. Europe is still cautious. In France, Germany, and the UK, most downloads come with the “Free Only” filter on.
China and India are storming the market, and they show the highest growth rate.
🚧 Barriers
The App Store strictly filters out “lookalike” apps — unique functionality is key. Apple blocks clones like spam.
An app without AI, unique OCR, or a user-friendly UX risks failing moderation.
We also identified the key growth drivers and outlined the risks based on market analysis data.
Competitor analysis
We study the field, the rules, and the tactics of every player — their strengths and weaknesses — to see what really matters: where there’s still room for our client.
Thousands of apps compete daily in the App Store and Google Play.
If you just open the App Store and type “scanner,” you’ll see dozens of nearly identical apps.
And that’s where the problem begins — sameness kills everything: positioning, perceived value, and motivation to pay.
That’s why we conducted a full analysis of five competitors, which included:
- In-depth analysis of competitors’ positioning, UX, and functionality.
- Review of email funnels, social media, SEO, and blog strategies.
- Paid advertising analysis across Meta, Google, and Apple Search Ads.
- User experience testing in each app — what a user feels from the very first seconds.
And we approached it from two angles:
The performance marketer focused on structure and technical metrics, while the content marketer analyzed the tone of voice, interfaces, value, and style.
💡 Conclusions
People don’t want to pay for functionality — they pay for comfort.
Brand matters. Even with basic features, you can lead the market if you’re Adobe or Microsoft. Price isn’t the issue — as long as there’s a free trial.
Even if your product is successful, we recommend conducting a competitive intelligence analysis at least once a year. Have you analysed your competitors using metrics and facts for a long time? Sign up for a free consultation to get expert insights from marketers.
TikTok analytics — a separate focus
Separately, at the client’s request, we conducted an in-depth study of competitors’ presence on TikTok. We analyzed:
- which advertising formats are popular and effective;
- which triggers “kickstart” views — voice, text, problem, instruction;
- what constitutes successful TikTok content in the B2C utility niche.
💡 Insight: we are working at a time when even products that have traditionally been promoted through B2B presentations and analytical reports are now seeking to be recognized in the TikTok feed, as consumer attention is no longer divided by “formats” but actively perceives meaning and emotion.
Insight: we are working at a time when even products that have traditionally been promoted through B2B presentations and analytical reports are now seeking to be recognized in the TikTok feed, as consumer attention is no longer divided by “formats” but actively perceives meaning and emotion.
The purpose of this analysis was to understand whether we could effectively use TikTok as an additional point in the funnel — for engagement, value explanation, and retargeting. Not as the main engine, but as a flexible additional channel.
After analyzing competitors’ accounts, we built a complete TikTok strategy:
1. We divided the audience into funnels
🟡 See — wide coverage, video content to attract attention.
🟠 Think — creatives showing unique features and applications.
🔴 Do — retarget those who watched the video but did not download the app.
🔵 Care — work with those who used the app but did not buy a subscription.
2. Formed a media strategy.
3. Created a test media plan.
4. Described the risks and warnings.
Don’t see a clear growth point? We’ll show you how to build a strategy around your strengths.
Mystery shopper
We downloaded competitors’ apps — not only as marketers, but also as ordinary users. Each of us became a “mystery” customer to live the customer journey to the end:
- What exactly does the user see and feel after opening the app? Is it clear what to do next?
- How quickly and clearly is the value of the app demonstrated?
- Where and how does the paywall appear — in what context, with what message? Has the user already benefited by this point?
- What barriers do you encounter when you first interact with the functionality?
Is it difficult to navigate, unclear terms, or technical errors? - What is the trigger for uninstalling an app?
Distrust, overload of functions, lack of relevance, too early payment request?
When we build a marketing strategy, we always go inside the user experience. Therefore, in this project, we analyzed through the prism of a mystery shopper.
One of the observations:
- Paywall without warning = stress.
If a payment request appears before trust is established, the user runs away. The best scenarios are those where there is access, familiarity, and micro success first. And only then — the offer to upgrade the subscription.
After completing the full user journey as “mystery” shoppers, we provided the client with a number of key recommendations. For example: to simplify the first login scenario so that the user could immediately feel the value of the product without having to register. Add an emotional trigger on the welcome screen that leaves a warm impression from the first seconds.
We saw all this through real experience — looking at the product through the eyes of an ordinary user.
When was the last time you analyzed your product as a user? We will do it for you and show you everything the customer feels
Sign up for a consultation — we’ll analyze where your funnel is losing profit and attention.
Audit of the advertising account
We analyzed more than 15 advertising campaigns launched since 2022 with a total budget of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The results seemed stable, but stability is no guarantee of effectiveness.
Points for growth that we have identified:
1. High CPM on wide audiences
→ Funds are spent quickly, the effect is weak.
2. Lookalike audiences do not give the expected result
→ Reason: too wide ranges (3-5%) and lack of A/B testing vs. interest-based targeting.
3. Low conversion from clicks to installs
→ Users don’t reach the App Store or don’t see enough motivation to install the app.
4. Conversion from trial to subscription is only 0.5%.
→ This means that the user comes in, but doesn’t see the value in staying.
Insight: Marketing is a system of point touches that form the context for decision-making. Each interaction is an element of the strategy that gradually transforms interest into choice.
Choice factors
When we talk about marketing, we usually think of campaigns, offers, and analytics. But even before the first click, before the first opening of the App Store, the customer already begins to form a system of guidelines — what we call choice factors.
It’s not about fictional benefits. It’s about what the user actually pays attention to, whether consciously or not.
We have compiled a list of 110+ choice factors in six categories:
- The experience BEFORE the acquaintance. What shapes the context before the first touch?
- Product positioning and characteristics.
- Experience of interaction.
- Rational numerical arguments.
- Aftermath.
- Retention.
Thanks to the marketing strategy, you can find marketing articles in[2] and get a list of key factors for your business to start implementing right away.
Insight: all that separates you from your more successful competitors so far are the choice factors that they have implemented but you haven’t yet. We will help you to fix it.
In addition to the choice factors, we also draw up a SWOT analysis. This helps to see not only the marketing signals that “turn on” the customer, but also to structurally assess the product’s strengths, internal limitations, external opportunities, and potential threats.
Audience segmentation and hypotheses: where to find your people and how to talk to them correctly
To get a subscriber, you need to understand: “Who is our client? And what is important to them?” This approach allowed us to attract more than 20,000 new subscribers for our IPTV SaaS service and increase MRR to $1,000,000. Read more here.
We made a full-fledged segmentation: by age, behaviour, motivation, channels of presence, and even technical awareness. This made it possible to see not an “average customer” but real groups of people with their own needs, triggers, barriers, and decision language.
We realized that the key audience is formed not only by IT or business professionals. We also focus on pensioners who want to digitize documents quickly and easily; educators who transfer files to students; and freelancers who value convenience over brand. And each of these segments needs its own message, its own story, its own touch.
That’s why the next step was to formulate a set of hypotheses: which messages, channels, and formats work best for each segment, from advertising creatives to landing page architecture.
What does this bring to the business?
Without good segmentation, you either pay more than you need to or say the wrong things to the wrong people. With segmentation and hypotheses, you get:
+ A map of the audiences that should be engaged in the first place.
+ Guidelines for creatives and channels: to test with focus.
+ The ability to optimize budgets because advertising hits exactly where it is needed.
If you want to see how this works for your product, 👉 sign up for a free consultation. We will show you who your audience is and what their needs are.
Positioning
Positioning is a strategic definition of the brand’s place in the minds of the audience, which distinguishes it from competitors and answers the main question of the client:
Why is this product the best solution to my problem?
We analyzed the positioning of competitors, combined it with key choice factors, and proceeded to formulate positioning concepts.
💡 We have identified 3 approaches to positioning:
- Leadership: one of the first scanning apps since 2009.
- Specialization: full optimization for iOS, deep integration with the Apple ecosystem — a strong advantage in a world where UX solves everything.
- Technological advantage: unique processing algorithms, precise OCR, intuitive operation — these are not just features, they make a tangible difference.
We showed how to implement it everywhere: in landing pages, the App Store page, content, and advertising. After all, positioning only works when it lives in every touch with the user.
A strong positioning is the foundation that clearly distinguishes a product, sets the direction for marketing messages, increases the effectiveness of advertising, and strengthens the brand in the long run.
We offered 6+ options for positioning and identified a direction for creating new concepts.
What is the result?
A marketing strategy is a decision-making tool, a guideline and a compass for product development.
We will not leave you alone with our research, but provide you with a clear list of specific actions, numbers, hypotheses, mechanics, and channels. You won’t have to invent solutions from scratch every time. All that remains is to launch, test, and scale.
Backlog
Separately, we created a detailed backlog for the team — a list of all the tasks for the development of the marketing function, divided into areas: advertising, organic, product, analytics, and partners.
This:
● makes it easier to set tasks for the team;
● allows you to build a roadmap for a quarter or a year;
● saves time on brainstorming sessions;
● ensures seamless scaling of the strategy into operation.
With this backlog, you not only know WHAT needs to be done, but also HOW, with what tools, when, and why.
Solve Marketing is your remote marketing department that thinks like a partner
We don’t just fulfill tasks — we see the product through the eyes of the client, the numbers of the marketer, and the perspective of the business owner.
🧪 For startups:
We will help you not to waste your budget by testing hypotheses, conducting a comprehensive market analysis, finding the right audience, and showing you how to launch marketing in stages, without “extra” features and “leaked” budgets.
📊 For mature products:
We’ll analyze the funnel to the smallest detail: why users don’t buy, when LTV falls, how to change the customer journey to increase subscriptions. You will get a clear plan: what, where, and how to change to grow systematically.
🧠 For B2B and SaaS projects:
We will audit your positioning, website, email funnels, and key messages. We will build audience trust, customize marketing so that every touchpoint — from landing page to LinkedIn post — works for the brand, sales, and reputation.
Contact us and we will show you what your strategy could be today. Without water. With examples. Adapted to your market and product.
