Solved: Best Ways to Reach Parents for Parental Control App

Hi there,

Thanks for reaching out!

Happy to give you some initial thoughts on getting your new app, Kaizen Protect, in front of the right parents. It's a common problem, launching a great product and then hitting the wall of "now what?". The challenge isn't just finding parents, its finding the ones who are actively feeling the pain your app solves, and doing it in a way that doesn't burn through your cash.

From my experience, the most direct and scalable way to do this is with paid advertising, but you have to be smart about it. A lot of people waste a tonne of money here. Below are my thoughts on how you can build a solid foundation for acquiring users profitably.

We'll need to look at your customer's 'nightmare', not their demographic...

Right, first things first. Let's scrap the idea of targeting "parents aged 30-45". It's useless. It tells you nothing and leads to generic ads that get ignored. To get traction, you need to become an expert in your customer's specific, urgent, and emotionally-draining nightmare.

For Kaizen Protect, the parent you're after isn't just a parent. They're lying awake at 2 am feeling a deep sense of guilt. They're worried their 10-year-old is becoming withdrawn and angry after hours on a tablet. They're terrified of what their child might stumble across online. They're frustrated with the nightly arguments about turning off the Xbox. That feeling—that mixture of fear, guilt, and helplessness—is the nightmare. That is what you are selling a solution to. You're not selling a screen-time management tool; you're selling peace of mind, a reclaimed family dinner time, a good night's sleep.

Once you understand this, everything changes. Your ad copy, your website messaging, your targeting—it all clicks into place because you're no longer talking about features. You're talking about feelings. You're entering the conversation already happening in their head. This is the foundation. Without it, you have no business spending a single pound on ads.

Here's a look at what that journey from unease to seeking a solution often looks like for a parent. Your advertising needs to intercept them at the 'Active Search' stage, or nudge them from 'Growing Concern' into action.

I'd say you start with the lowest hanging fruit: Active Searchers...

Okay, so we know the parent's mindset. Where do we find them when they finally decide to act? They go to Google or the App Store. This isn't guesswork; it's a certainty. They are actively looking for a solution to their problem, right now. This is where you need to be first, and it's why I'd put my first pound of ad spend into Apple Search Ads and Google App Campaigns.

The beauty of this aproach is its simplicity. You're not trying to convince someone they have a problem. They already know they do. You just have to show them you have the answer. The intent is sky-high, which means conversions are typically cheaper and the users you get are more motivated.

I've seen this work wonders for app clients. One campaign we worked on was for an app in the education space, and a huge chunk of their growth came from a focused search strategy. For them, we got over 45,000 signups at under £2 per signup. That's the kind of efficiency you get when you match your ad to someone's immediate need. There is no reason you can't see similiar results.

You'd want to bid on keywords that show clear intent. Don't waste money on broad stuff. Be specific.

Your ad shows up, speaks to their problem, highlights that it's free to start, and takes them straight to the App Store page to download. It's the most direct line you have from a parent's problem to your solution. Don't overthink it. Start here.

You probably should avoid the biggest mistake new advertisers make...

Now, let's talk about social media, specifically Meta (Facebook and Instagram). This is where most people starting out go wrong, and it's a costly mistake. They hear "marketing" and think they need to build "brand awareness". So they set up a campaign with the objective set to "Reach" or "Brand Awareness."

Here is the brutal truth: that is the fastest way to set your money on fire. When you give the Facebook algorithm that command, you are telling it, "Find me the largest number of people for the lowest possible price." The algorithm is incredibly good at its job, so it does exactly that. It seeks out the users inside your target audience who are the least likely to click, least likely to engage, and absolutely, positively least likely to ever download an app or pull out a credit card. Why? Because those users aren't in demand. Their attention is cheap. You are literally paying the world's most powerful advertising machine to find you the worst possible audience for your product.

Awareness is a byproduct of performance, not the other way around. You get awareness when your app solves a real problem so well that people talk about it. Your single goal on Meta should be to get installs. That means you MUST set your campaign objective to 'App Installs' or 'Conversions' (if you send them to a landing page first). This tells the algorithm, "I don't care about cheap impressions. Go find me the people in my audience who have a history of downloading apps like mine." These users are more expensive to reach, but they're the only ones that matter.

The difference in audience quality is staggering, as the chart below shows.

You'll need a clear strategy for social media...

Once you've chosen the right objective, you need to find the right people. Unlike search ads where people tell you what they want, on social media you have to find them based on who they are and what they're interested in. This is where that 'nightmare' ICP work pays off.

For a new account, I wouldn't overcomplicate it. Start by testing detailed targeting based on interests and demographics. You need to feed the algorithm data before you can get clever with lookalikes and retargeting. Your goal is to find pockets of parents who are most likely to feel the pain your app solves.

You have to think a bit creatively. What do these worried parents read? What brands do they follow? What communities are they part of? Targeting "Parenting" is too broad. You need to get more specific.

I'd structure this with a simple campaign for each stage of the funnel. One campaign for cold outreach (Top of Funnel - ToFu) testing these different interest groups. Once you have some data (at least a few hundred installs and website visits), you can start a retargeting campaign (Middle of Funnel - MoFu) to show ads to people who visited your site or App Store page but didn't install. Remind them of the benefits, maybe show them a testimonial. I remember one software client who saw great success with this. By implementing a structured testing and retargeting approach on Meta Ads, we helped them get over 5,000 trials for their app at just $7 per trial.

Your message must be a solution, not just a feature list...

You could have the best targeting in the world, but if your ad is boring, it's invisible. People scroll through social media at a blistering pace. You have about 1.5 seconds to grab their attention. Listing features like "block up to two websites" won't do it.

You need to use the Problem-Agitate-Solve (PAS) framework. It works because it mirrors the exact thought process of your ideal customer.

1. Problem: State their nightmare directly. Use a question to hook them in. "Tired of the nightly screen time battle?"
2. Agitate: Twist the knife. Remind them of the negative emotions associated with the problem. "Worried about what they're seeing online? Feel like you're losing connection with your kids?"
3. Solve: Present your app as the clear, simple solution. "Kaizen Protect gives you peace of mind. Set healthy limits in seconds and block harmful sites with one tap. Get your family time back."

Here are a couple of examples of how this could look in an ad:

Ad Example 1 (Focus on Conflict):

• Headline: Is Screen Time Tearing Your Family Apart?
• Body: The nightly arguments. The angry outbursts when you say "time's up". It's exhausting. What if you could set clear, automatic limits without the fight? Kaizen Protect lets you schedule downtime so devices just turn off. No more arguments. Try the free version today and enjoy a peaceful evening.
• Image/Video: A short, relatable clip of a parent looking stressed, cutting to the same parent smiling and playing a board game with their child.

Ad Example 2 (Focus on Safety):

• Headline: You Can't Watch Over Their Shoulder 24/7.
• Body: The internet is a scary place. Are you sure they're safe online? Stop worrying. Kaizen Protect lets you block inappropriate websites and see which apps they're using, so you can guide them towards healthier digital habits. It's the simple way to keep them safe. Install for free and get instant peace of mind.
• Image/Video: A simple graphic showing a shield protecting a phone from "bad" icons (skulls, inappropriate symbols).

The key is that you are not selling software. You're selling a feeling: relief, peace, connection, safety. That's what people buy.

You'll need to understand the numbers to scale...

This all sounds good, but how do you know if it's working? And how much should you be willing to pay for a user? The real question isn't "How low can my Cost Per Install (CPI) go?" but "How high a CPI can I afford to acquire a great user?" The answer is in the Customer Lifetime Value (LTV).

Even with a freemium model, you can calculate this. You need to estimate a few numbers:

• Free-to-Paid Conversion Rate: What percentage of your free users do you expect will upgrade to a paid plan? Let's be conservative and say 5%.
• Average Revenue Per Paying User (ARPPU): What's your monthly or annual subscription price? Let's say it's £5 per month.
• Monthly Churn Rate: What percentage of paying customers do you lose each month? A good SaaS rate is around 3-5%. Let's use 4%.

With these numbers, we can figure out what a single *free* user is worth to you on average, and then what a *paying* user is worth over their lifetime.

First, the LTV of a paying customer:
LTV = (ARPPU * Gross Margin %) / Monthly Churn Rate

Assuming your margin is high, say 90% for software, the math is:
LTV = (£5 * 0.90) / 0.04 = £4.50 / 0.04 = £112.50

So, each paying customer is worth £112.50 to you. Now, what's an average free user worth? We just factor in the conversion rate:

Average Value of a Free User = LTV * Free-to-Paid Conversion Rate
Average Value = £112.50 * 0.05 = £5.63

This is your magic number. Based on these assumptions, you could theoretically pay up to £5.63 for every free install and still break even in the long run. A healthy business model aims for an LTV:CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) ratio of at least 3:1. This means your target CPI should be around £1.88 (£5.63 / 3).

Suddenly, that £2 cost per signup we saw with our other client, as mentioned, doesn't just look good, it looks profitable. This is the maths that lets you scale confidently. Use the calculator below to play with your own numbers.

I'd say you build trust on autopilot...

For an app that manages a child's device, trust is everything. A parent won't install something that looks dodgy or unprofessional. Your marketing can get them to the App Store, but your presentation and social proof are what will get them to click "Install".

The number one trust signal is reviews. You need to be almost obsessive about getting good reviews as quickly as possible. This creates a flywheel effect: good reviews lead to more installs, which leads to more reviews. Don't just hope for them. Build a system to get them.

• Ask at the right time: Don't hit them with a review prompt on their first login. Wait until they've completed a positive action, like successfully setting their first schedule or blocking a website. They've just experienced the value of your app—that's when they're most likely to say something nice.
• Offer an incentive (carefully): You could offer a small reward for feedback, maybe unlocking a premium feature for a week. Be careful with this, as app stores have rules, but asking for honest feedback in exchange for something is often permissable.
• Make it easy: A simple in-app pop-up that takes them directly to the review page is essential. Reduce all friction.

Beyond reviews, your App Store page and website are your digital storefront. They need to look professional and trustworthy.

• High-Quality Screenshots & Videos: Show the app in action. Make it look clean, simple, and intuitive.
• Clear Privacy Policy: Be upfront about what data you collect and why. This is non-negotiable for a parenting app. Parents are rightly paranoid about this.
• Social Proof: If you get featured in a parenting blog or a tech publication, put that logo on your website. Display testimonials prominently.

Trust isn't a one-off task; it's an ongoing process that your product and marketing should constantly be reinforcing.

I've detailed my main recommendations for you below:

This is a lot to take in, I know. To make it clearer, here is a summary of the plan I'd recommend you follow. This is the main advice I have for you, prioritised to give you the best chance of getting traction quickly without wasting money.

Getting paid ads right is a process of testing and learning. It's not about finding one magic bullet, but about building a system that reliably brings in new users. It takes expertise to set up these campaigns correctly, interpret the data, and make the right adjustments to avoid costly mistakes and scale profitably.

This is just a starting point, but I hope this detailed breakdown gives you a much clearer path forward. If you feel you'd benefit from an expert eye on your strategy or help with the implementation, we offer a completely free, no-obligation initial consultation where we can go through your specific situation in more detail.

Regards,

Team @ Lukas Holschuh