Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out! I had a look over the situation with your app. It’s a classic problem and one I’ve seen a fair few times with founders who've built something genuinely useful but then hit a wall when it comes to getting it in front of people. The good news is that this is almost always a solvable marketing problem, not a product one. You've already got 10 paying customers with great retention, which is the hardest part. That tells me the app works and people value it. That's your proof.
So, I'm happy to give you some initial thoughts and guidance. The issue isn't what you think it is. Your suspicion about reviews is a red herring. The real culprits are almost certainly your choice of advertising channel and, more importantly, the story you're telling on your App Store page. We need to stop selling a 'device replacement' and start selling what every parent actually wants: another hour of sleep.
TLDR;
- Your problem isn't the lack of reviews; it's a conversion issue on your App Store page. High clicks and no downloads is the classic sign of a mismatch between ad and landing page.
- Stop targeting broad audiences on Reddit. You need to find parents who are actively searching for a solution to their kid's early waking. This means switching your primary channel to Apple Search Ads.
- Your value proposition needs a complete overhaul. You're not selling an app that replaces a £40 clock; you're selling the solution to the "5 AM Nightmare" – you're selling parents a good night's sleep. Every bit of your copy and your screenshots needs to reflect this transformation.
- The most important piece of advice is to re-frame your entire marketing message around the 'Before' (exhausted, woken at 5am) and 'After' (rested, happy family) states.
- I've included an interactive calculator in this letter to help you estimate a realistic Cost Per Install and see the potential return, so you can set your budgets with more confidence.
Let's be brutally honest: It's not about the reviews...
Okay, first thing's first. Let's put the review issue to bed. Every single new app starts with zero reviews. While social proof is nice to have, it’s not the reason for a 0% conversion rate. People download new apps with few reviews all the time if the app promises to solve a painful enough problem for them. Your problem isn't a lack of trust signals; it's a failure to connect your solution to their problem in the split second they spend on your App Store page.
Think of it like an eCommerce funnel. You're paying to get people to the shop window (the ad click). They're looking through the glass (reading your App Store page), but then they're walking away without coming inside (not downloading). The data you provided is the clearest signal you could ask for:
- -> 160 ad clicks -> 1 download
- -> 70 ad clicks -> 0 downloads
This tells us the ads are doing their job – they're getting a click. Something is breaking down dramatically at the next step. If the problem was the ads, you'd have a very low click-through rate (CTR). But you're getting decent clicks. So, the problem lies squarely on the product page. It’s either not clear what the app does, who it’s for, or why they should bother downloading it over just buying the physical clock. My money is on the messaging.
I've seen this exact pattern with software clients before. One was a B2B SaaS tool with a fantastic product. They were spending thousands on ads, driving loads of traffic to their site, but getting almost no signups. We audited the site and found the copy was all about features – "our groundbreaking algorithm," "synergistic data integration" – it was meaningless jargon. It didn't speak to the customer's actual pain point. We rewrote the landing page to focus entirely on the *outcome* (e.g., "Stop wasting 10 hours a week on manual reporting"), and their conversion rate tripled almost overnight without changing the ads at all. This is the same situation you're in.
You're fishing in the wrong pond with Reddit Ads
The second part of the problem is your choice of platform. Reddit can work for some things, but for a niche, problem-solving app like yours, it's a difficult place to start. People browsing Reddit are generally in entertainment or distraction mode, not "I must solve my child's sleep problem right now" mode. You’re trying to interrupt them with a solution to a problem they might not be thinking about at that exact moment. It’s low-intent traffic.
You need to go where the pain is. You want to find parents at the exact moment they are desperately searching for a solution. That means you need to be on platforms built around user intent.
Your #1 Channel: Apple Search Ads (ASA)
This should be your absolute priority. ASA allows you to place your app at the very top of the App Store search results when someone types in specific keywords. This is as high-intent as it gets. Think about the exhausted parent at 11 PM, searching for:
- -> "hatch clock alternative"
- -> "toddler sleep trainer clock"
- -> "okay to wake clock app"
- -> "stop toddler waking up early"
These people are actively looking for exactly what you offer. You're not interrupting them; you're providing the perfect answer to their question at the exact moment they're asking it. We've run app growth campaigns for clients where ASA was the single most profitable channel, bringing in thousands of high-quality users because the intent is baked in. I remember one campaign for an events app where we managed to get over 45,000 signups, and a huge chunk of the highest quality ones came from Apple Search Ads. It's often more expensive per click, but the conversion rate is usually much, much higher, leading to a lower actual cost per download.
Your #2 Channel: Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram)
This is a step down in intent from ASA, but it's far better than Reddit for this kind of product. The targeting capabilities are incredibly powerful. You're not looking for keywords, but for user profiles. You can target:
- -> Parents with toddlers (e.g., aged 2-5).
- -> People who have shown interest in competitor products like Hatch, Gro Company, or Yoto Player.
- -> People who follow parenting influencers or read popular parenting blogs.
The key here is that your ad creative and copy needs to do the heavy lifting. It has to grab their attention and instantly communicate the "Before/After" I'll talk about below. But you're at least fishing in a pond full of the right kind of fish.
I'd say your ICP isn't 'Parents', it's 'The 5 AM Nightmare'
Before you even touch your App Store page, you need to get this right. Your ideal customer profile (ICP) isn't "Parents of toddlers." That's a demographic. It tells you nothing useful. Your real ICP is a *problem state*. It's the parent who is woken up at 5:01 AM for the 180th day in a row by a toddler who is ready to start the day. It's the feeling of sheer exhaustion, the frustration, the quiet desperation of trying to explain to a 3-year-old that the sun isn't up yet. It's the dread of hearing that little voice or the pitter-patter of feet down the hallway when it's still pitch black outside. That is your ICP. I call it 'The 5 AM Nightmare'.
Every single word you write, every screenshot you choose, must speak directly to that person in that moment of pain. They don't care that your app turns an old iPhone into a clock. They care that your app might give them an extra 60-90 minutes of sleep. That is the only thing that matters. The feature (turning an old phone into a clock) is just the mechanism. The benefit is sleep. The outcome is a more rested, patient, and sane parent.
Forget listing features. You must sell the transformation. You sell the feeling of waking up naturally at 6:30 AM, feeling refreshed, and walking into your child's room to find them playing quietly, waiting for their clock to turn green. You are not in the app business; you are in the selling-sleep-to-exhausted-parents business.
You probably should rebuild your App Store Page from the ground up
With 'The 5 AM Nightmare' as our guide, let's tear down and rebuild your App Store page. We're going to use a simple but powerful copywriting framework: Before -> After -> Bridge.
The 'Before' State: This is their current reality. The 5 AM Nightmare. Your opening line and first screenshot must reflect this pain immediately. They need to see it and think, "That's me. They get it."
The 'After' State: This is the dream you're selling. Waking up at a reasonable hour, a happy child, a peaceful morning. Your copy and screenshots must paint this picture vividly.
The 'Bridge': This is your app. It's the simple, affordable tool that gets them from the 'Before' to the 'After'.
Here’s how this might look in practice:
| App Store Element | Old Approach (Feature-Focused) | New Approach (Benefit-Focused) |
|---|---|---|
| App Name / Title | Baby Sleep Training Coach | WakeUp Happy: Toddler Clock (Or something similar that sells the outcome) |
| Subtitle | Turns an old phone into a sleep trainer. | End 5am wake ups. Get more sleep. (Directly addresses the pain and the solution) |
| First Line of Description | Our app is a digital alternative to expensive sleep training clocks like the Hatch. | Tired of 5am wake up calls from your toddler? Turn any old phone or tablet into a simple sleep trainer and help your child learn when it's time to wake up. |
| Screenshot 1 | A clean shot of the app's interface. | Image of a dark room. Big text overlay: 5:01 AM. "Mummy? I'm awake!". Shows the 'Before' pain. |
| Screenshot 2 | A list of the app's features. | A picture of your app on an old phone showing the red light. Text overlay: If the light is red, stay in bed.... Explains the concept simply. |
| Screenshot 3 | Explaining the settings menu. | A picture of the app showing the green light. Text overlay: ...When it turns green, it's time to be seen!. Shows the 'Bridge'. |
| Screenshot 4 | More technical features. | A lifestyle image of a smiling, rested parent having coffee. Big text overlay: Enjoy your morning again.. Shows the 'After' state. |
Notice the shift? We've gone from talking about the app to talking about the parent's life. The value proposition "replaces a $40 Hatch clock" is a supporting point, not the headline. It's a rational justification they can use once they're already emotionally sold on the idea of getting more sleep. You should definately mention it in the description ("Save money and reduce waste by using a device you already own! No need to buy a £40+ plastic clock."), but don't lead with it.
You'll need to understand the numbers: What an app install should cost
Once you get the messaging and channels right, you need to know if your ads are actually working profitably. The question isn't just "how do I get downloads?", but "how do I get downloads at a price that makes sense for my business?".
For a B2C app in developed countries (like the US, UK, Canada, Australia), a reasonable Cost Per Install (CPI) can range anywhere from £1.00 to £5.00, depending on the niche and competition. Given your app solves a very specific, painful problem, I'd aim for the lower end of that. We've managed campaigns for consumer apps where we got the cost per signup under £2, which is absolutely achievable for you once things are optimised.
But the CPI is only half the story. You need to know your Customer Lifetime Value (LTV). You mentioned a solid 86% retention rate, which is fantastic. Let's do some simple maths. If your app costs, say, £4.99/month and your retention is 86% month-on-month, the average user sticks around for about 7 months (1 / (1 - 0.86)).
Simple LTV Calculation:
Average Lifespan = 1 / (1 - Monthly Retention Rate) = 1 / 0.14 = ~7.14 months
Revenue per User = 7.14 months * £4.99/month = £35.63
Apple's Cut (30%) = £10.69
Your LTV (approx) = £24.94
This is a rough estimate, but it's incredibly powerful. It tells you that, on average, each new paying customer is worth about £25 to you. This means you can afford to spend up to that amount to acquire a customer and still break even. A healthy business model would aim to spend a fraction of that, maybe £5-£8 per install, giving you a 3:1 LTV:CAC ratio. Suddenly, paying £2 for a download on Apple Search Ads doesn't seem so bad, does it?
Interactive App Install Cost & ROAS Calculator
My main recommendations for you below:
This might all seem like a lot, but it can be broken down into a clear, step-by-step process. You've already done the hard work of building a product that people value. Now it's just about packaging it and delivering it to the right people. Here is the exact plan I would follow if I were in your shoes.
| Priority | Action Item | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Pause All Reddit Ads Immediately | They are burning cash on low-intent traffic and giving you misleading data. The problem isn't the platform itself, but it's the wrong place to start for your specific product. |
| Step 2 | Overhaul Your App Store Page |
|
| Step 3 | Launch Apple Search Ads (ASA) Campaign |
|
| Step 4 | Measure & Validate | Monitor your ASA campaign's click-to-install conversion rate. With the new page, this should be significantly higher than the near-0% you were seeing. Aim for 20-50%+. Also, track your CPI. |
| Step 5 | Scale & Expand to Meta Ads | Once you have a profitable CPI on ASA, you can start testing Meta Ads.
|
This process systematically de-risks your marketing spend. You start with the highest-intent, most targeted channel to prove your messaging works, and only then do you broaden your reach to other platforms.
Scaling a product from 10 to 1,000 customers is a completely different ballgame than getting those first 10. It requires a repeatable, predictable system for acquiring customers, which is what paid advertising, when done right, provides. It's easy to waste a lot of money on the wrong channels with the wrong message, which it sounds like you've already experienced.
Working with someone who's navigated this process before for other apps and software companies can help you avoid those costly mistakes and get to profitability much faster. We've seen firsthand how these small tweaks to messaging and channel strategy can be the difference between a stalled project and a rapidly growing business.
If you'd like to chat through this in more detail, we offer a free, no-obligation initial consultation where we can take a closer look at your App Store page and put together a more concrete plan. It might be helpful to have a second pair of expert eyes on it.
Hope this helps!
Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh
