# Promote a mobile app with creator posts

> Get creators to show your app on TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. SaTT pays for verified post views and engagement; you measure installs yourself.

Published by SaTT · Last updated 2026-10-29 · Use cases · https://satt.com/guides/use-cases/app-installs

## In short

SaTT can put your app in front of many audiences by paying creators for verified posts, but it does not track installs. Use the “app installs” template on [Create](https://satt.com/create) (50% fixed price per post, 30% per-view performance, 20% [Quest](https://satt.com/guides/glossary#quest)) and measure installs with your store console and tracking links.

## Why is app promotion with creators hard?

People install apps they saw someone use. Creator demos convince better than banners, but paying creators upfront is risky: the post may underperform or the views may be fake.

App teams also need volume: dozens of short demos, not one big sponsored video.

## How does SaTT help promote an app?

An [AdPool](https://satt.com/guides/glossary#adpool) lets many creators publish demos at once and pays only verified results:

- Fixed prices by [audience tier](https://satt.com/guides/glossary#audience-tier) give you many demo posts at a known cost.
- [Performance pricing](https://satt.com/guides/glossary#pay-per-performance) pays more for demos that get more views, likes and shares.
- A Quest can send people to your store page with a **visit URL** action, which is a tracked redirect counted by SaTT.

> **Warning:** SaTT does not see installs, sign-ups or in-app events. Give creators a store link with your own tracking parameters and read installs in your app store console or attribution tool.

## What setup is recommended for an app?

| Setting | Recommendation |
| --- | --- |
| Template | “App installs”: 50% posts, 30% performance, 20% Quest |
| Networks | TikTok, YouTube (Shorts) and Instagram (Reels); YouTube views are read through the official API |
| Posts per creator | 1 to 3, so you get many different demos |
| Duration | 21 days (the default) to collect posts and growth |

Budget example in dollars: $500 leaves $425 after the 15% fee. If you set $1.50 per 1,000 views on the performance layer, a demo with 40,000 views earns $60 before any per-post cap you set.

Instagram counts views only on videos and Reels, so ask for Reels, not photos.

## How do you run it?

1. **Prepare a tracking link** — Create a store link with campaign parameters in your attribution tool, so installs from the campaign are counted on your side.
2. **Generate the draft** — Paste your app’s store or landing page on [Create](https://satt.com/create) with a goal such as “get installs for our budgeting app”.
3. **Write a demo brief** — Ask for a screen recording of one concrete task in the app, the link in the caption or bio, and an honest opinion.
4. **Add a visit action** — In the Quest layer, keep a “visit URL” action pointing to your store page; it is checked automatically.
5. **Compare both sides** — Read views and posts in your [Dashboard](https://satt.com/dashboard) and installs in your own tools, week by week.

## What should you avoid?

- Promising creators a bonus per install: SaTT cannot verify it, so it cannot pay it automatically.
- Asking for photo posts on Instagram: photos have no view count.
- Briefs that require a scripted ad read: authentic demos perform better and avoid [duplicate content](https://satt.com/guides/glossary#duplicate-content) flags.

For traffic-focused Quests, see [Drive website traffic](https://satt.com/guides/use-cases/website-traffic).

## Key takeaways

- SaTT pays for verified post views and engagement, never for installs.
- Measure installs with your own tracking links and store console.
- The “app installs” template splits 50% posts, 30% performance, 20% Quest.
- Ask for Reels and Shorts: Instagram photos have no view count.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can SaTT pay creators per install?

No. SaTT measures public post metrics (views, likes, shares). Installs happen in the app stores, which SaTT cannot read.

### Which networks work best for app demos?

Short-video networks: TikTok, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels. YouTube metrics come from the official API; TikTok and Instagram are read through a data provider with a limited daily quota during the alpha.

### Is the visit action an install?

No. A Quest “visit URL” action proves that the participant opened your link through a SaTT tracked redirect. What they do next is measured by your own tools.

## Related guides

- [Launch a product with creators on SaTT](https://satt.com/guides/use-cases/product-launch)
- [Drive website traffic with SaTT](https://satt.com/guides/use-cases/website-traffic)
- [Pay per performance: fixed prices per view, like, share](https://satt.com/guides/features/pay-per-performance)
- [Quests: actions, tickets and a verifiable prize draw](https://satt.com/guides/features/quests)

## Official pages

- [For advertisers](https://satt.com/advertisers)
- [How SaTT works](https://satt.com/how-it-works)

Glossary: https://satt.com/guides/glossary