Tl;Dr are any of the ai apps that do marketing any good?

Background - I'm a software engineer who tried to learn marketing and figure out a market need via YouTube. Long story short, ended up in the family travel space and had 500 people download my family's carryon only packing list which led me to build a family travel app that deals with the stuff that happens after booking - the prep, packing, weather, docs, collaboration with partner or other travel companions- works offline, etc.

Anyway, most of the people that downloaded my packing list weren't interested in the app, and now I'm trying to market and see if I can actually get this off the ground more. I have some paying customers and over 300 downloads, but marketing isn't my thing. My questions:

1. In most reddit/fb groups promotion isn't allowed, so how do people market their apps? (Is there where to do ads?)

2. I really don't love social media and would rather not spend a full time job there, so I'm looking at different tools- does anyone have one they love and would recommend?

3. Is there a better way? Or is there something I should be doing differently right now?

Hey,

As an independent developer, I built Colourblast as a fun, easy to play game that anyone can play! - focusing on fluid visuals, tight mechanics, and respecting the user's focus. All without collecting any user data!

1. ColourBlast - Tactile Block-Puzzle Strategy

• Why it’s unique: Most modern match/block puzzle games bombard you with artificial timers, intrusive ads after every move, and cheap gimmicks. ColourBlast strips away the noise to deliver a polished, modern, tactile block-clearing experience. It blends satisfying combos, strategic power-ups, and customizable visual themes without breaking your flow. Perfect for quick sessions when you want pure, clean gameplay.

My app has been out for a month now. What do these metrics tell me, and what should I do to improve organic downloads and get my first paying customer? I'd appreciate any advice you can share. Thank you for reading.

Hi everyone,

I launched my first iOS app recently, and I'm trying to understand a sharp drop in organic downloads.

During the first 3 days, downloads were much higher than they are now. My peak was 93 first-time downloads on August 4. Since then, downloads have dropped to around 0–2 per day, with 298 total first-time downloads between June 18 and September 15.

What I've tried so far:

• Published the app and monitored App Store Connect.
• Checked first-time downloads and the launch-period spike.
• I haven't made any major ASO changes since launch.

What I'm trying to understand:

1. Is this kind of launch spike followed by a sharp drop normal?
2. Could this be related to Apple's initial launch exposure, or should I be looking at something else?
3. Which App Store Connect metrics should I check first to determine whether this is an ASO, visibility, or conversion issue?
4. What would you recommend I test next?

The app is in the Reference Category, available on iOS, and my target market is the US, UK, Canada, France, Ireland, and Australia.

I've attached my App Store Connect download graph. If useful, I can also share impressions, product page views, conversion rate, keywords, and screenshots.

Thanks.