The mobile app market has gained a significant place over the years and becomes drastically competitive with each passing day. Entrepreneurs find it difficult to survive in the deep sea of competition, but those who follow a comprehensive mobile app launch strategy pave their way to success. Meaning, they succeed is holding a fruitful position in the market.
Mobile apps are here to stay, and businesses need to provide an interactive and intricate app to users. To succeed and survive in the competition, every business should follow a detailed strategy that can make their app launch a hit!
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12 Steps for a Successful Launch
Access to mobile internet has replaced desktop internet usage by a considerable margin. According to Statista, mobile internet usage is projected to increase seven times between 2017 and 2022.
Some mistakes that were made earlier in the development process can be challenging to recover. Read the comprehensive guide below, to avoid making such mistakes and make your launch successful.
Step # 1 – Thorough Market Research
Research is the step that can make or break your app once it’s launched. A great app begins with a planned-out strategy that has a simple goal ‘provide a service that users need.’
A well-thought and designed strategy plan will help you until the final step, i.e., the launch. Once you have a unique idea, run a competitive analysis to know your competitors. The analysis will help you understand what you can do better and different to get more downloads than your
rivals.
Try to target the right audience. Make sure the app idea you’re about to build targets your specific audience. Answer these three questions:
- Who will use your app?
- What benefit does your app offer to users?
- Why is your app better than what your competitors have to offer?
Step # 2 – Testing Prototypes
Take the time for an early analysis of the app. It’s important to understand how your users will interact with your app. Is it the way you intended? Users will engage with the app differently than you. Design a prototype for real-user testing and then use the feedback to make your app phenomenal.
Step # 3 – Integrate In-App Analytics
Integrate analytics with your app to monitor user engagement and behavior post-launch. The earlier you implement, the sooner it’ll start. The analytical data will help you optimize your marketing strategies and measure the performance of the app to make it better.
Step # 4 – Offer a Feedback Channel
Don’t neglect setting up an in-app feedback channel for users during the prototyping phase. Creating a feedback channel encourages customers to communicate their concerns that will help you resolve any errors.
The feedback channel will also come in handy post-launch. It’ll allow users to make complaints, give suggestions, or ask for help easily. The channel will also prevent any negative reviews.
Step # 5 – Define App Metrics
Decide and implement the metrics from analytics that will make your app successful. Take out time to draft a framework to measure the success of your app to know which metrics matter the most.
Most famous app marketing metrics include:
- Number of users
- Number of active users
- Returning users
- Bounce rate
- Conversion rate (Organic and Paid)
- Channel-wise user generation
Step # 6 – Thorough Beta Testing
It’s important to plan a beta test before the final launch. The main goal of beta testing is to observe how the app performs in the real world. The beta release locates bugs and tests user-interaction to make the overall functionality smoother, which is why it’s a critical stage.
Step # 7 – Pick a Launch Date
Pick a launch date that stands out in the market. The mobile app market changes every day, so make sure the date you pick doesn’t collide with announcements from the key players of the tech world. Set a launch date and stick to the schedule.
Step # 8 – Plan Marketing Strategies
Don’t think about working on app marketing after the launch, that’s the biggest mistake you can make. To ensure maximum downloads and app success, start your marketing well before the launch, while its in the development phase.
Use all or some of the following marketing channels:
- Hire relevant bloggers and influencers who write reviews about your app.
- Engage users on social media platforms via posts, promotional videos, press releases, etc.
- Hire a PR firm to help out.
- Add an effective description of the app store. An effective App Store Optimization (ASO) strategy will help your app rank in the store.
Another effective way to market your mobile app is by creating a web landing page. The page can showcase screenshots from the app, videos on how to use it, and unique features that entice users to download. Additionally, the landing page can also be used to earn subscribers that you can email for promotions later on.
Step # 9 – Review Checklists & Submit to App the Store(s)
Once your app is ready for launch, cross-check with the checklists provided by the Google and Apple app stores. Make sure your app follows all the store guidelines before you submit it for a review.
Make sure to submit your app well before the launch date. Google and Apple stores take time to review the app before it can be launched. The Apple store takes about a day, while Google needs a few hours. Just to be safe, submit the app two weeks before the launch to make last-minute revisions requested by the stores.
Step # 10 – Reach out to Customers
The app is approved and ready to launch at this stage, and it’s time to notify your potential customers! Send out a thrilling newsletter to let your contact list know about the launch.
Step # 11 – Monitor and Keep Updating Your App
Now that the app was launched and you’re receiving multiple downloads (thanks to an effective market strategy), your work isn’t done yet!
To ensure that your app improves and reaches out more people, keep a keen eye on the metrics you decided earlier, and monitor your app frequently. Monitor your app rating on the store, customer feedback, reviews, and engagement. Keeping a check on customers will highlight areas you can improve to achieve your goals.
In an evolving world of mobile apps, you can easily be left behind if you don’t update your apps with new features. Users hate monotony and want something new to make their experience better. To make your app popularity last longer, release planned upgrades, and implement bug fixes.
Step # 12 – Re-evaluate Marketing Strategies
Leverage the analytical data to improvise the app marketing strategies that help you achieve your desired goals. Marketing strategies need to evolve along with your app users, so be creative about new approaches. It could also mean to expand into a new audience to get new users or keep existing users interested.
The Launch is in The Bag
Launching an app is something you only do once, but that doesn’t mean your app journey came to a halt. Your app will remain a hit if it’s built around your users, and it’s important to keep updating. New features will keep users engaged and increase popularity.
Good luck with your app launch!
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