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PRE AND POST CHECKLIST FOR APP LAUNCHING

World of technology & innovation is going at fifth gear, mistakenly sometime we miss important steps before planning an app. For a continues success of mobile or web app, right plan, strategy and execution plays lead role, also it helps in retaining users for long period.

After launching multiple apps and in-depth analysis, we came up with big points to consider before planning mobile or web app. This quick list of most-dos will improved success ratio with potential user engagement, before, during and after launching app.

For an easy understanding, let’s take example of two companies i.e. A Company and B Company to see how well does these strategies work.

A Company: Launching app with strategies & planning B Company: Launching app without strategies & planning

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DO’S FOR APP LAUNCHING

Choose the most appropriate app launching platform. Start with both android and iOS at the same time is good, but please note both these platform have their set of pros and cons.

In terms of user acceptance and old user holding “Android” win the race, whereas “iOS” wins when it comes to profitability. If initial goals is reach potential user, go with Android and for paid apps or in-app purchases, choose iOS. Along these two facts, there are certain development loopholes which one must consider before selecting platform. Selecting both platforms, may directly affect app launching in terms of, development time, skilled staff, overall costing, technology and more, so before commenting a timeline be prepare with these facts.

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RESULT:

A Company

Based on set goal, they selected a single platform for app launch; saving time, cost, technological efforts and started app development.

B Company

With no set goal company decided to launch app on both platform evolving developers (Android, iOS), time, overall cost and started app development.

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DO’S AFTER DEVELOPING, BEFORE APP LAUNCHING

Launching app will only be possible once it clears testing stage, for this beta users are key to success. They are refined test group, people who will critics or give feedback of app. There are various platforms like, producthunt, startup communities where beta tester/user are available, below is a small list platforms:

ProductHunt Betabound Betalist Startupli.st killerstartups

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Yes! it’s possible to define type of beta users to test the app, they may be of specific location, language, group, gender, via invitation or technology based or even a public beta (open for all), and all this only depends on final purpose or vision the app will serve.

This is not all, app must pass by all load, scaling or networking test too, for better and uninterrupted user experience. Performing all this can be either manual by specialist or even today there are tools and website offering both free as well as paid testing services and application, but keep a note all this will directly get added to overall project costing.

Next big thing after testing and before launching is finding the right users. Of course paid acquisition is important but organic acquisition is considers more as it impacts long run success. Marketing is simply connecting product to its right user, paid or organic or referred type doesn’t matter at initial stage. Thing that matter is marketing strategy or plan, that’s appropriate to fulfil its purpose.

App Store Advertisements Search Engine Advertisements Social Site Advertisements External Mobile App Advertisements

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All this must be planned in advance as when app will launched, it will directly serve its ideal / target audience, complete its initial goal. ASO (App Store Optimization) plays a greater role in improving organic acquisition, here are few things which one may consider in ASO.

Category Selecting Right Keywords Placement App Visualization Proper Images in App Listing Positive Ratings and Reviews

Above pointers play major role in serving app to right user, this improves overall ranking, impression as well as brand value which directly reflects to the final goal or ROI. A survey report states that more than 63% of app downloads come from general browsing which is a big figure, considering organic acquisition. There are even additional tips to improve your acquisition strategy using app analytics, which can be find online.

What else then these activities? What more to do for improved organic acquisition? A big YES to all such question, an online promotion is a way to boost application. Use website, blog, social media account, forums to reach right audience. More audience reach, means more app reach, improving overall impression of app and brand. Make sure to use correct and relevant information throughout the internet, this will expand reach for potential user and build trust over.

RESULT:

A Company

This company received a great no. of Beta users, at later stage who were converted in trusted users. Their pre-planned marketing / advertising strategy boosted the app with most relevant users ensuring higher user engagement and low retention.

B Company

Whereas this company did internal testing within their team, cutting down their user reach. No marketing strategy was pre-planned making it more complex that decremented their target user reach resulting higher app uninstallation and low overall impression.

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DO’S WHILE APP LAUNCHING

Keep focus over how users are accepting app, what functionality resonate more! It may be a primary or secondary feature which is attracting user, do what it takes to improve functionality, user experience and giving users what they want from app. Be interactive with user, let them share their app experience, listen to them and ask them for a review if they really like the work.

Keep an eagle eye on app performance, traffic and other data source, all this will help evolving app further. Act according to situation identify, address, prioritize and troubleshoot incoming issues, errors, bugs, crashes and network latency. User who experience any issues at its first visit to the app, will never become a return visitor; better opt any tool like Apteligent to keep app uptime, pinpoint errors and ensures higher performance.

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No. of downloads don’t means app success, user retention and engagement should be first goal. If launching app in multiple platforms, consider exactly how to draw insights across the various app stores, keeping user experience at priority.

One week later app success launch! Ask, whether marketing strategy worked as per plan? Did they delivered numbers which were projected? Find answer to all such question by analysing overall acquisition and retention. Identify highest and lowest sources of traffic, examine complete week data and user behaviour that landed via these sources and stop or modify low performing activities; saving time, energy and revenues. Using a tool like Localytics will help understand and track user engagement and other key metrics throughout days, months and years the app is live on app stores.

RESULT:

A Company

In-depth analysis on user behaviour, app response and regular app maintenance resulted as higher success ratio as well as improved return and new visitor figures.

B Company

Overlay app analysis, user behaviour became so complexed that team didn’t find much time to look over bugs, error and issues which were degrading user experience resulted as higher app uninstallation and lower return and new visitor figures.

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DO’S AFTER APP LAUNCHING

Garnering users and downloads is essential part of marketing strategy, but this should not cut down app maintenance or usage improvement; happy and satisfied users are more likely to get converted as user for paid features, and leave a positive review. For all such valuable / trusted user start separate campaign offering them special offers via email, push and in-app messages, and SMS.

For after launching success, inspect how users are interacting with app features, analyse user screen flow and user movement via conversion funnels. Look after UI & UX improvement based on these statics, optimize app accordingly. In most of the cases final goal is to attain higher customer attention, and this is a primary metric of ROI. This may not be in this case, so figure out ultimate goal that gives highest expected values.

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For any app continues success is more important, being static no app can get success, regular improvement and new features are what users like more. Understanding and evaluating user behaviours plays a big role, this will help exploring new audiences, and even re-defining the direction of app roadmap. Be creative, think critically to explore more so it may deliver new ideas and plans for better user experience and higher ROI.

RESULT:

A Company

Past launching data and analysis helped in retaining exist user, also these users were convert into paid subscribers; improving companies overall ROI and higher.

B Company

Due to lack of right decision at initial stage, company faced many issues which impacted app performance, user engagement and heavy low to companies ROI.

Thanks for reading this article, please share strategies or suggestion for others who all are willing to boost their web/mobile app.