The app market has become drastically more competitive over the years and businesses are finding it challenging to be discovered in a sea of competition. Leveraging a comprehensive app launch strategy is essential for paving the way to a successful launch and a fruitful position in the app marketplace.

Mobile App Development has taken over the Digital Market in the past 5 years. It is estimated that between 2016 and 2020, yearly downloads will double to roughly 284 billion. As such, it has become increasingly important to have a comprehensive strategy and successful app launch in order to compete in this competitive landscape.

Here we give you 13 tips as an app launch checklist to guide you through the process of How to Launch an App.

1. Market Research

Running a competitive analysis involves pinning down exactly who your competitors are. It is important to gather a full understanding of who is competing in this app space, what they’re offering, and what you can do different or better to achieve success in the marketplace. Research mobile apps with similar features, themes and visual styles, and take note of how well they’re doing in the market.

2. In-App Analytics

Implementing a comprehensive mobile analytics platform can be an essential strategic tool for optimizing the user experience. Which app features are drawing users in? Are users dropping off in any particular section? How often do they use your app? Leverage insights like these to engage users with targeted and personalized campaigns that will increase loyalty and retention.

3. Beta Testing

In today’s competitive market, Beta testing your app is an important step before launching your app. The main goal of beta testing is to get real-world experience on how well your app will perform with actual users. Three popular platforms for IOS & Android testing include TestFlight, Test Fairy, and HockeyApp.

4. Marketing Plan

Marketing an app requires planning and leveraging a range of marketing mediums and techniques. It is recommended to divide your App Marketing Plan into 3 campaign phases: pre-launch, launch and post-launch.

5. Promotional Video

Creating videos provides you with the opportunity to establish a voice and communicate the value of your app. For example, a demo video allows you to offer a ‘sneak peek’ of your app and demonstrate popular features; essential for driving organic downloads.

6. Localize your App

Localizing apps for your target audience is a good business practice that requires you to add appropriate resources to your software to ensure that a given country, locale, language, or culture is supported. This means changing the language depending on location, ensuring your app is accessible to all your markets.

7. App Store Optimization

Since one of the major methods of app discovery is still through app store search, it is important to invest in App Store Optimization (ASO) strategies. ASO provides the foundations to rank higher in the marketplace; the higher an app ranks in a store the more discoverable it will be to potential users.

8. Press Releases

An article from a major tech blog is a great way to increase traffic and download rates. Remember to send information about your app’s launch to popular app review sites and any other publications you think are relevant.

9. Paid Advertisements

Paid acquisition can be expensive to use for ongoing growth, however, a limited app launch campaign is a good way to build initial awareness and downloads. Therefore, paid ads are an effective strategy to give your app the necessary boost to gain visibility during the first few days and kick-start organic growth.

10. Ongoing User Engagement

Consider how you will build user engagement with techniques like push notifications or in-app messaging. Promote engagement with special offers and discounts, customized content, reminders, and other valuable information your users are looking for. Even encourage ratings and reviews with timely and relevant rating prompts. Make sure to optimize the frequency of your marketing communications, in particular, push notifications.

11. Optimize App Performance

Social media can offer valuable insights into the user sentiment and perception surrounding your app. These channels are often the first place users go to complain when something isn’t working. It is important to monitor your app’s performance not only through in-app analytics but also through reviews and mentions on social networks, Google Alerts or any other means. This will allow you to gain a comprehensive understanding of your app’s position in the marketplace.

12. Build Store Ratings

A good average rating is one of the best ways to attract new downloads from users browsing the stores. Start with your app community, friends and family, and most importantly, your test users. Make sure to also alert your email list from your landing page about your app’s availability.

13. Plan regular App Updates

Leveraging analytics can provide insights into where and how your app can be improved, safeguarding your app’s future success. Which app features are drawing users in? Are users dropping off in any particular section? How often do they use your app? Use this information along with user feedback to develop new features and future updates that are important to your users and their app experience.