App Launch Checklist: The 15 Things You Should Include in Your Launch

If you are in search of an app launch checklist, this blog is the right one for you.

After building your app, investing all that money or even time, you need to release it in the app store but you are in the dark regarding what to do and where to begin, and what should be done to make sure that your app surfaces when a user is searching for a related query.

Rather than getting a build rejected, or failing in the already competitive app world, it’s always safe to have a look at this checklist

Here it is

1) Perform testing and ensure a robust product

Do you think that you have created an impeccable product? If you do, the thought itself is very dangerous before proper assurance.

The way you are using the app or your entire team is using the app might not be the way the user is interacting with it. Next would be the security of the app.

You are dealing with sensitive user data and it has to be safeguarded at any cost.

Performance of the app also has utmost value because at present since app crash serves as one of the major uninstall reasons.

Another one is to evaluate the functionality of the app with respect to the SRS document and ensure that everything is working as per the definition.

You also need to also check the usability of the app to make sure that it offers a high user experience for those who are using it.

Not sure where to start with mobile app testing? Don’t worry; connect with testscenario to ensure you get a high value mobile app testing team.

2) Market research

You have developed an app that can track trains across the country. Good thought!

Even though you are aware of the competition you proceed to release the app. What will happen? There is a high chance that it sinks into the deep abyss of the app world and would max attain a few hundred installs or maybe less, or more.

What do you gain from it? Nothing! All your hard work goes in vain.

So before launch, you need to do extensive market research with these questions in mind

• What’s it that people are asking for the most in the competitor apps review section
• What’s that one or a bunch of features that have made your competition apps successful?
• What’s the prime reason for a certain query that makes all the competitor apps visible
• Do you think that your app has some uniqueness compared to the existing competition

If you think that you have answers to all these questions, you have a good product. But. no, it has not yet met the preconditions for release.

3) A landing page for your app

You have released an app in the store, how do you ensure that the right people are using it?

Or, how can you make people understand the app features to their full extent? In short, how can you just rely on the app store to magically present your app in front of users?

This is the reason why you need a kick-ass landing page

Other benefits include,

• Lure users into your landing page using paid ad campaign, social media, or even SEO, BAM! You get conversions just like that
• Increase your trustworthiness! Landing pages will have a positive impact on users’ minds, your authenticity can be expressed and felt by them easily
• Landing pages help greatly in branding. You can bring all the style elements into the landing page and tell the story of your app in detail.
• Landing pages provide extensive data such as user demographics, requirements, etc.

4) Push and social notifications

It’s a known fact that most mobiles are ridden with apps that users rarely use. For them to access it has to be either something that they daily use or they have to be reminded through some sort of notification

Witty notifications about offers or features of the app will surely persuade a majority of the app users to open it and use it

And also, social media integration and running paid ads will increase the chances of users coming across it.

5) App analytics is a boon

App launch helps is cardinal in measuring the success of the app. Through app analytics, you can evaluate the value of your app and increase it for better ROI. Here are other uses

• Helps in analyzing user behavior and diverse data that can be used to enhance the app through future updates.
• The diverse information analytics contain include, which feature engages the most, user base ( daily, weekly and monthly) active devices, retention rate, other KPIs, etc.
• Data generated by analytics can be used for personalized experiences
• Helps in forming realistic marketing goal

6) An auspicious Launch date?

Just kidding! There is no such thing as an auspicious launch date. However, it’s better that you release your app on Wednesday or Thursday.

The reason is simple. It’s not wise to release your app at the end of the week since it can encounter many issues after release. Correcting it at the weekend might be a tough task

7) Videos. They speak volumes

A demonstration video is very important since it’s the most powerful medium than text.

You can talk about the important features of the app as well as include marketing elements in it.

However, you need to limit the video to minimum duration and ensure that you have incorporated tutorials for the app operation.

8) Use social media

Social media without a doubt is the most engaging type of app in existence. Social media platforms can be used for driving organic traffic and as well for executing paid ads.

However, you need to have an official page for the app a month before the release to ensure proper branding and to build a user base.

Doing paid ads to drive users, is indeed a good thing. You can also use social media and use other forms of content to channel users to your page.

9) Deep linking for a better installation rate

Deep links will lead users directly to the app installation page removing all the boring usual steps ahead.

If you have a new offer or even a promo code you can embed the deep link into any type of promotional notification or page and lead users directly to the app installation page of the respective app store.

Deep links play a crucial role in the conversion rate and the best part is that they can be tracked using analytics.

Also, a single deep link will be enough for both iOS and Android phones.

10) ASO and SEO is the way

ASO is a content optimization activity performed to make sure that your app is surfacing when the user is searching for a certain query in app stores, on the other hand, SEO will ensure that your app gets indexed and rank higher when a user searches for it in the search engine.

Some of the techniques you can use are that

• Selecting the keyword wisely, if you are going for a keyword that has high competition it’s better to look for others and incorporate them into your content. Make sure that the keyword is added inside the description of your app
• Do not just focus on one keyword. Incorporate related keywords as well
• Use deep-linking
• Use long-tail keywords
• Incorporate keywords into the meta-description itself
• Optimize your screenshot and videos before uploading

Checklist to make sure that your app is not getting rejected.

• Make sure that your app content does not have anything sensitive in it
• Make sure that your app is not an exact copy of similar ones
• Ensure that the layout of your app is optimized and it wil run smoothly on both the platforms. Using an adaptive layout is the best way
• Explaining your privacy policy in detail is a must
• Explain in detail regarding data protection and usage policy
• Unravel potential bugs and performance issues through third-party beta testing
• Check the loading time of the apps and ensure a fast-loading app
• Make sure that there are no broken links
• Do not put dummy content
• The metadata of the app should be complete

Some crucial extra points

• You can optimize the code of your app using tools such as proguard, guardsquare, dirask, etc.
• Optimize your image using tools like optiPNG, PNGcrush, etc.
• Avoid using too many .Jar libraries
• Use vector image as it is lesser in size
• Try to optimize your layouts
• Try to design a better preference window rather than the usual boring one
• User test the app
• Go for a keyword-based app name
• Include a help section in your app that can explain all the functionality and features
• Create a simple yet creative icon
• Try to improve your ASO after a lot of research
• Incorporate rating suggestions a particular sections of the app
• Use emulators to test your app

Conclusion

Technical knowledge would not suffice in a successful app. You need to make sure that you are releasing a robust product in the app store that’s technically good and with all the optimization and marketing strategies implemented into it.

Hope the points listed above can help you in achieving such a good product capable of superb market penetration.

If you need someone who has done this a lot to test your app, you can contact us for testing. We will ensure that your hard work will not go in vain.