App Design 101: The Launch

Building an app from scratch is hard work; it is a long process. However, once all that is out of the way, you'd be forgiven for thinking that the hard part is past. Unfortunately, this is not the case. If you expect to make any money from your app, you need to launch it properly. 

Failing to do so means that your app won't gain the necessary exposure; this means fewer downloads and less money made. So, let's get into it.  

The App Itself ​

Obviously, the first step to launching an app is the app itself. You need to be confident of its capabilities. This means rigorous testing before you progress any further with the app. Testing the app should ideally be done by a third party to avoid any bias.

ForAllSecure offers a number of services to this end; they also have a huge range of resources which can prove invaluable, like ForAllSecure's fuzzing guide.

After you have checked that your app works as you want it to, you need to produce a creative name and an eye-catching logo. 

The name will greatly affect the draw that the app has, not to mention how easy it can be found in the first place. 

Conduct some research into what will appeal to your target market both in terms of the name and the design of the logo too. The logo needs to be simple but effective

The Selling Points

You need to put some thought into the selling points of your apps. These are what you are going to use in your marketing materials and in the listing on the app store. 

Start by taking a few screenshots or screen recordings of the app in motion. They can be used to give your users an idea of what the app is like when they download it. The screenshots, ideally, should be compelling and stimulating and encourage users to investigate further.

The next thing to think about is how you are going to describe the apps and their uses. This can be used again in both marketing materials and in the app description itself. 

You need to grab the reader's attention from the offset. Then you need to continue to capture their interest throughout the description. 

After capturing their interest, you need to find ways to make them desire your app. Finally, remember to include a call to action at the end to encourage the reader to download your app. 

Promotion

In order to launch your app successfully, you need to promote it. 

There are a number of avenues that you can pursue to promote your app. Video marketing is the first option. It is one of the most effective ways to market your content – especially if you want your campaign to go viral. 

Videos tend to be more engaging for audiences than mages and texts. They are also more shareable on social media. It can be very compelling for audiences; think about the applications of the app instead of just creating a demo video.

You could also create a PR campaign. 

This is one of the quickest ways in which you can make yourself stand out from your competitors. Look up other famous PR campaigns to see what they did right and how you can emulate this within your own efforts. You could start simply by distributing an interesting press release on popular media platforms.

There is also the option to secure a partnership with an influencer. They can talk about your app and encourage their – already sizeable – following to download your app. Finding the right influencer can be tricky because they need to align with your target market but also the values of your business. The influencer can also offer incentives on your behalf to encourage their following to download the app. 

This might be an expensive way to promote your app, as some influencers do charge expensive fees in order to promote on your behalf.

Another good option when it comes to marketing is social media. 

It is a largely free tool which makes it a great option for those operating on a strict budget for the launch. Create social media channels on the platforms that your target market tends to frequent. 

Posting consistently is a great way to drum up interest and tease the different elements of the app. You could also countdown to the launch of the app online too. 

Locale

Where will your app operate? Does it have any links to any specific locations? This can limit your market. However, on the other hand, offering your app internationally can open up your target audience. 

Think about the applications of your app; if it is tied to a location, then you might want to think about more ways in which you can advertise within said location. This could be via any number of local advertising methods like flyers, posters, billboards, or local television.

If your app can be used internationally, you will need to think about the use of your app within those countries and how you can tweak or tailor it to them. 

The app store is a global network that caters to over 150 countries with almost 50 languages. 

Each version of the app store operating in these different territories has its own trends, search terms and vocab, which means without properly distinguishing your app for each of these territories, it is likely to fail in at least some of them. 

Reviews

Another way to aid in the launch of your app and increase the number of downloads is to push your current users to write reviews. The app store algorithm takes into account the reviews, the number of them and the ratings left by users. 

An app with good reviews is more likely to be suggested to users and ranked higher in search results. Therefore, you should actively be encouraging your users to leave reviews for your app. 

Their feedback can be helpful in more ways than one because you can also use their reviews when it comes to improving your app, its functionality and ensuring that it is running optimally.

Host a Launch Event ​

Finally, it may also be worth hosting a launch event of some sort. 

This could be an in-person event like a party if you have the budget and capabilities to do so. 

This can help to drum up some interest in your app within the industry and the target market depending on who you invite to the event. The event could also be held digitally; this doesn't necessarily mean a zoom party, although you could stream content to interested parties. 

The launch event could be a giveaway, whereby a select few users receive merch or other prizes. Think about what type of event makes the most sense.

Summary

Launching an app is no different to launching any new business venture. It all starts with the product; a high-quality product speaks for itself to a certain extent. Word of mouth can go a long way. 

That being said, you still need to promote it. 

Think about the ideas listed above and factor them into your launch budget. What avenues speak to your app the most? 

Your marketing methods need to make sense.