Since the number of downloads is what sets good apps apart from the bad ones (ok, maybe not technically, but in the eyes of the customers, it does), every member of the team behind the app has to be included in making a plan for the app’s launch, which includes instructions on what to do immediately after the app has been launched.
Since people tend to put a lot of effort pre-launch and then just seemingly forget about their apps once they have launched, we have decided to provide a plan for after the launch, since you need to focus more on this area if your app is going to be a success.
During this time, it is too early to look at the analytics. For analytics, you need numbers and, during this period, your main task is to increase the number of downloads.
- Facebook mobile install ads
Facebook provides you with an opportunity to easily market your app. The Facebook mobile install ads are a pretty basic marketing tool whose sole purpose is to have people download your app. You can either go for this basic program, or utilise some ninja tactics that will help you reach out to more people at a lower cost.
- Instagram sponsored posts
After you’ve set up the initial boom with Facebook ads, it is vital that you keep the momentum going. Utilising the second most used social media network, Instagram, and by partnering with a relevant influencer, you will be able to break your app into the top ranks on the market. Just make sure that your Instagram posts look less like promoted content and more like the general content that it will try blend into. Instagrammers hate ads, but will appreciate someone trying to blend in.
- Try giveaways
In the beginning, you will benefit more from an increased number of downloads than you would from increased profits. This is why a lot of fresh apps and their developers go for giveaways in order to boost their downloads. This is an easy way to go big with numbers, while sacrificing a small portion of early profit. Giveaway campaigns have to be properly set-up, though, so make sure you do it right.
By this time, you should see your numbers increase, depending on the success of your ad campaign. Promotion should still be your primary focus, but you also have to look at how well the app fares with your customers.
- Continue with giveaways
If the giveaways are producing good numbers and are boosting your download numbers, then you should, by all means, go with it for another few days. If not, try switching giveaway tactics to see whether it works under different conditions. This also requires a few days, so just be patient with it.
- Start looking at customer comments
After having three days to use it, the users who were among the first ones to download will start leaving comments and reviews for your app. Make sure to view them all (while filtering out spam, of course) and understand your strong and weak points from the customer’s point of view. After all, it is them that you have designed the app for, so their opinion is what matters the most.
- Write a blog post or two with app linked into it
While you may think that not a lot of people pay attention to blog posts (especially if you know that there are so many blogs nowadays), when it comes to apps, people are actually attentive. Lists go especially well. If you don’t have any content writers at your company, find someone online who already has blog posts about apps and have him write one where he/she will review your app and compare it to others. It will do wonders for your exposure.
At this point, you can definitely start looking at the analytics and drawing conclusions from it. Also, the marketing campaign continues nonetheless.
- Start looking at the analytics
With enough people having (hopefully) downloaded your app, you can start looking at different stats that are vital for drawing conclusions for the future of the app. Pay special attention to these: DAU and MAU (Daily and Monthly Active Users), App Retention Rate (for how long the users use your app before uninstalling), and ARPU (Average Revenue Per User). They will help you determine how well your app will fare and what needs to be changed to keep it useful.
- Updates and their description space
With the analytics and the comments, you will have a clearer idea as to what you need to change in your app. Once the bugs are fixed and the updates are rolled out (if there is a need for them, of course), make sure to utilise the description space for updates to offer something more for your app, like a 20% discount for some things, or a free trial of the app, or something similar. Many apps just have “bug fixes” under update description, and this is technically just a waste of valuable marketing space.
- Social media campaigns and pushing for shares
Make sure to put share buttons inside the app, so that the users can share their in-app achievements or the app’s performance. This will give you even more exposures and, in a way, turn your users into brand ambassadors, which is probably the best marketing that you can find. Augment this by a professional social media campaign and you should be seeing a steady flow of users for many days to come.
After the 30-day mark, your app should be faring fairly well on its own, without the need for you to further interfere. However, you still have to pay attention to all the analytics, work on providing regular updates and fixes and the social media coverage to keep your app high above the others. Just remember, the more users, the more profits, which is why customer drawing and exposure enhancement should always be your top priority.
