How to Successfully Launch and Market an App

The mobile app industry is a lucrative one – it’s expected to generate $935 billion in revenue by 2023.

On the one hand, this is great news because the popularity of mobile apps has been, and will continue to be, growing steadily, while on the other hand, this means that you’ll have to distinguish yourself from the pack and find your own place in the sun.

Stats say that there are more than 3 million apps in the Google Play Store, while the Apple App Store houses more than 1.8 million apps. It’s obvious that you’ll have to deal with fierce competition.

The quality of your app isn’t the only factor that will help you succeed. A well-planned and executed launch and marketing campaign will make a big difference and score you a substantial number of downloads.

1. Invest in Market Research

Understanding your target audience is crucial for positioning your app properly and getting it in front of the right eyes.

Find out what the potential users of your app need and expect from an app, as well as whether the available apps fit the bill or fall short in certain respects. These valuable insights will help you improve your app and gain a competitive advantage.

Analyze the leaders in your niche and list how they named their apps, what features and functionalities they offer, and how much they charge.

It’s a good idea to read reviews about your direct competitors’ apps and see what their users say. Write down both good and bad comments as that will show you what potential customers value in an app and what their pain points are. Besides that, you’ll also identify frequently requested features so that you can add them to your app.

For example, AI assistants that streamline customer support can be very useful for app users, so you should think about implementing one in your app to help you provide an exceptional user experience.

2. Start Promoting Your App Early On

Spread the word about your app while it’s still in development mode.

Use your social media channels and website to generate interest and offer your potential users early sign-up options.

A sneak peek into how your app is being developed and discussing its benefits can garner significant attention and generate a lot of buzz around your launch. Ask your followers to provide their feedback and constructive criticism. Once you launch your app, use your social media channels to share a link to app stores where your product can be downloaded. [Editor’s note: Of course, publicly promoting your app alerts your competitors, too. Start promoting to your own mailing list first. Then as you get closer to releasing your app, extend the promotion to larger audiences.]

While Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter are top social media platforms that can help you expand your reach, don’t underestimate those with fewer users, such as Pinterest or Reddit. The former is a visually-oriented channel, meaning that you can get some pretty useful tips regarding user interface and user experience tweaks that you can make. Although it has a modest 430 million users, the latter boasts high user engagement, meaning that you’ll also obtain some valuable feedback.

Inviting potential users of your app to join beta testing is another effective way to both promote it and obtain much-needed feedback. Pre-launch deals and early-bird discounts will also bring you a lot of potential users.

Create a landing page so that those interested in your app can sign up and receive a notification when you launch the app.

3. Create Content

Content marketing is an indispensable part of every successful marketing strategy.

The research from step 1 will point you in the right direction and give you an idea about relevant topics and pain points that you can address. Useful content that offers solutions to your target audience’s issues will help you build your readership and user base.

Effective content is helpful and user-centric, which means that you shouldn’t be too promotional and pushy. Put yourself in your potential users’ shoes and make them the hero of your story. Your app shouldn’t be a star but a sidekick – it’s only here to assist your users in accomplishing their goals.

While blog posts are a must, you should also create visually-oriented content such as infographics and videos and showcase how your app can be used and how your users will benefit from it.

4. Leverage Email

Email marketing is a great way of growing your user base quickly.

And what’s even more important, it’s very affordable and cost-efficient. Its ROI is estimated at 4,400% If that holds true for you, for every dollar you invest, you’ll make $44.

But what about the rumors that email marketing is inefficient, outdated, or even dead? The thing is that this strategy only works if you do it right. This means that generic, bland messages and spam won’t get you very far, not to mention that such an approach can have you marked as a spammer.

However, if you create a personalized email campaign tailored to the needs and preferences of your target audience and its different segments, it’s very likely that your efforts will be worthwhile.

So, segment your list, create compelling subject lines, craft short and effective copy, and make your call-to-action button visible. Get straight to the point and tell your recipients why they should care about the fact that you’re launching an app – tell them why they should give it a try by listing the most important benefits.

5. Reach Out to Influencers

Find out who the most popular influencers, content creators, and bloggers in your niche are and reach out to them.

Don’t be intimidated by the fact that they’re influential because their popularity heavily relies on sharing information about the best and hottest products and services with their audience.

You can get in touch with micro-influencers with smaller but more loyal followings and offer them your app for free. Of course, choose the ones that will greatly benefit from using it. To additionally boost that “what’s in it for me” effect, you can offer a couple of free subscriptions for their followers so that they can organize a giveaway and promote your app.

These five strategies can help you successfully launch and market your app without breaking the bank, meaning that even small business owners who run their marketing on a shoestring can implement them.