Today, applications have revolutionized the way businesses operate. Mobile applications help users perform tasks more easily, whether they buy something online, book a flight, order food, or pay bills. Apps are a business necessity in this competitive market.

It helps companies improve consumer engagement, drive revenue growth, increase brand recognition, and more. A successful mobile app launch requires a systematic step-by-step approach.

How to launch an app

When you know how to successfully build and launch apps that millions of people can use, you know you have success on hand. You can access this information to increase your chances of launching a popular app for your business or process.

Research your industry and competition

It’s important to research your competition before launching your app. It’s smart to do so as it relates to functionality, market size, and the quality of other apps that your ideal customers are already using.

Know about some leading apps in your niche, understand where they fall short, and use those insights to make your app much better than the competition.

Establish a pricing approach

Monetization in the app store can follow various purchase formats. You can make your mobile app free to download, use subscription pricing, or offer an initial download price, plus a range of in-app purchases. Each pricing model comes with pros and cons.

If you’re trying to launch an app that will reach millions, the free pricing increases your chances of adoption. If you are trying to connect with a niche audience, a paid or subscription model may work best.

Develop branded screenshots and visuals for marketing

You need to make sure you have excellent screenshots and brand visuals to promote your mobile app.

Whether it’s the emails you send to the press, the content you share on social media, or the content you upload, visual assets help tell a story. It’s a good idea to upload visuals to a dropbox folder where you can share them along with media. Make it easy for people to discuss and write about you.

Optimize your mobile app for search in app stores

According to studies, in January 2020, the market share among mobile operating systems was 74% for Android, 25% for iOS and the remaining 2% split among other operating systems.

According to industry experts, the four most important elements for ranking for both iOS apps and Android apps include:

• Use of keywords in name or description
• Visuals and branding used for the app
• Number of downloads generated by the app
• The number of positive reviews the app generates 

App name keywords have the biggest impact on app store search rankings. Another study found that keywords placed in the title offer a 10% increase in the chance to rank, which is good news.

Get testimonials for your app description

Trust is most important. You want people to believe that your app will provide value. Reviews are a major part of the trust path, but testimonials can also play a part in equipping you with the strategy you need to recruit users.

Many users probably won’t read your app’s description, but those who do may become your most vocal supporters or detractors. Start the relationship on the right note by showing testimonials from people who have tested your app and like what you’ve created!

Develop a media outreach strategy

Most apps fall flat after the launch on the media side of the business. You should have a strategy in place to help with app awareness and hype.

The first step in crafting a quality media strategy is identifying the value you are providing people with your app and what makes your product unique.

Once you’ve identified the right story, it’s time to start doing outreach and building relationships with journalists, writers, and bloggers who have an audience that connects with the people you’re trying to connect with.

Launch a web presence

Do you want people to know about your mobile app? Start promoting it on the web. Build a landing page that captures email, download a theme, or creates a landing page from scratch.

Four key elements to an excellent app website:

• A place for you to capture emails
• The value of the app is clearly stated
• Easy for the press to navigate and find content
• Having a customer support email for the future

 Consider setting up social media accounts. You want people to come to these channels through your website.

Set up analytical tools

Before launching your app, there’s not much you can measure other than with beta-testers. But it’s a lot harder to code these tools after you launch the app. You need analytical tools which are essential for tracking your app’s data once it’s launched, and will provide useful information for improvement. 

Get affiliates to increase your mobile downloads and purchases

You can create partnerships and affiliate programs to encourage more downloads and purchases. Plus, you can give your influencers a unique link that can track downloads and purchases. That way, when their audience takes the desired action, they can automatically receive immediate rewards.

Spread the word

Mobile apps go viral when people talk about them. Before you launch, you want to build relationships with the people who will be using your app. You can do this by being active on various forums online, in Facebook groups, or on blogs.

Create a campaign where people sign up to promote on launch day. On the launch date, the campaign is activated and posts are shared automatically. You can also use manual outreach.

Put download links everywhere

By now, you are officially ready to go live in front of the public. You may want to put links to download your mobile app on your blog, your website home page, your marketing email, and your social media accounts. Add a mobile tab to your Facebook page as an option.

Monitor feedback for user experience

Lastly, you should monitor users’ feedback about your app and encourage them to post reviews. You should get more downloads and visibility. This process will help you identify hidden bugs and make changes faster to enhance the user experience.

Let your users know about their feedback and your progress on reviews so they can see that you listen to them and respond to their questions and feedback. Mobile app UI & UX can play a important role when launching an app. 

Benefits of mobile app for business

From increasing sales to providing global visibility for a brand, a mobile app can benefit your business in many ways. Some of the main reasons to consider mobile app development as an integral part of your business strategy include:

• Provide value to customers

A successful business app blends consumer needs, business objectives and technical solutions aimed at solving real-world problems of the customer. Your app adds value, serves a purpose, and increases brand credibility.

• Strengthen brand image

In today’s technologically advanced generation, digital presence matters. A mobile app can strengthen your business and build a brand image digitally and enable you to establish relationships with global customers.

• Create a direct marketing channel

Mobile apps help in consuming digital information. They can create an effective marketing channel through push notifications, where businesses can build a digital relationship with their consumers, interact directly and remind customers about their products and services.

• Stand out from the competition

Mobile apps are where you can go ahead of your competitors. You need visibility to stand out in the crowd. It helps you beat your competitors if your prospects find you when they are looking for your product. 

•  Increase revenue

The mobile app is a personalized way of shopping for your customers and simplifies the buying process leading to increased sales. One example is the Domino’s Pizza app. When the company launched its mobile app for orders, it saw a 28% increase in sales in the first six months. Today, it receives 52% of its total orders on its mobile application. 

Win business through your app

When you decide on your new app launch, the above points can guide you. For every entrepreneur, it is essential to realize that mobile apps are an asset for businesses that aim to grow. Many companies have already incorporated mobile apps into their business plans. 

Decide to go ahead as mobile apps have become the standard for almost all businesses. The choices you make today will lay the foundation for the future success of your business.