How to Ensure a Successful App Launch?

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The steps to launch a mobile application

On average we spend 4.2 hours a day on our smartphones. According to a study conducted in 2020, mobile application downloads exceed 218 billion, while our requirements have become more refined.

Between immersive experiences and bespoke content, users of all ages have increasingly demanding expectations. Launching an application project is therefore not as easy as it might seem… unless you are familiar with the key steps to an effective launch. Read on to discover our magic formula to make your application launch a success.

Where to start: analysis of your environment

There were more than 6 million mobile applications available in the stores in January 2021. Analysing that environment will help you position the markers for your own launch easily and smartly. To develop your marketing strategy and launch your application across the various platforms, analysing your environment will help you to:

Understand the expectations of your target audience
Familiarise yourself with your competitors’ strategies and the details of their products
Pinpoint the right time to launch your application

Meet your users

The figure: over 5.22 billion. This is the number of unique smartphone users in the first half of 2021. In other words, over 66% of the world’s population. These 5 billion people include the future users of your application.

Defining personas is an essential step towards getting to know them and understanding their needs. This is where the Design Thinking approach we apply in our solutions really comes into its own. The various groups revealed by these empathy phases have specific features which will help you guide your launch strategy even before developing the app itself.

Observe your market

What are your competitors’ success factors? What obstacles have they encountered? How will your application stand out in terms of design? In terms of experience?

On average, 100,000 new apps are launched each month on Google Play Store, and 30,000 on the App Store with Apple. You will therefore need to make your mark and transform your challenges into opportunities amid a flooded market. An intelligent analysis of marketing practices can help you understand your competitors’ strategies. The launch of your solution will be made easier because you will be providing a unique experience via channels specific to you.

For example: How our Rakuten Mobile Showroom mobile application has revolutionised the customer experience since its launch. Once you have complete transparency about your environment, you will be able to position your solution and measure its success.

Define, adapt and manage your success

Different factors meet different objectives. Clearly defining the objectives of your launch will make your application a success.

Define specific indicators

Depending on your application’s monetization model, you will be able to define indicators for measuring the success of your solution: the number of downloads, the categorization of your application in the stores, the revenue generated by paid downloads, etc.
These are all factors to be defined before the launch in order to achieve your targets. According to a study conducted in 2020 in the Apple and Android stores, 90% of mobile application are available to download free of charge. But are these apps really free?
Various models will enable you to closely monitor the success of your application:

Subscription: installation is free but a subscription is required to access additional or personalised content
In-app purchases: following a free download, purchases built into the application enable access to a more in-depth experience
In-app advertising: boost your ROI by positioning advertising space throughout your user experience

For example: Our digital creations in the area of sport to boost community engagement. Once your KPIs have been defined, the initial elements of your launch strategy are in place. As the big day approaches, it is time to prepare your marketing operations.

A solid digital strategy

In the media and on social networks, via SEO and App Store Optimization (ASO), your visibility and online presence determine the success of your application’s launch.

Leave your mark on social networks

In January 2021, there were 4.20 billion users on social networks worldwide. This 53% of the global population includes your future users. Building an audience and engaging in conversation with potential users can provide valuable support for each phase of the launch.

Your presence and your identity on social networks can transform a target audience into a community. Providing app demos and exclusive content involves users in the development. By the launch date, they will be your best allies when it comes to sharing information!

In addition: support your efforts on the networks with a landing page dedicated to your application prior to the launch. Find out more about the success storey of our Davis Cup app by Rakuten Finals, launched one week before the tournament opened.

Optimise the stores

With more than 130,000 applications launched in the stores each month, the challenge, now more than ever, is to stand out. All users have to go through a store to download your application. As with your SEO, your ASO (App Store Optimization) should therefore also be part of your marketing concerns.

Your objective is to optimise your listing on these platforms: include keywords and powerful content in the description of your app to optimise your position in the search results.

Tell your story

Armed with the initial mock-ups of your marketing elements, involve the media in the launch of your app. As with your users, be proactive! The challenge here is to provide the media with specific, strong and reliable content in order to relay information.

When we launched our digital library for children for ViacomCBS and Nickelodeon, involving the press was an obvious step. By relaying correct information via press releases and press materials, the media helped our launch to excel. Find out more about the success story of our ViacomCBS application here.

For the best possible preparation for the development and launch of your mobile app, talk to our experts.