There are many things which can go wrong during app development. An average app developer spends years learning and working on apps to iron out simple and complex mistakes. Even now when it’s simple to create an app with DIY app making solutions, some mistakes can still creep up.
There is a lot of literature online that educates people on the mistakes to avoid during development. This abundance of resources eventually helps developers build better apps. Compared to development, there is little discussion about the common mistakes companies make during an app launch. The extraneous process to create an app gathers up a lot of oxygen and leaves little room to cover the vagaries of a typical app launch. Does this mean there is little room for error in an app launch? No. In fact, a bad app launch can set the tone for a long line of mistakes. The only real way to avoid mistakes during an app launch is to remain cognizant of them. This piece provides an overview on the mistakes you should avoid during a typical app launch. #1 - Chasing the perfect app No one wants to bring out an inadequate app. Every company hopes the app it launches does well and meets the expectations of a typical user. And yet, there is no such thing as a perfect app. Go visit the best apps you can think of on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. These apps have been updated and changed innumerable times in the course of their lifecycle. This is simply because no one can predict user behaviour and app industry trends to the later. Many companies spend a lot of time perfecting their app. This urge is largely borne from getting the perfect app to market. This search for perfection generally eats up a lot of time and an endless stream of resources. The solution lies in changing your outlook towards an app launch. You can never create the perfect mobile app. There will always be areas where your app users will get stuck. You will also inevitably come across app users who abandon your app. Your goal when it comes to launching a mobile app should be to create a minimum viable product (MVP). An MVP version of an app is not the perfect or the ideal version. As the name suggests, it is the least viable version of the app. After launching the app, companies can study user feedback and behaviour to build upon the MVP version. #2 - Lack of build up to the app launch Technically, one can boil down launching an app to hitting publish on an app store. It is misguided to assume hitting publish is enough. Both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store offer millions of apps to their billions of users. It is impossible for a new app to come in and attract users purely on its merits. A film studio spends weeks and months promoting a release before it actually hits cinemas. Companies have to think about an app launch in a similar vein and carefully craft their pre-launch build up. How can a company effectively create build up for an app launch? The trick really lies in promoting the app on the marketing channels at one’s disposal. Let’s assume you plan on launching an app you built with an online app builder. It makes sense to promote your app launch to your website visitors. Leverage your social media channels and tell people about the various features you plan on bringing to the app. When you hit the publish button, there is already considerable interest and awareness about your app. This helps give your app significant escape velocity on the user acquisition side. #3 - No launch strategy The previous points partially alludes to the narrow perception companies have when it comes to a typical app launch. An app launch will naturally seem like a small deal when companies boil it down to the simple push of a button. This inadvertently leads to companies not having a strategy for their app launch. A launch strategy doesn’t just refer to how a company plans on acquiring new users. It more importantly sets the overall tone and nature of an app launch. There are two well-known app launch strategies that a company can pursue - ●Public launch - A public launch simply means that a company goes all-in on a marketing blitz at the time of the launch. This involves leveraging every marketing resource available to raise awareness about the app and gain app users. ●Stealth launch - A stealth launch involves less focus on marketing and more on user retention and analysis. In a stealth launch, companies typically target early adopters who’re easy to convert. These users als provide valuable feedback which helps improve the app. Both strategies have their own advantages and drawbacks. A public launch can send an app into orbit and grow its market share considerably. On the other hand, a stealth launch provides companies the luxury to make mistakes and learn in isolation. #4 - Naive idea of user acquisition People don’t just download an app. They have to be cajoled over a reasonable amount of time until they’re ready to press the install button. Many companies don’t grasp this basic idea about app downloads. User acquisition is a long and hard struggle. This naive idea of user acquisition comes from an over emphasis on the app features and functions. Most apps that fail have unbridled confidence in the features and functions of their app. In many cases, their apps really are good and deserve a large user base. Companies however cannot hope to get downloads based on the inherent qualities of their apps. They have to work on attracting the attention of their target audience as well. Nothing else will guarantee downloads after an app launch. In conclusion An app launch doesn’t just mean that an app is live on various app stores. It is a major milestone in a typical app lifecycle. This piece provides insights on some common mistakes companies can make when launching a mobile app. Readers can drastically improve their app launch by avoiding these mistakes and taking an informed approach.
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January 2021
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