How to Create a Marketing Plan for your Mobile App Launch

You have developed (or are thinking about developing) a mobile app that will help shoppers solve an important problem or make it easier for them to buy products at your ecommerce store.

However, you're not sure how to launch your app so that it reaches as many people as possible.
Properly marketing your mobile app is necessary to get it into the hands of the customers who need it most. That's why we've created this simple 12-step outline that will simplify the planning process for your launch.

12 Steps to Successfully Marketing Your Mobile App

Though these 12 steps are designed for pre-launch, you can implement them even if you have previously released your app to the public.

Schedule a Launch Date

Again, even if you have previously released your app, schedule a date for a launch. After you follow the remaining 11 steps, you may find a "new and improved" way to market the app and share it with the world.
Scheduling a launch date builds anticipation and results in more downloads.

Identify Your Ideal Customer

To get your mobile app into the hands of the right customers, you will need to know who they are. Put together a list of characteristics and demographics of your ideal user. You can then direct all your marketing efforts to their pain points and problems.
After evaluating your customers, search for the effective blogs, forums, websites, and other groups where your target customers visit. Reach out those groups and blogs to effectively reach more users.

Evaluate the Competition

There might be hundreds of similar apps already available in the market. Hence, the market competition will be high. What you need to do is conduct proper research and find out the best 5 apps in your competition. Now, compare those apps with yours on the basis of following factors:

• Price
• Functionality
• Revenue model
• Reviews
• Ranking
• Pros and cons

While evaluating these things, avoid the features and UX elements that can affect the user experience. Reading the critical reviews will help in this. Focus on what customers are actually expecting from the app.

Find What Makes Your App Unique, and Brand It

Now that you know how other apps in your space rate compared to yours, identify what makes your app different, better. Your UVP (Unique Value Proposition) will be your marketing magic. Develop your brand around it and shout it out to the world in all your marketing campaigns.

Define your motive behind the app

Before using your app, the customers should know the story behind your app. They should realize what challenges your app can tackle, why you developed it, and who is behind the app. Only features are not enough to build a successful app. Proper brand messaging is also important. This can help in connecting with users on a deeper level.

Seek Out Influencers with Common Interests

No man is an island, and no app succeeds in a vacuum. Send an email to influencers who could benefit from your app or products. Reach out to them on social media. Ask them to try your app for free in exchange for a review. Nothing builds momentum like word of mouth.

Create a Website and Landing Page

For effective marketing of your app, you should have a dedicated website and pre-launch landing page with a video trailer showing your story and what the app can do for users.
The website should show visitors everything about the app, especially the key features and challenges it can address. The landing page should have strong call to action (CTA) that encourages visitors to buy or download the app, or sign up to get notified when the app launches.
Further, you should use the video trailer for promoting the app, by uploading it on your website, as well as on social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Build Anticipation on Your Email List

You have a list; use it to blast awareness of your mobile app to your customers. Count down the days to your launch. Build anticipation with an automated sequence that provides readers a reason to download your app.

Optimize Your Store for Mobile

Mobile apps are designed for mobile users. To boost the number of downloads of your apps, make sure that your storefront is mobile-friendly. This is because more and more users browse the internet from mobile devices as compared to desktop devices. According to research by Stone Temple, 58% of website visits were from mobile devices in 2018.
Mobile-friendly websites will attract more visitors, which can help your app to get more downloads.

Optimize the rank of your app on App Stores

Your app will be listed in the Apple Store or the Google Play Store. Make sure the verbiage is accurate and exciting – and in the proper category. 65% of apps are discovered in the app store from people searching for what they need.

Encourage Others to Share Your App

Referrals are the best way to increase downloads. Find creative ways to encourage customers to share your app. One simple way to accomplish this is through giveaways and contests.

Integrate Omnichannel Marketing

When you launch your mobile app, you are going to want to publicize it on all your channels. Incorporate the same marketing message on all your social media outlets, your ecommerce store pages, and in all relevant correspondence.

Evaluate Feedback from Customers

Make it easy for customers to provide feedback about your app, and then listen to what they say. You want to keep your app users happy so that they will want to tell all their friends.
You can create the most amazing mobile app, but without a great launch strategy in place, you’re not likely to get much traction.
Integrate these 12 steps for marketing your mobile app, and you will be well on your way to a successful mobile app launch.