Finally, your mobile app is set to be launched soon. We know you contributed a lot and put all your best efforts into the app development process. But if you think it's the end of the process, you might be taking it all wrong. The real challenges start now, and the biggest one will remain launching your app and promoting it to get a good response. While many businesses overlook the importance of app launch campaigns and promotional tactics due to time constraints; in reality, they are essentially part of your app success. 

According to experts and industry insiders, a business should spend as much time on app promotion as it does developing it. For instance, if it takes you two days to write a blog post, then take the next two days to promote it on as many channels as possible. The same concept applies to mobile apps; the more you promote your app, the more likely it is to be successful. 

As an industry insider, we know how challenging it is for small-scale businesses to budget for app marketing or promotions, so we created this guide to understand the cost-effective yet working app launch campaigns and promotional tactics. This blog will help you know what it takes to make a robust app launch campaign for promoting it on a large scale. 

Key Statistics on App Launch Campaign

• Around 4.8 million iOS apps and 2.6 million Android apps are available, underscoring the need for a stellar launch to stand out. (Source: Business of Apps)
• A whopping 95% of Daily Active Users (DAU) are lost within the first three months. (Source: RevenueCat)
• Studies show that successful app marketing starts well before launch, focusing on building awareness and generating excitement. (Source: Boldare)
• While a great app will eventually be discovered organically, paid advertising is crucial to get initial downloads and build momentum. (Source: Clearbridge Mobile)

What is An App Launch Campaign? 

An app launch campaign is a process of aggressively marketing your mobile app before its release. It is an essential part of your ongoing app promotion and marketing strategy. It aims to increase brand awareness, boost downloads, and increase user engagement and revenue in this highly competitive market. 

To create buzz about your mobile app before its launch, you need to follow app launch campaigns and promotional tactics. Additionally, you should have an in-depth knowledge of your target audience. This insightful data helps you optimize and refine your mobile app marketing efforts over time while simultaneously increasing user acquisition. 

Here are some expert tips for creating effective app launch campaigns: 

• Start by identifying your target audience
• Your goals should be clear and concise. 
• Consider choosing the right channels (social media, email marketing, and influencer marketing)
• Continuously monitor the app performance 

An effective app launch campaign will ensure your app will get the expected response. Since there isn’t a single way to promote your app, businesses should consider different app launch campaigns and promotional strategies we have listed below. 

How Does an App Launch Campaign Work? 

An app launch campaign is a strategic process that begins with market research to understand the target audience. The app is then developed and tested rigorously to ensure optimal performance. Upon completion, a marketing strategy is devised, focusing on the app's unique selling points. 

The campaign kicks off with a launch event, followed by continuous promotion through various channels like social media, email marketing, and PR activities. 

The effectiveness of your app's launch strategy depends on achieving predetermined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). By tracking these KPIs, you gain a comprehensive understanding of your business and can identify areas for improvement. 

Essential KPIs to monitor include the number of active users, Cost per Action (CPA), Cost per Install (CPI), Return on Investment (ROI), Click-Through Rate (CTR), conversion rate, and retention rate.

Top App Launch Campaigns and Promotional Strategies in 2024

If you’re concerned about the success of your mobile app, here are some tried-and-tested app launch campaigns and promotional strategies you should consider in 2024:

1. Understanding Your Customers

Mobile app marketing begins long before the app hits the market. Understanding your customers is crucial before you instruct your development team to start creating your app. After all, the goal is to ensure the app you're building perfectly suits their needs. 

Start your market research by compiling a list of everyone you've ever sold to, including those who've subscribed to your newsletter. Email them and request a few minutes of their time.

Offer your customers an incentive, such as a special discount or informative content. Once you've captured their interest, ask them questions to understand what they're looking for in an app. It's important to comprehend your existing and potential customers' expectations of your app. This process will reveal gaps you might not have noticed before, and you'll effectively establish a connection with your customers.

Involving your customer's interest in the mobile app development process promotes your app subtly and ensures that the app you create caters to your target audience. Keep your customers engaged by sharing your ideas with them and asking for their input. 

How can you enhance the product to make it more appealing and useful to them? Remember, your user base has its own network (word of mouth), and if you can win them over, you're on the right path to ensure your success and longevity. Every marketing campaign you launch should be rooted in thorough research, guaranteeing a smooth user experience.

2. Influencer Marketing

Building genuine, honest, and mutually beneficial relationships with influencers can significantly aid in promoting your app and creating a buzz before its launch. The key to this strategy is to identify influencers who resonate with your user base and target demographic. 

Most social media platforms have influencers with data on follower demographics. Users acquired through an influencer campaign are less likely to churn. Besides social media, consider partnering with bloggers to promote your app before its launch.

These individuals can drive a substantial amount of traffic to your mobile app. To achieve this, you can use a website like buzzsumo.com to find a list of relevant influencers in your app's niche.

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3. Leverage Your Website

If you own a user-friendly website that's optimized for mobile use, it can serve as a powerful tool for promoting your app. Your website is a destination that customers and those interested in your business will inevitably visit, and it's crucial that they are aware of your app when they do.

You can integrate your app into your website by dedicating a specific section to it. This could be a corner of the screen or a central area on your webpage. You might also consider using web push notifications to promote your app.

Incorporating your app into your regular blog posts is another effective strategy for app promotion. You could write an entire blog post about your app or include a call-to-action at the end of each post, inviting readers to download your app.

When crafting a blog post about your app, tell a comprehensive story about it. Explain its purpose to your target audience and how it can simplify their lives. Include links to your app, screenshots, and videos to help them better understand.

As previously discussed in the influencer section of this guide, you can also collaborate with bloggers on other websites to generate buzz for your app.

4. Email Marketing

Your new app should be part of all your marketing efforts, including your emails. As a business, you probably send numerous emails, and failing to include your app in these is a missed opportunity.

Every email you send, whether it's from tech support, your newsletter, or even a payment confirmation, should include a footer advertising your app. Provide details about what users can achieve with the app and a link to the download page.

Emails can still be effective when used appropriately. According to a study by Exact Target, "91% of people check their email daily." Take advantage of this by incorporating your app links into newsletters and customer service emails and making it a habit to use them in email signatures.

5. Create a Teaser Video

Videos offer a simple way to showcase your well-designed app's features. For your demo video, create a 30-second commercial based on three principles: Why, How, and What.

After creating your demo video, promote your app on your social media channels and other platforms. You can include your demo video in your blog post, Instagram, and YouTube channels.

6. Consider Alternative App Stores

If you think launching your mobile app on Google’s Play Store and Apple’s App Store will make it successful, you’re probably wrong. There's a whole world of other app stores online where you can showcase your app. As per the One Platform Foundation, listing your app on less popular stores could potentially boost your downloads by 200% compared to Google Play alone.

Here are some promising app stores that are gaining traction in the mobile app market:

• GetJar
• SlideMe
• Opera Mobile Store
• AppsLib
• Amazon Appstore
• AppBrain

Remember, the app market extends beyond the two well-known stores. Broadening your horizons could simplify driving in-app purchases.

7. Register for Awards Competitions

Entering your app in awards competitions can bring you a wealth of press coverage, exposure, reviews, and a significant number of downloads. While your chances of winning largely depend on your pitch and app concept, getting it right the first time could lead to a bit of fame. Here are some renowned app awards sites:

• Appy Awards
• Best App Ever Awards
• AppCircus competition
• Apple Design Awards
• Appsters Awards
• Ericsson Application Awards
• The Webby Awards
• Best Mobile App Awards
• OZApp

8. SEO is Key

Yes, we're talking about SEO, not ASO. Your app URL can appear in search results when users input related queries. For instance, if they're searching for music apps, you'd want your app to be among the top 5 results before users hit Enter. 

Identify the most relevant keywords you want to rank for to achieve this. Analyze which keywords your app is currently ranking for and build quality links to boost rankings. For this, there are a couple of excellent tools you can use.

9. Extend Your Reach

Don't just rely on App Stores. Google's search engine can do wonders for your app. For example, if your app is music-related, Google "best music android apps" and see what comes up. 

Among the top 5 results, at least 4 will be high-authority blogs that you could contact to feature your app. If you manage to get featured, you can reap multiple benefits, including:

• Wide Exposure
• Targeted Traffic
• Powerful Link-building
• Ratings & Reviews

10. Get Help from Social Media

Boost your presence on social media platforms, mainly LinkedIn and Facebook, to gain recognition among business owners and app developers. Incorporate their opinions into your app and offer them complimentary promo codes to test it. 

Engage in discussions about current features, bug fixes, and upcoming updates, and appreciate their feedback. This can lead to strong relationships, potentially opening doors for mutual app promotion at no cost.

11. Design a Striking App Icon

Given the vast number of apps in the Google Play Store (3.7 million) and the App Store (1.8 million), standing out in your chosen category can be challenging. 

Many users are drawn to apps primarily by their icons. To ensure your app icon grabs attention, it should:

• Possess a distinctive shape
• Use a limited color palette – two contrasting colors are sufficient
• Refrain from using photos – they tend to blend in!
• Minimize text as it's often hard to read
• Showcase creativity

12. Add  Impressive Screenshots

Uploading your app’s screenshots to the app store is a simplistic approach that convey your app's features to potential users. Adding captions and more visual components to your screenshots can transform a mundane app into a top-downloaded app. 

For instance, Uber's app page allows you to fully comprehend the app's features just by viewing the screenshots, making the download decision straightforward.

13. App Store Optimization (ASO)

App Store Optimization (ASO) is, at its core, search engine optimization (SEO) for the Google Play and App Store. Like SEO, ASO focuses on keyword relevance and keyword density in your description.

With almost half of iPhone users in the US finding apps through search, your app description is one of the most important things you can focus on in your mobile app marketing efforts.

It’s also really easy to get started with competitor research through platforms like App Annie where you can search something like “healthy recipes for women” and see what apps show up and their ranking.

We wrote an entire article about app store optimization. You can read it to read why it’s important and how to optimize your app listing.

14. Build A Great App Landing Page

A compelling landing page is an essential asset for any business, even if a mobile app isn't part of your offerings. Think of it as always having a top-notch business card at your disposal - having it on hand is beneficial.

Take Epic Games as an example of an effective mobile app landing page. It includes all the necessary elements for attracting and engaging users.

To decode it, the page has numerous outbound links, but the most eye-catching one is the Download button. This feature enables visitors to install the app straight from the website, and it's as prominent as the images adjacent to it.

As you navigate downwards, each section has a single call-to-action, all leading back to the primary action - downloading the app. The penultimate section even showcases testimonials from media outlets and actual app users.

15. Incorporate App Download Links On Your Website

While having an app landing page is advantageous, it's likely that your business website already attracts traffic. Capitalize on these existing customers and visitors to encourage more app downloads.

Existing Website Banner

Consider creating a subtle banner for your website that appears in a non-disruptive location. HelloBar is an excellent tool for this purpose. 

It's straightforward, remains at the top of all your pages, and allows you to convey the most crucial information with a link to your app landing page or directly to the App Store.

Social Media Marketing

If you're already using social media for promotion and have a Twitter profile, Facebook page, or LinkedIn page, use these platforms to advertise your app. A basic banner displaying your app's name and location is all you need.

Conclusion

Promoting your mobile app doesn't have to break the bank. While many opt for paid options, relying solely on paid strategies such as Apple search ads for your app isn't a sustainable approach for long-term success. It's crucial to find methods that encourage organic downloads without the need for paid advertisements.

Keep in mind creating successful app launch campaigns and promotional tactics demands a combination of innovation, meticulous data scrutiny, and thoughtful preparation. By adhering to these guidelines, you can create campaigns that connect with your intended audience and contribute to your app's success.

FAQs

How do You Write a Launch Campaign?

Identify your target audience, define your goals, and create a compelling message. Use various channels like social media, email, and press releases to spread the word.

How do You Launch a Mobile App Successfully?

To ensure a successful mobile app launch, the app should be fully tested and bug-free. Promote it through social media, blogs, and influencers. Collect and respond to user feedback post-launch.

How to Market an App Launch?

Use a mix of paid advertising, content marketing, social media, and influencer marketing. Highlight the unique features of your app in your marketing messages.

How to Plan an App Launch?

Start by defining your goals, target audience, and key messages. Plan your marketing activities, set a launch date, and prepare for post-launch support and updates.

How much Does It Cost to Launch a Mobile App Campaign?

The cost can vary greatly depending on the scale and channels used. It can range from a few hundred dollars for a basic campaign to tens of thousands for a large-scale, multi-channel campaign.