Having an app is a must-have for every business that wants to maintain its mobile presence and establish itself as a modern, innovative brand. It’s also commercially profitable – in-app consumer spending reached $150 billion last year and is set to rise further. Despite the high stakes, apps often receive little coverage on how to launch successfully. In this article, we’ll provide the essentials to help you prepare for a smooth app launch and secure user retention.
The most important step is understanding your audience. This requires both qualitative and quantitative research – analyzing similar apps, industry reports, and app store reviews is one part of the equation, but talking to prospective users in-person through interviews or surveys uncovers what they really want, need, and expect from your product.
Once you’ve validated your target market, focus on delivering an exceptional app experience from day one. Statistically, 90% of users churn within 90 days of installing an app, so make sure yours is bug-free and offers a seamless, intuitive user journey from start to finish.
Start building buzz on social media well in advance of your app’s release by sharing behind-the-scenes looks at your development process and teasing the key features with teaser images, videos, or countdown posts. This will give potential users a reason to download the app and continue using it in the long term. Prioritize user retention by creating a strong community, providing helpful customer support, and regularly updating the app with new content.