Boost Your Pre-Launch Efforts: Best Practices for a Winning Campaign

Releasing a new product and watching it become popular can sure be an exhilarating experience. However, simply launching your e-commerce app without any pre-launch marketing efforts could lead to disappointment.

Despite how great your app may be, generating anticipation and excitement around it requires a considerable amount of time and effort. As a result, it's best to begin marketing your product well before the launch date. This is where pre-launch marketing comes into play. It involves creating buzz and anticipation for your product before it's released. Below, we provide you with the best pre-launch marketing strategies that you should consider adopting.

What is pre-launch marketing?

A pre-launch campaign is a crucial step in successfully launching an app or product.

It is the process of promoting your app before it is officially launched. The primary goal of starting a pre-launch marketing campaign is to create a strong foundation of potential customers, generate early interest and demand, and build momentum for your app's launch. Here are some best practices to follow for a successful pre-launch campaign:

Build a Dedicated Landing Page

Create a simple and visually appealing landing page that highlights the key features of your app or product. Make sure the landing page is optimized for mobile devices and includes a clear call-to-action.

Leverage Influencers

Collaborate with influencers and bloggers in your industry to reach a wider audience. They can help generate buzz and excitement for your app or product through their social media and blog posts.

Engage with your audience

Participate in question-and-answer forums like Quora to provide valuable insights and solve problems for your customers. Use Google alerts to monitor your brand and industry keywords to stay on top of public responses and potentially establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

Develop an email campaign

Build out an email campaign series that tailors your message to different customer segments. This will allow you to filter your email list and announce new app releases or feature updates to your current users. Customize your campaign to highlight the different values of your app for your diverse customer base.

Also, constantly add new contacts to your email list to expand your reach. Implement a drip campaign to nurture leads through the buying cycle and increase the chances of conversions.

Offer incentives

Encourage downloads and purchases by offering free trials or promo codes to both potential and current customers. This gives users the opportunity to explore the benefits of your app in a short period of time and increases the likelihood of sharing and word-of-mouth promotion among users. Don't forget to reward current customers with promo codes to show appreciation for their loyalty.

Create an online community

Try to establish an online community where your app's users can interact with each other. This could be on social media, your blog's comments section, or another platform. Encouraging word-of-mouth recommendations is difficult, but building an online community can help get the ball rolling. Additionally, having an online community for your app's users provides a way to consistently engage with your current customers.

App Store Optimization (ASO)

ASO is similar to search engine optimization (SEO) in that it involves making small adjustments to your app's store listing to improve its ranking. These tactics may include adding relevant keywords to your app's title and including screenshots in the preview section. With many users discovering apps through a quick search, ASO is critical to making your app more discoverable to potential users.

Understand Your Apps KPIs

KPIs, or Key Performance Indicators, are metrics used to measure the performance and success of a mobile app. Understanding your app's KPIs is essential to identify areas of improvement, measure the effectiveness of your marketing and development efforts, and make data-driven decisions.

Here are some common KPIs for mobile apps:

User Acquisition: This measures the number of new users who download and install the app.
User Retention: This measures the percentage of users who continue to use the app after a certain period of time, such as 7 days or 30 days.
Engagement: This measures how frequently users interact with the app and the depth of their interactions, such as the number of screens viewed, time spent in the app, or the number of actions taken.
Conversion Rate: This measures the percentage of users who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a subscription, or filling out a form.
Average Revenue Per User (ARPU): This measures the average revenue generated per user, typically calculated as total revenue divided by the number of active users.
Churn Rate: This measures the percentage of users who stop using the app over a period of time, typically calculated as the number of users who stop using the app divided by the total number of users.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): This measures the total revenue generated by a single user over their lifetime as a customer, typically calculated as the average revenue per user multiplied by the average customer lifespan.
App Store Rating and Reviews: This measures the rating and feedback given by users on app stores, which can impact user acquisition, retention, and conversion.
Cost per Acquisition (CPA): This measures the cost of acquiring a new user, typically calculated as the total marketing spend divided by the number of new users acquired.

To effectively measure and improve your app's KPIs, leverage SuperCEO, our free Shopify store analytics tool that offers real time store metrics and insights right on your mobile phone or email. With SuperCEO, you can track and analyze user behavior, identify areas of improvement, and make data-driven decisions to optimize your app's performance. Try it now.

Secure listings on app review sites

App reviews are becoming increasingly important to marketers, and there are numerous sites dedicated to app reviews, such as AppAdvice. Strive to be listed among the top apps on these review sites, which will require having a great product from the start. The Headspace profile page is a great example of how an app's listing on review sites can showcase its benefits and attract potential users.

Include app information in all marketing materials

Your app details are just as important as your website URL, so be sure to include them in all of your marketing materials, including brochures, business cards, and letterhead. This will make it clear to potential customers that your app is another place to find your brand.