- A strong launch helps set your app on the path to success.
This video gathers ten tips
to making your app launch a great one.
You need a great app in order to have a great launch.
Make sure your app measures up
by testing it against the Android quality guidelines
on developers.android.com
and then review the guidelines for each form factor
you're supporting--
from tablet to TV, wear, and auto.
Age rating your app provides users around the world
with assurance about its content.
Once you've completed the questionnaire,
your app will be age rated.
Local ratings familiar to local audiences
will be delivered for key markets around the globe.
The Play Store listing is a critical part
of your app's marketing.
Impress them with how your app would look on their device
using icons, screenshots, graphics, and videos.
Set up store listing experiments in the developer console
to test different graphics and text as soon as you can
in order to make data driven improvements to your listing.
Apps in the user's local language
are more likely to be downloaded.
Translate the listing's descriptive text
and remember to translate the text in screenshots,
graphics, and video too.
You can use the app translation service
in the developer console.
Many of your potential users
will be on limited data connections,
so apps with smaller APKs will get more downloads.
You can reduce your APK size
by getting rid of unused library dependencies,
implementing appropriate animations and code,
providing resources for only the most popular screen densities.
It's important to test to see how your app functions
and fares before you launch,
so test against the most popular devices in your target markets.
Get your user community to help
by taking part in beta tests.
And sign up for the Cloud Test Lab in the developer console
to automatically test your beta app
on hundreds of popular physical devices
and receive detailed analysis of any issues.
When you launch your new app or game, you'll create interest
amongst prospective users and established ones.
Don't waste this.
You might, if they can't get your app or update
at the same time as everyone else.
Keep your momentum by launching on Android,
on all form factors simultaneously
with your other platforms,
or try to let users with other platforms know
that support is coming and offer them a way to get notified.
The press and bloggers are always looking for good content,
so let them have it as early as possible.
Create a list of local and global contacts.
Go for app and game bloggers,
but target vertical publications too.
For example, if you have a travel app,
also include travel publications.
Create a press pack.
Include screenshots, a summary of your app or game,
the pitch for what makes it awesome or unique,
and something interesting about your company.
Marketing your app is essential to making it stand out
from the crowd.
Create a plan to use social media,
video content,
app install ads, and more.
Keep interest high after your launch
with strong reinforcement.
Consider offers, incentives,
and reminders tied to specific events.
Once your app is live, users will have questions,
find issues, and look to you for support.
There are several ways to provide this:
monitor the contact email on your app's Play Store listing,
create a Google Group to enable users to post support questions,
consider using a third-party customer support product.
Responding will keep users engaged
and build customer loyalty.
For more information on launching your app,
head over to the distribute section
of the Android developer website
and check out the launch checklist.
If you want more tips on how to improve your app
or game's performance and build a better app business,
check out the other videos in the series
and download The Secrets to App Success on Google Play.