What Should Your Mobile App Marketing Plan Include Before Launch?

Launching a new mobile app is an exciting journey, but it can also feel overwhelming - especially when it comes to marketing. After helping hundreds of businesses bring their apps to market, we understand that creating a pre-launch app marketing plan often causes the most sleepless nights for app owners.

A successful app launch is like preparing for a grand opening of a shop - you wouldn't just unlock the doors and hope people walk in. You need to create buzz, understand your audience, and have a clear strategy in place.

Think of your mobile app marketing plan as your roadmap to success. Just as you wouldn't set off on a cross-country journey without planning your route, launching an app without a solid marketing strategy can lead you down costly dead ends. Whether you're developing a fitness tracker or a business productivity tool, your app needs a well-thought-out app launch strategy to stand out in today's crowded marketplaces.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through creating an effective pre-launch app marketing plan that covers everything from understanding your target audience to setting up analytics. We'll share practical insights gained from launching hundreds of successful apps, helping you avoid common pitfalls and maximise your app's potential from day one.

Having an app promotion timeline and following a detailed app marketing checklist isn't just about ticking boxes - it's about building momentum and excitement before your app goes live. We'll break down each essential component into manageable steps, ensuring you feel confident and prepared for your app's debut in the marketplace.

Understanding Your Target Audience

Before you dive into marketing your mobile app, you need to truly understand who you're building it for. Think of it like preparing a special meal - you wouldn't start cooking without knowing your guests' preferences and dietary requirements, would you?

Who Are Your Ideal Users?

Start by creating detailed user personas that go beyond basic demographics. Ask yourself: What problems does your app solve for them? What are their daily routines? Which apps do they currently use? For instance, if you're developing a fitness app, your target audience might be busy professionals who struggle to find time for the gym - they might commute on the Underground, work long hours, and value quick, effective workout solutions.

Research and Validate

Don't fall into the trap of making assumptions. We've seen countless app launches stumble because developers built their marketing around hunches rather than facts. Conduct surveys, arrange focus groups, and analyse competitor reviews. These insights are pure gold - they'll help you understand not just who your users are, but how to speak their language.

Remember those shopping apps that gained massive traction during lockdown? They succeeded because they understood their audience's sudden need for contactless shopping and adjusted their messaging accordingly. Your audience's needs and behaviours evolve too, so keep your finger on the pulse.

Once you've gathered these insights, create a clear document outlining your target audience's characteristics, pain points, and motivations. This will become your north star for all future marketing decisions, from choosing the right social media platforms to crafting messages that truly resonate.

Creating Your App Store Presence

Your app store presence is like your shop window in the digital marketplace. It's often the first impression potential users will have of your app, so getting it right is crucial for your pre-launch app marketing strategy.

Essential App Store Elements

Think of your app store listing as your app's CV - it needs to be polished and compelling. Just as you'd carefully craft a CV for your dream job, your app store presence requires the same attention to detail. Here's what you'll need to prepare:

• App name and subtitle that include relevant keywords
• Compelling app description with clear value proposition
• High-quality screenshots and preview videos
• Eye-catching app icon
• Relevant category selection
• Keyword optimisation for App Store and Play Store

Create several variations of your app store screenshots and A/B test them with a small focus group before launch. What seems obvious to you might not resonate with your target audience!

Optimising Your Listing

Remember when Instagram changed its iconic camera logo? The internet went wild! While your app might not cause such a stir, your visual assets need just as much consideration. Your mobile app marketing plan should include time for creating and testing different variants of your app store elements.

Think about localisation too - if you're targeting multiple regions, ensure your app store presence speaks to each market. A phrase that works brilliantly in Manchester might fall flat in Melbourne. Consider cultural nuances as part of your app launch strategy, and plan accordingly.

Building a Pre-Launch Marketing Timeline

Creating a well-structured marketing timeline is rather like planning a wedding - you need the right things to happen in the right order, with enough wiggle room for unexpected hiccups. From our experience helping hundreds of apps launch successfully, we've learned that starting your marketing efforts at least 3-4 months before launch gives you the best chance of success.

4 Months Before Launch

Begin by laying the groundwork. This is when you'll want to start creating your core marketing assets, like your app's brand guidelines, screenshots, and promotional videos. Think of it as preparing your app's 'wardrobe' - everything needs to look consistent and professional. It's also time to set up your website and social media profiles, even if they're just holding pages for now.

2-3 Months Before Launch

This is your relationship-building phase. Start reaching out to industry influencers, tech journalists, and potential beta testers. We've found that personal connections made during this period often lead to the most valuable launch-day coverage. It's also time to begin creating buzz through social media teasers and perhaps an email waiting list.

Remember to build in some buffer time - we've never seen an app launch that went exactly according to plan! Keep your timeline flexible, and don't panic if you need to adjust it. Just like preparing for a big performance, it's better to have everything ready early than to be rushing about at the last minute.

Use a project management tool to track your progress and keep all team members aligned. We often recommend tools like Trello or Asana, which help visualise your timeline and make it easier to spot if any crucial tasks are falling behind schedule.

Setting Up Your Marketing Channels

With your mobile app launch on the horizon, establishing the right marketing channels is crucial for reaching your target audience effectively. Think of your marketing channels as different paths leading to your app – the more well-maintained paths you have, the easier it is for potential users to find you.

A successful app marketing strategy is like hosting a party - you need to send invitations through channels where your guests actually spend their time.

Essential Marketing Channels for Your App

Start by setting up your social media presence across platforms where your target audience spends their time. For a business productivity app, LinkedIn and Twitter might be your focus, whilst a lifestyle app might perform better on Instagram and TikTok. Remember, it's better to excel on two platforms than to spread yourself thin across six.

Your pre-launch app marketing should also include email marketing – create a landing page with a newsletter signup to build anticipation and gather potential users. Consider implementing a referral programme that rewards early adopters for spreading the word about your app.

Optimising Your Channel Mix

As part of your mobile app marketing plan, explore paid advertising options like Google Ads and social media advertising. Many successful apps use a combination of organic content and paid promotion in their app launch strategy. Don't forget about tech community platforms like Product Hunt or relevant industry forums where early adopters often discover new apps.

Your app promotion timeline should allocate sufficient time to build a presence on each channel before launch. Start with one or two channels, perfect your approach, then expand gradually. Remember to maintain consistency in your messaging and branding across all platforms – this helps build recognition and trust with your potential users.

Developing Content and Brand Assets

Creating compelling content and brand assets is like preparing for a grand opening of a restaurant - everything needs to look perfect and tell your story consistently. At this crucial pre-launch stage, you'll want to develop materials that capture attention and convey your app's unique value proposition.

Essential Brand Assets to Prepare

• App icon and logo variations (ensure they look crisp at different sizes)
• Screenshots and demo videos showcasing key features
• App store preview video (30 seconds of your app's best bits)
• Press kit with high-resolution images and brand guidelines
• Social media templates and visual assets
• Landing page with compelling copy and visuals

Think of your content strategy as building blocks that work together to tell your app's story. Just as you wouldn't serve a meal without the proper presentation, you shouldn't launch your app without the right content mix. Remember those times you've downloaded an app because of an engaging preview video or eye-catching screenshots? That's what we're aiming for.

Content Types to Consider

Beyond the basics, consider creating engaging blog posts about your development journey, behind-the-scenes content showing your team at work, or helpful tutorials that demonstrate your expertise. We've found that users love seeing the human side of apps - it builds trust and creates emotional connections.

When crafting your content, maintain consistency across all platforms. Whether someone finds you through social media or the App Store, they should instantly recognise your brand's voice and visual style. Think of it as creating your app's personality - it should be immediately recognisable, like spotting an old friend in a crowd.

Planning Your PR and Outreach Strategy

Getting the word out about your app before launch is crucial for building anticipation and securing those all-important early downloads. Think of your pre-launch app marketing like planning a party - you need to create buzz and get people excited about attending!

Building Your Media Kit

Start by creating a comprehensive media kit that journalists and influencers can easily access. Include high-quality screenshots, promotional videos, your app's unique story, and key features that make it stand out. Remember to highlight how your app solves real problems for your target audience - journalists love a good problem-solving story!

Crafting Your Outreach Strategy

Identify relevant journalists, bloggers, and influencers who cover apps in your niche. Build genuine relationships by engaging with their content before pitching. Your app launch strategy should include personalised outreach rather than generic mass emails - think quality over quantity.

Consider timing your PR push around relevant events or trends. For instance, if you're launching a fitness app, the New Year fitness boom could be perfect timing. Create a press release timeline that builds momentum towards your launch date.

Create a 'Press' page on your website where journalists can quickly find everything they need about your app. Include downloadable assets, contact information, and any previous coverage you've received.

Don't forget to leverage industry connections and networks you've built. Sometimes, a warm introduction from a mutual contact can be more effective than cold outreach. Keep track of all your PR efforts in a spreadsheet, noting who you've contacted and their response - this will be invaluable for your app promotion timeline and future marketing efforts.

Setting Up Analytics and Success Metrics

When it comes to launching your mobile app, flying blind isn't an option. Just as you wouldn't set off on a road trip without a map (or these days, GPS), you need proper analytics and metrics to guide your app's journey to success.

Essential Analytics to Track

First things first: you'll want to implement basic analytics tools like Google Analytics for Mobile Apps or Firebase. These will help you track fundamental metrics such as downloads, active users, and retention rates. Think of these metrics as your app's vital signs - they tell you if your creation is alive and kicking!

Beyond the basics, consider tracking user behaviour patterns, such as which features get the most attention and where users tend to drop off. It's rather like being a detective, piecing together the story of how people interact with your app. We've seen countless cases where seemingly minor insights led to game-changing improvements.

Setting Realistic Success Metrics

Before launch, establish clear, measurable goals. While it's tempting to dream of millions of downloads straight away (wouldn't that be lovely?), it's better to set realistic milestones. Consider metrics like:

- Download targets for the first week, month, and quarter - User retention rates (aim for industry standard benchmarks) - User engagement levels (how often people use specific features) - App store rating goals - Crash rate targets (ideally less than 1%)

Remember, these metrics aren't just numbers on a screen - they're the pulse of your app's performance. By monitoring them carefully, you'll be able to spot potential issues early and celebrate genuine successes when they happen. Think of it as having your finger on the pulse of your app's health, ready to respond to any changes in its condition.

Budgeting for App Marketing

Let's talk about everyone's favourite topic: money. We know that planning a marketing budget can feel overwhelming, especially when you're already investing significantly in app development. Having guided numerous app launches over the years, we've learned that a well-planned marketing budget is crucial for pre-launch app marketing success.

A successful app launch without a proper marketing budget is like throwing a party without sending invitations - you might have created something brilliant, but nobody will know about it

How Much Should You Budget?

As a general rule of thumb, we recommend allocating about 30-50% of your total app development cost towards your marketing efforts. For example, if your app costs £50,000 to develop, you should consider setting aside £15,000-£25,000 for your mobile app marketing plan.

Where Should You Spend It?

Your app launch strategy should distribute the budget across various channels. Consider allocating funds for App Store Optimisation (ASO), social media advertising, content creation, influencer partnerships, and PR activities. We've found that successful apps typically reserve about 25% of their marketing budget for pre-launch activities, 50% for launch period, and 25% for post-launch maintenance.

Remember to keep some flexibility in your budget - just like you might need a contingency fund when renovating a house, your app promotion timeline might require adjustments based on initial results. Track your spending carefully and be prepared to shift resources to channels that show the best performance. The key is to start with a clear budget framework while maintaining the ability to adapt as you learn what works best for your specific app.

Testing and Fine-Tuning Your Strategy

After putting together your mobile app marketing plan, you might feel ready to launch straight away. But hold on - just like you wouldn't release your app without thorough testing, your marketing strategy needs proper validation too.

Think of your marketing plan as a recipe you're perfecting. Even expert chefs taste and adjust their dishes before serving them. The same principle applies here, and we've seen countless app launches improved dramatically through careful testing.

Key Elements to Test Before Launch

• App Store screenshots and descriptions with different user groups
• Marketing messages across various audience segments
• Landing page conversion rates using A/B testing
• Social media content engagement with small test audiences
• Email marketing sequences with sample subscriber groups

We've found that running small-scale tests, similar to a soft launch in the restaurant industry, can provide invaluable insights. Try testing your marketing materials with a focus group that matches your target audience. Their feedback might surprise you - we once had a client completely revamp their app store screenshots after discovering users found the original versions confusing.

Remember to monitor your test results using the analytics tools you've set up. Look for patterns in user behaviour and engagement rates. Are people responding better to feature-focused messages or benefit-driven ones? Which visuals generate the most positive reactions?

Don't be afraid to adjust your strategy based on these findings. It's far better to fine-tune your approach before launch than to realise something isn't working when you're already live. Think of it as a dress rehearsal for your app's big debut - every adjustment brings you closer to a standing ovation.

Conclusion

Launching a mobile app is an exciting journey, but as we've explored throughout this guide, success doesn't happen by chance. A well-structured pre-launch app marketing plan is your roadmap to making a meaningful impact in the crowded app marketplace.

Remember, understanding your target audience isn't just about demographics - it's about genuinely connecting with the people who will find value in your app. Your app store presence, marketing channels, and content strategy should all work together harmoniously to tell your app's unique story and demonstrate its value to potential users.

Think of your pre-launch marketing plan as preparing for a big party - you wouldn't send invitations the day before, would you? Similarly, your app promotion timeline needs careful planning, typically starting 3-6 months before launch. Just like how British tea brand Yorkshire Tea built anticipation for their app by engaging their community months before release, your pre-launch period is crucial for building buzz and establishing connections.

Don't forget that your marketing strategy should be fluid and adaptable. Use your analytics and success metrics to guide your decisions, and don't be afraid to adjust your approach based on what the data tells you. Your app marketing checklist isn't set in stone - it's a living document that evolves with your understanding of your market and audience.

Finally, remember that launching your app is just the beginning of your journey. The foundations you build during your pre-launch phase will continue supporting your app's growth long after it goes live. Stay focused, remain authentic, and keep your users at the heart of everything you do.