Launching an App Is Just the Beginning

You’ve done the hard work of building, testing, and finally shipping your app to the App Store and Google Play. Congratulations! Take time to celebrate, as it’s a big deal. But remember: launch day isn’t the finish line. It’s only the starting point of an ongoing app journey.

The post-launch phase is one of the most important periods for your app’s success. There are over four million apps on the App Store and Google Play, yet a majority of them are forgotten about after being downloaded. After only 3 days of downloading an app 77% of users never open it again.

Don’t let your app get lost in this competitive and crowded ecosystem. To stand out and succeed, you need a solid post-launch strategy. In this article, we’ll walk you through the key components of this strategy, including maintenance, retention, analytics, and growth. Let’s start the journey!

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App Maintenance and Support

No matter how much you test your app pre-launch, bugs will arise once real users start interacting with it in ways that you didn’t anticipate. That's why having a solid maintenance and support plan is so important for keeping your app stable and trustworthy.

On the technical side, it’s important to be aware of iOS and Android updates. These release changes from Apple and Google may change APIs and affect app performance. Your app must be able to adapt quickly to these changes. 

Users also expect to be listened to. They want an app that evolves with them. Ensure that you are making regular updates based on their feedback, showing that you are committed to improving their experience. This is how ongoing support keeps your app healthy, up-to-date, and aligned with users’ needs.

Ultimately, without ongoing maintenance, your app is more vulnerable to bugs, security breaches, and compatibility problems. In extreme cases, neglected apps can even be removed from app stores entirely.

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User Retention

While maintenance and support keep your app running, retention keeps users coming back. Even if you have a high download rate, this doesn’t automatically equate to a high number of active users.

Successful apps continuously adapt and improve based on user behavior and feedback. User needs evolve, market conditions shift, and what was trending six months ago might not resonate today.

To keep users coming back, consider these key retention strategies:

• Onboarding experience: Creating an easy-to-use setup from the beginning helps keep users engaged and reduces friction.
• Push notifications: Notifications are an easy way to keep your app top-of-mind for users – just be sure that they are thoughtful and not spammy.
• Feedback loops: User feedback, such as in-app surveys and app store reviews, is essential for understanding your audience and attracting new users.
• Regular updates: Small, consistent updates signal to users that your app is maintained, evolving, and improving for the long haul.

Ultimately, these strategies help you design for both retention and engagement from the beginning, setting you up for ongoing success and meaningful user relationships

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Analytics and Insights

Analytics are an essential part of your post-launch strategy because they measure what’s working and what’s not. They can help you understand user behavior and monitor app performance.

Some of the most important metrics for app developers to measure post-launch include:

• DAU/MAU: Daily active users (DAU) and monthly active users (MAU) are user engagement metrics that indicate how much users interact with your app.
• Retention rate: This measures how many users return to your app over time, giving you a clear picture of whether users find value in what you’ve built.
• Churn rate: The flip side of retention, churn rate reflects users lost, helping you to identify potential issues with user satisfaction and app functionality.
• App performance: Technical metrics, like load time, crash reports, and battery usage, indicate app quality and stability.
• Conversion funnels: These show how effectively users complete desired actions within your app, like making a purchase, signing up for a service, or engaging with key features.

Set up these analytics with real-time dashboards, monitor them over time, and let their patterns guide your future roadmap.

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How Lithios Helps Beyond App Launch

Launching an app is a huge milestone, but it should be seen as just the beginning, not the end of your journey. Your app needs continuous care, smart adaptation, and a clear growth strategy to survive long-term.

Lithios offers ongoing support and maintenance throughout your app journey, helping you integrate and interpret analytics to guide product strategy. As a long-term partner, Lithios is here for design improvements, Version 2.0+ iterations, and technical guidance as your user base grows and evolves. 

If you’re thinking about what’s next for your app, reach out to us and let’s have a chat about your post-launch strategy.