App Release Checklist: All About Marketing Materials

Publishing applications to the App Store and Play Store is an important process in an app life cycle. The primary step for a mobile product, the anticipation, and excitement of releasing a new version, is centered here.

And now, when all the development stages have been passed and testing is completed, it’s time for your application to be released.

What information do developers need to publish your application correctly? In this article, we’ll answer this question, frequently asked by our clients.

The App Release Checklist

1. Name

The app name is one of the key elements in building a global app brand. Before choosing something, you need to take a closer look at the app store optimization features.

Each store has a limit on the number of characters in the name. Chopped off app names get less attention from users. Please note that Apple and Google are constantly updating these restrictions:

Google Play: up to 50 characters.
App Store: Apple allows up to 30

Relevant keywords in the title will raise the app in the search algorithm, but try not to add too many. Apple reserves the right to reject to publish an application if the name is too spammed or uses someone else’s intellectual property.

2. Pay special attention to the icon

The user will see it first. The icon should interest the user to get acquainted with the application. After that, the user will read the name and, possibly, go to the application page.

Don’t make another blue icon if it’s a trend in your niche.

However, in pursuit of uniqueness, do not forget to build the right associations and adhere to age restrictions.

Editors’ choice and TOPs show the user the icon, the name of the application, the publisher’s name, and the main category. It is not easy to get into such a list, so by choosing the “haste” icon, you risk losing potential users: they may simply pass by your application.

3. Prepare marketing materials

• Description
  The first 1-3 sentences in the description should describe the application’s idea as clearly as possible and tell what problem it solves. If the app has special merit, it needs to be disclosed in the description. It is desirable to write the second person’s description from the point of view of how the user will use the product.

• Screenshots
  A good picture will show what you propose to users to better install on your smartphone than a thousand words. Users will quickly become familiar with the application without downloading it. And they will decide whether they want to use it.
  How many screenshots to upload is an open question. On the one hand, we need to visually and profitably demonstrate functionality to the users. On the other hand, you need to create a desire for the user to download the application and see what else is there that was not in the screenshots. Therefore, before taking the maximum number of screenshots, you need to think about their need.

• Promo video
  This is an important part of a marketing campaign, as it allows the best presentation of the application to the user. Adding a video is optional by itself, but if you care about users and have time and budget, it is better to do it. Videos should be short (from 30 seconds to 2 minutes) and showcase the app’s most attractive features.

• Banner
  In the picture for the “Recommended” section, you can demonstrate to potential users the application’s graphical capabilities. This image is required to show the application on different pages of Google Play and the App Store.

4. Terms of use

The last but not least point of our app release checklist. If you collect user data, you need to prepare a special agreement. The agreements with the developers from Google and Apple allow the mobile application developer to enter into a license agreement with the end-user. The developer is encouraged to make the text of such a license agreement available in the account or application. When downloading the application, the user must read and agree on the developer’s license for its use.

In the absence of such a license agreement, the Google and Apple Agreements standard terms apply. At the same time, in the agreement with Google, the license is mentioned in one paragraph, and in the Agreement with Apple, a separate application is provided for these purposes.

Key points from the Google Play Software Distribution Agreement that you should be aware of:

• you are fully responsible for your product and the content provided in it;
• you agree to respond to user questions within three business days and “urgent questions as defined by Google” within 24 hours;
• agree to maintain the confidentiality and security of user data;
• you are not trying to cheat, harm, or mislead the user and Google;
• you do not distribute prohibited content. All Products distributed via Google Play must comply with the Developer Program Rules;
• you authorize Google to refund the full purchase price of a Product or in-app transaction on your behalf if the customer requests a refund at any time after purchase. Removal of the product does not release you from liability to any kind of payment;
• in general, Google disclaims any liability associated with your product.

In the App Store, the requirements are similar. If the app collects user data, a link to the privacy policy is needed.

Summarizing

When publishing an app, follow Apple and Google guidelines. This will prevent rejections and postponement shifts, which take up to two weeks on average. To achieve high rates of natural downloads, take care of your application’s position in the search results, and make the icon, screenshots, and descriptions unusual, memorable, and intriguing.

Take a holistic approach. The title and the first screenshot should reflect your greatest strength / competitive advantage / main feature.

A well-designed application will generate a lot of interest from users and a desire to try your application in action immediately. Hope our App Release Checklist will help you in achieving this!