Stealth vs Public - Which launch strategy is best for your app?

A lot of apps are launched every day and a lot of apps bite the dust as well.

No one launches an app thinking about its possible failure in the near future. And yet, we know how common failure is in the app market. Nearly 29% users immediately delete an app if they don’t see any value in it. A recent report even suggests that 61% users will not download a new app to communicate with a business.

Yes, the odds of app failure are high.

The question is - what can you do to avoid it?

Let’s start at the beginning. You have an app and want to bring it to market.

This calls for a review of your launch strategy.

Where should you start?

The same question haunts those developing an app from scratch or trying to convert WordPress to app.

The following sections answer this question.

What is a launch strategy?

How do you launch an app?

Do you simply make it live on Play Store? Do you post something on your Facebook account and call it a day?

A launch strategy basically lays out how you plan to bring your app to market. It is a more sophisticated approach to launching an app as compared to writing a simple social media post.

A good launch strategy sets up an app for greater growth opportunities.

How does one come up with a good launch strategy?

There are generally two launch strategies startup companies generally lean on - stealth and public. We will discuss each in the following sections.

Stealth launch

A stealth launch basically refers to launching an app (or a product or service) covertly. This launch strategy basically involves no kind of outward interaction with media channels.

There is no effort to promote the app in any way, not even through mediums like website blog or press releases.

How then do such apps ever get downloaded?

Companies inform certain people in their network to use the app. They basically rely on word of mouth to increase app downloads.

You might wonder the point of choosing a stealth rollout. Here are some advantages of a stealth launch you should if you’re trying to build your own app.

Failing in isolation

Startups don’t generally have the resources to bring a perfect app to market. They have to compromise on certain app verticals and create an MVP. It is possible that app users find the initial version of an app unsatisfactory.

A stealth launch essentially reduces the stakes and enables developers to learn from their mistakes. It is basically better to fail in isolation rather than in a very public setting. The latter can seriously harm the brand forever

Deceiving competitors

All war is deception. This is a quote from Sun Tzu and not a random assertion.

Startups competing for a fixed market share with their competitors are also in some ways in a state of war. This brings in the need for deception.

A stealth launch essentially means a silent rollout. Silence is generally seen as a weakness. You can make your competitors feel you’re weak and failing to essentially make them underestimate you.

Being underestimated is a great trait in the tech world. You can use your anonymity as a tool to improve your app and take it a step beyond the competition.

This is naturally impossible if you’re not underestimated and ignored. A stealth rollout is the only way of making this possible.

Keeping your app idea secret

Let’s say you’re launching an app in a very crowded niche with a very simple and elegant innovation. You have a real chance at gaining a large chunk of the market share.

The only problem is this - your competitors can easily steal your app idea.

Even the best and most complex app ideas can be reverse engineered these days. Big companies have entire teams that look for new innovations in the tech world and reverse engineer them to quickly nullify competition.

A stealth rollout can basically allow you to fly under the radar. In essence, this launch strategy buys you time. You can build significant user loyalty by the time bigger competitors take notice and integrate your innovation in their platform.

Public launch

A public launch sounds exactly as it is named. It basically involves companies using all their resources to get the app into the hands of the target audience.

Companies generally choose a public launch strategy when they wish to make a big splash in the market. Think of Amazon or Apple when they’re about to launch a big product.

Do they just make it available on their platforms?

No. They use their resources to make their target audience aware about the new product.

A public launch makes sense for large companies because they can buy up all the necessary media to promote the app. They have the personnel needed to make sure that the app meets all expectations.

Here are some advantages of a public launch anyone building an app from scratch or trying to convert WooCommerce to mobile app should know.

Getting larger sets of user data

A public launch naturally means a greater number of app downloads. In such cases, companies immediately get a lot of user data and feedback. This can help seriously improve user experience.

The most direct way to enhance user experience is doing exactly what users want. A large volume of user feedback can help companies move in the same direction.

Getting earned media

A public launch leads to increased downloads. This naturally attracts media attention. Companies thrive on getting earned media and getting their app out in the market.

The dependence on paid media can cause a lot of strain on the financial resources of a company. Earned media can reduce this burden and enable marketers to devise more efficient marketing budgets.

In conclusion - Which strategy works best for you?

There is no objective answer to this question. Some companies thrive under a stealth strategy. Some fail under the same. The same happens to those using a public launch strategy as well.

The piece above clearly lays out the essentials of both stealth and public launch strategies. Readers can make note of these points and choose a strategy accordingly. There are some obvious cases where a stealth rollout is by far the better play. In other situations, a public launch is a good choice.

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Created on Oct 6th 2020 05:29. Viewed 452 times.

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