If you’re preparing to launch a new app, there’s more to do than polish the UI and hit publish. A solid launch needs technical readiness, coordinated marketing, measurement, and a plan for what happens after people install. That’s the idea behind an App Launch Checklist put together by app-discovery specialists Branch — a single-page, action-focused list that organises everything teams typically need to think about.
What the checklist covers
The checklist is arranged by functional area and by chronology so you can use it as a timetable as well as a to-do list. Typical sections are:
- Tech Prep: analytics, attribution, crash reporting, test builds, and links that route people to the right in-app content. - Marketing Prep: app-store copy and assets, screenshots and video, SEO for your app listing, press materials and social accounts. - Pre-Launch: beta testing, influencer outreach, review-site pitches, and list-building for early adopters. - Launch Day: monitoring installs and errors, social posts, outreach to press, and making sure tracking links work. - Post-Launch: retention campaigns, A/B tests, performance review, and follow-ups to influencers or partners.
Within each area you’ll find concise tasks and short descriptions of what to do. Examples from the marketing section often include:
- Research and test competing apps — learn what users like and dislike, and where you can differentiate. - Prepare your app-store listing for discovery — keywords, screenshots, and a short, punchy description matter. - Implement app-store optimisation (ASO) and think about web search visibility for your app and brand. - Create and maintain social media accounts for your app, even if you only use them for support and announcements. - Build a list of relevant influencers and bloggers — find people whose audiences match yours, then prepare a personalised outreach plan. - Assemble a press kit — screenshots, descriptions, founder bios, key stats and contact info so journalists can cover you quickly.
How to use the checklist for your launch
Treat the checklist as a project plan rather than a shopping list. A few practical tips:
- Start early. Many marketing and distribution tasks (press outreach, influencer outreach, ASO testing) benefit from weeks of preparation and iteration. - Prioritise by impact. If you only have limited time, focus first on tracking/analytics, app-store assets, and a basic press kit — those give the biggest returns during launch. - Test links and flows. Deep links, install-attribution links and landing pages are the fragile parts of many launches. Verify they route correctly on the devices and OS versions your audience uses. - Measure and iterate. Set up meaningful KPIs (acquisition cost by channel, retention at day 1/7/30, crash rate) before launch so you can act on data immediately. - Plan for retention. Post-install experiences, welcome onboarding and targeted campaigns often matter more for long-term success than the initial burst of installs.
A simple, well-structured checklist doesn’t replace experienced judgement, but it does reduce the number of avoidable mistakes. Whether you use a published checklist as a starting point or build your own, the important thing is to have everything mapped out — tech, marketing and measurement — before you press go.