Marketing a mobile app: a practical launch guide
Most apps fail quietly. People never find them, or they find them and do not install. Good marketing for a small app starts with the store listing, since that is where every install decision is made.
Start with the store listing
App store optimisation (ASO) means making your listing easy to find and convincing once found. The two stores have different fields and limits.
| Field | App Store | Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| Name or title | 30 characters | 30 characters |
| Subtitle or short description | Subtitle, 30 characters | Short description, 80 characters |
| Long description | Up to 4,000 characters | Full description, up to 4,000 characters |
| Keywords | Separate keyword field, 100 characters | No field; text in the listing is indexed |
On the App Store, the name, subtitle and keyword field carry most of the search weight, and the long description is not used for search ranking. On Google Play, the title and descriptions are indexed, so the description should mention your main search terms naturally.
Screenshots and video
Most people decide from the first two or three screenshots without reading anything. Show the app doing its main job, with a short caption on each image. Put the most useful screen first. A preview video can help with games, where movement explains more than words.
Ratings and reviews
Ratings affect both ranking and conversion. Ask for a review at a good moment, such as after a user completes a task, using the built-in review prompts both platforms provide. Reply to negative reviews politely and fix the problems people raise.
A launch plan
- Before launch, build a waiting list from a simple landing page and any community where your users already talk.
- Release to a small group first through TestFlight or Google Play's testing tracks. Fix crashes before strangers see them.
- On launch day, contact the people on your list, post in the communities you joined, and send a short note to writers who cover your category.
- After launch, watch which search terms and sources bring installs, and update the listing every few weeks based on what you learn.
Paid acquisition
Apple Search Ads and Google App campaigns place your app in store search results and across ad networks. Start with a small daily budget, measure cost per install and, more importantly, how many of those users are still active after a week. Paid installs that churn on day one are wasted money.
Getting help
Small teams often handle the listing and launch themselves. If you are launching in Thailand or Southeast Asia, plan for Thai-language store listings, search terms and ad copy, since much of your audience will search in Thai.
Common mistakes
- Launching before the app is stable. Early one-star reviews stay visible.
- Using screenshots of settings or login screens.
- Changing the app name often, which confuses returning users.
- Measuring installs without measuring retention.
By the Mobiledista editorial team. Updated October 2026.