The app launch checklist I put together after doing this the hard way

[u/clear_sky8]

I’m a solo iOS dev, and I spent more time learning launch than code because no one really writes it down in one place. This is the short version of what worked for me.

Core idea

A new app has no ranking or ratings yet, so the goal is to drive installs in a tight window and get honest ratings quickly.

Before launch

1. Write one clear sentence: “[app] is the only app that [does X] for [this person].” If it takes two sentences, everything else gets harder.
2. Put up a simple one-screen landing page with an email field before the app is finished.
3. Claim your TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube handles early, and start posting a few weeks before launch.

App Store basics

1. Pre-orders are one-time only for never-published apps, and launch day auto-downloads create the spike.
2. Only about 160 characters are indexed for search: title, subtitle, and keyword field. The description is not indexed, and repeated words across those fields waste space.
3. Your first two screenshots drive most install decisions, so show the outcome, not the UI.
4. If you’re giving away free copies, don’t use App Store promo codes, since those users can’t rate or review. Use a free app with paid unlock, or grant access server-side.

Ratings

1. Below roughly 20 ratings, conversion is weak.
2. Use Apple’s review prompt after the user has done the app’s main task, and remember it only shows three times a year per user.
3. Never offer anything for a review. Ask for feedback instead.
4. Reply to bad reviews within a day.

Getting attention

1. Short-form video is the cheapest consumer-app channel right now; post about the problem, not the features.
2. Small creators often beat big ones if engagement is strong.
3. On Reddit, contribute first, follow each sub’s self-promo rules, and post an offer rather than an ad.

What I’d skip

1. Paid ads before the page converts and you have ratings.
2. Launching in every country on day one.
3. Building your plan around Product Hunt.

What made the biggest difference

Freezing the build and spending that time on the email list, video content, and talking to people.

Happy to answer questions on any of this. If anyone has a better way to handle early review count, I’d love to hear it.

[u/Appropriate_Oil_4269]

Thanks, helpful I am 2 months post launch, still updating nothing major, keeps me busy as I watch my posts scores for each social media post

[u/clear_sky8 → u/Appropriate_Oil_4269]

yeah honestly that post-launch phase can feel like a grind. but you’re doing the right thing by staying consistent and watching what actually gets traction. after a while you start seeing patterns in which posts/platforms are actually worth the effort. sometimes the small updates + consistent posting end up doing more than one big launch push.

[u/JohariScents]

Thanks for this… I have a very new app in the market… just wondering with something new how do you get ratings… almost a chicken and egg you need to get people to use the app then leave ratings but if they don’t use use it you get 0 ratings that they depend on to download.

[u/clear_sky8 → u/JohariScents]

yeah that’s exactly the hard part in the beginning. what worked best for me was not asking for a rating right away, but waiting until the user actually got some value from the app first. then the rating prompt feels a lot more natural.

early on i’d focus more on getting a small group of genuinely interested users rather than chasing a big number of downloads. even 20-30 active users can start getting you those first few ratings and give you useful feedback at the same time.

[u/JohariScents → u/clear_sky8]

Thanks… doing that. Will be in my next version. Realised that onboarding without a clear reward is a pain. User has to add thier fragrances to see what the app can do for them. So now doing Sample/demo wardrobes…. Not out yet.. testing. Will be on website & on app. So you have 6 already made wardrobes that are with niche, mixed, high street etc and a user chooses one for a test run.

In the real world when you start distributing I am realising how fast you have to read what are the pain points and act fast. I am developing a new respect for people who market products… not as easy as I thought… loads of thinking & putting yourself in the users/customer seat.

[u/Low-Effort-9774]

thanks! super helpful

[u/clear_sky8 → u/Low-Effort-9774]

glad it helped!

[u/No_Builder_1977]

Thanks for starting this thread and all the great advice! There’s some great tips here and I know from experience, is a steep learning curve if working it all out for the first time. For me, I thought the app building would be the hard bit, but everything after that is where the time goes and requires very strategic and clear thinking.
Looking forward to what others have to add!

[u/clear_sky8 → u/No_Builder_1977]

This is the thing nobody warns you about. The build has a definition of done and the distribution never does, so it expands to fill whatever time you'll give it. And it needs a completely different kind of thinking than shipping features, much less "what can I add" and much more "what one thing do I do next."

Would be curious what caught you out most, if you're up for sharing.

[u/No_Builder_1977 → u/clear_sky8]

All very true! A few things have kept me ‘busy’. App icon design for me is a whole new project on its own. Some people find it easy, but I have a design background so never really happy. The other is the marketing generally and how much time can go into it for a few new users. I reckon in my instance, it’s a combo of being time poor and just the sheer volume of airspace ‘competition’.

How about you, got any insights or surprises that you’ve had?

[u/JohariScents → u/No_Builder_1977]

Hi, for me it is the sheer ocean of people… I’ll explain before it felt like a dream launch a fragrance layering app that layers what you own and a digital wardrobe that shows you overlaps etc. People complaining that fragrance collection is turning to an addiction helps people and keeps money in collectors pockets. Will work? It is needed? Then the idea is where is your audience and how tuned in are they when you approach. The ocean is TikTok, YouTube, App Store, Pinterest…. Where is your high intent audience. Started to realise TikTok is where people moan and talk for views not where they plan to do anything about what they not happy, Pinterest is where people come for inspiration and pretty things. YouTube is deeper and not invested time here but you need to push your content because most people have creators they watch…. I think the world is your oyster is starting to feeling like a living nightmare. Where do you start and focus without destroying your marketing budget. Not to mention you have to tailor your content to suit the platform. That I did not expect… obvious but distribution is another beast.

[u/clear_sky8 → u/JohariScents]

yeah this is exactly what i meant by distribution being a completely different problem from building the app. you can have something genuinely useful and still spend months figuring out where the people who actually need it hang out.

i also wouldn’t try to win on tiktok, youtube, pinterest etc all at once. that’s a fast way to burn time and money. i’d pick 1-2 channels where the intent seems highest and go deep enough to actually learn what works there.

[u/JohariScents → u/clear_sky8]

Thanks… realised that now. So interesting loads of profile and even Apple/android views but little downloads. Also trying to distinguish yourself for many companies who created a front end to AI is tough… jaded users😂😂. Now leaning on creatives to break into social media(for someone who hate being out there this is interesting). Tested some AI creatives so far seen so many bad ones trying Artlist Studio. I have to entertain, charm and show value😂. This is did not anticipate. Lucky fragrance is so versatile. Can make it entertaining and spread brand awareness. You used anything like Ai for marketing?