A practical checklist for launching an indie iOS app, with one tracked link per channel so you learn what worked for the next release.
Launches go better with a plan, and better still when you can learn from them. This checklist gives every channel its own tracked link, so next time you know where to spend your effort.
Before you post
- 1Add your app to Howdy and check the landing page on a phone and a laptop.
- 2Write a one-line tagline that says what the app does for a person.
- 3Create one source link per channel and name each clearly.
- 4Draft each post in the channel's own voice. Howdy's launch kit gives you a starting draft for each.
On launch day
- X: one idea, one screenshot or short video, your tracked link
- Reddit: a modest title, a short story about why you built it, and a request for honest feedback
- Product Hunt: a maker comment explaining the problem and what you'd like feedback on
- Newsletter: a short note with the link, sent to the people who asked to hear from you
After 48 hours
Open the app's Overview. Which source sent the most visits? Which had the best install rate once you enter Apple's numbers? Write it down. That's your plan for the next release.
Reply to everyone
Early feedback is the most useful thing a launch produces. Answer questions quickly and note what people ask for. If someone enjoys the app, invite them to leave a review: Howdy's landing page includes a review button.
Start free at howdy.bio: your first app, a smart link, 5 source links and a launch kit.
Quick answers
- Where should I post my app?
- Wherever your likely users already are. For many indie developers that's X, a relevant subreddit, Product Hunt and their own newsletter.
- How do I avoid sounding like an ad on Reddit?
- Share what you built and why, say plainly that you're the developer, and ask for feedback. Follow each community's self-promotion rules.