Step-by-Step Guide to Publishing Your App on the Play Store and App Store in 2025

📘 Chapter 6: Post-Launch Strategies and Continuous Updates

🔍 Overview

Publishing your app is just the beginning. Post-launch strategy determines how your app grows, retains users, and evolves. Success in the app ecosystem hinges on continuous monitoring, updating, and user engagement. Even the best apps fail if they are neglected post-launch.

This chapter focuses on the crucial activities you should perform after your app goes live:

• Monitoring performance and usage
• Collecting and responding to user feedback
• Releasing timely updates
• Leveraging analytics for data-driven decisions
• Scaling infrastructure and testing
• Running retention, re-engagement, and monetization campaigns

🧭 1. Day-One Post-Launch Tasks

✅ Technical & Operational Checklist

• App appears on store and is searchable
• Download and install flows work on all supported devices
• Crash reporting system is capturing logs (e.g., Firebase Crashlytics)
• Analytics events are firing correctly
• App Store/Play Console reviews are being monitored
• ASO is reviewed for possible enhancement
• Server/backend logs and health are being tracked

🔧 Firebase Crashlytics Setup (Android/iOS)

groovy

// Android: build.gradle

implementation 'com.google.firebase:firebase-crashlytics:18.6.1'

swift

// iOS: Swift

import FirebaseCrashlytics

Crashlytics.crashlytics().log("App Launched")

📊 2. Monitor Performance and Usage

🔹 Use Analytics Platforms:

• Firebase Analytics
• Google Analytics (GA4)
• App Store Analytics / Play Console Stats
• Mixpanel / Amplitude for advanced tracking

🔹 Track Key Metrics:

Example: Firebase Event Logging (Android)

kotlin

val bundle = Bundle()

bundle.putString(FirebaseAnalytics.Param.ITEM_ID, "onboarding")

bundle.putString(FirebaseAnalytics.Param.CONTENT_TYPE, "step_complete")

firebaseAnalytics.logEvent(FirebaseAnalytics.Event.SELECT_CONTENT, bundle)

💬 3. Collect & Act on User Feedback

🔹 Encourage Reviews:

• Prompt users after 3–5 app sessions
• Don’t nag—use subtle triggers and timing
• Use in-app review API (for Android/iOS)

Android Example (In-App Review API):

kotlin

val manager = ReviewManagerFactory.create(context)

val request = manager.requestReviewFlow()

request.addOnCompleteListener { task ->

    if (task.isSuccessful) {

        val reviewInfo = task.result

        manager.launchReviewFlow(activity, reviewInfo)

    }

}

🔹 Actively Monitor:

• Google Play reviews (daily)
• App Store reviews (through App Store Connect or AppFollow)
• Social media and community feedback (Reddit, Twitter)

🔁 4. Continuous Updates and Bug Fixing

🔹 Update Cadence:

• Patch releases: Within 1 week of reported bugs
• Feature updates: Every 3–4 weeks
• Major upgrades: Every 2–3 months

🔹 Best Practices for Updates:

• Include changelog / “What’s new”
• Increment versionCode/versionName (Android) or build number (iOS)
• Run internal testing before rollout

Gradle Build Version Update Example:

groovy

defaultConfig {

    versionCode 3

    versionName "1.0.2"

}

🧪 5. Rollout Strategies for Updates

✅ Google Play Rollout Options

Deploy via CLI:

bash

./gradlew bundleRelease

Upload to Google Play Console under "Releases" → Create Release

✅ Apple App Store Update Submission

• Build via Xcode > Archive > Distribute
• Bump version/build number
• Submit for review
• Choose manual release or auto-deploy post-approval

📈 6. Feature Rollouts & Experiments

🔹 Use Firebase Remote Config for Feature Flags

kotlin

FirebaseRemoteConfig.getInstance().fetchAndActivate()

    .addOnCompleteListener { task ->

        val featureEnabled = FirebaseRemoteConfig.getInstance().getBoolean("new_feature_enabled")

        if (featureEnabled) {

            // Show new feature

        }

    }

🔹 Use A/B Testing for:

• UI variations
• Call-to-actions
• Pricing plans
• Onboarding flow effectiveness

💰 7. Monetization, Retention & Re-engagement

🔹 Retention Tactics:

• Push notifications (FCM / APNs)
• Email drip campaigns
• In-app rewards or badges
• Loyalty programs
• Dark-mode / theme personalization

🔹 Re-engagement Tools:

• Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM)
• Pushwoosh / OneSignal
• Email + In-app message integrations

🔹 Push Notification Code (Android)

kotlin

FirebaseMessaging.getInstance().subscribeToTopic("promos")

🔹 Monetization Ideas:

📋 Post-Launch Optimization Checklist

📌 Conclusion

The most successful apps don’t stop evolving after launch. They are constantly analyzed, improved, and tailored to users. Post-launch success is a loop: monitor → learn → optimize → repeat.

Focus on the user experience, be quick with fixes, deliberate with features, and persistent in engagement—and your app will gain momentum and scale sustainably.

In the final wrap-up section, you’ll find bonus tips and advanced tools to take your app to the next level.