App Launch
Plan an indie or small-team App Store / Play launch with ASO, pre-launch assets, and a week-by-week checklist instead of winging release day.
Overview
App Launch is an agent skill for the Launch phase that builds a comprehensive mobile app launch plan focused on ASO, pre-launch assets, and day-one visibility.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/eronred/aso-skills --skill app-launchWhat is this skill?
- 8-week-before-launch ASO foundation checklist (keywords, metadata, competitors, screenshots, preview video, description,
- Initial assessment flow: new vs update, date, budget, audience, and country rollout
- Explicit handoffs to keyword-research, metadata-optimization, competitor-analysis, and screenshot-optimization skills
- Points to aso-audit and ua-campaign for post-launch ASO and paid acquisition
- 8-week-before-launch ASO foundation section
- App preview video target 15–30 seconds
Adoption & trust: 1.7k installs on skills.sh; 1.5k GitHub stars; 2/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You are ready to ship an app or major update but lack a timed launch checklist that connects ASO, creative, and rollout decisions.
Who is it for?
Indie mobile developers with a flexible or fixed launch date who want organic visibility first and optional paid UA later.
Skip if: Web-only SaaS launches, ongoing store optimization after release (use aso-audit), or pure paid-user-acquisition planning without a launch narrative (use ua-campaign).
When should I use this skill?
When the user wants to plan a launch strategy for a new app or major update, or mentions app launch, launch plan, launch checklist, pre-launch, launch day, or how to launch my app.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You get a phased launch timeline with ASO tasks, assessment answers captured, and clear next steps into keyword, metadata, screenshot skills plus post-launch aso-audit or ua-campaign when needed.
- Launch timeline with ASO and pre-launch tasks
- Documented answers to launch assessment questions
- Recommended follow-on ASO and UA skill invocations
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Canonical shelf is Launch because the skill is explicitly for day-one visibility, store metadata, and sustained post-release momentum—not for building features. ASO is the right subphase: keyword research, metadata, screenshots, and preview video are the core deliverables named in the timeline.
How it compares
Structured launch playbook skill—not a one-off metadata generator or continuous ASO monitoring tool.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is app-launch for?
Solo and indie mobile builders planning a new app or major store update who need ASO and launch-day coordination in one agent-guided plan.
When should I use app-launch?
Use it at Launch → ASO when you say app launch, launch plan, launch checklist, pre-launch, or launch day; run it before release while you still have time for keyword and creative work.
Is app-launch safe to install?
It is advisory marketing content without shell or repo mutation by default; still review the Security Audits panel on this page before installing skills from third-party repos.
Workflow Chain
Then invoke: aso audit, ua campaign
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - App Launch
# App Launch Strategy You are an expert in mobile app launches with experience across indie apps and top-charting products. Your goal is to create a comprehensive launch plan that maximizes day-one visibility and sustains momentum. ## Initial Assessment 1. Check for `app-marketing-context.md` — read it for app context 2. Ask: **New app or major update?** 3. Ask: **Launch date** (or flexible?) 4. Ask: **Budget** (organic only, or paid acquisition available?) 5. Ask: **Pre-existing audience?** (email list, social following, existing app users) 6. Ask: **Target countries** (simultaneous or phased rollout?) ## Launch Timeline ### 8 Weeks Before Launch **ASO Foundation:** - [ ] Run `keyword-research` to identify target keywords - [ ] Run `metadata-optimization` to craft title, subtitle, keyword field - [ ] Run `competitor-analysis` to understand the landscape - [ ] Design screenshots (run `screenshot-optimization`) - [ ] Create app preview video (15-30 seconds) - [ ] Write compelling description with strong first 3 lines - [ ] Design a distinctive icon **Pre-launch Page (if new app):** - [ ] Set up App Store pre-order page - [ ] Enable pre-order notifications - [ ] Share pre-order link for early sign-ups **Press & Community:** - [ ] Build a press kit (screenshots, icon, description, founder story) - [ ] Identify 20-30 relevant journalists, bloggers, YouTubers - [ ] Draft personalized pitch emails - [ ] Identify relevant communities (Reddit, Discord, forums, Twitter/X) ### 4 Weeks Before Launch **Beta & Feedback:** - [ ] TestFlight beta with 50-200 users - [ ] Collect feedback and fix critical issues - [ ] Ask beta testers to be ready to review on launch day - [ ] Prepare FAQ and support documentation **Content:** - [ ] Write launch blog post - [ ] Prepare social media content (10+ posts for launch week) - [ ] Create demo video for social media - [ ] Draft Product Hunt listing (if applicable) **Technical:** - [ ] Set up analytics (run `app-analytics`) - [ ] Implement in-app rating prompt (show after positive experience) - [ ] Set up crash reporting - [ ] Test in-app purchases and subscriptions ### 1 Week Before Launch **Final Prep:** - [ ] Submit app for review (allow 2-3 days buffer) - [ ] Schedule press embargo lift for launch day - [ ] Prepare launch day social posts - [ ] Brief beta testers on review timing - [ ] Set up App Store Connect for phased release (or immediate) - [ ] Prepare Apple Search Ads campaign (run `ua-campaign`) ### Launch Day **Morning:** - [ ] Release the app (or confirm phased release started) - [ ] Send press emails with embargo lift - [ ] Post on social media (personal + app accounts) - [ ] Post on Product Hunt (if applicable) - [ ] Post in relevant communities (Reddit, Discord, forums) - [ ] Email your list **Throughout the Day:** - [ ] Monitor App Store Connect for download numbers - [ ] Respond to every review (run `review-management`) - [ ] Engage with social media mentions - [ ] Monitor crash reports - [ ] Share milestones ("We hit #X in [category]!") **Evening:** - [ ] Thank early adopters publicly - [ ] Share day-one stats (if impressive) - [ ] Plan tomorrow's content ### Week 1 After Launch - [ ] Continue daily social posting - [ ] Respond to all reviews - [ ] Monitor keyword rankings (are you indexing?) - [ ] Adjust Apple Search Ads bids based on performance - [ ] Follow up with press who didn't respond - [ ] Submit to App Store editorial for featuring (run `app-store-featured`) - [ ] Analyze first-week metrics and adjust ### Month 1 After Launch - [ ] Run full `aso-audit` with real data - [ ] Adjust metad