4 ms·

The Lost Art of the Soft Launch

33 points by antr 13y ago

arpit 13y ago
Back when I did a lot more web stuff, soft launches were the default way we released features. But I wonder if soft launches are possible or even desirable in the mobile apps world where a lot of press is devoted to "new" (app store sections and even blogs with a recurring "new this week" sections). Do any mobile startups do soft launches?
- antr 13y ago
  I'm guessing here, but did Evernote ever do a "big" launch, or it slowly came out as the note taking app/service?
- simonholroyd 13y ago
  You're right it's more difficult to pull off a soft launch on mobile if you're also aiming for a feature in the App Store (Apple seems to favor new-ness when selecting apps for features). I've heard of iOS apps launching into a subset of the regional app stores as a way to soft launch (ie. excluding the US store and thus preventing Apple from featuring there before the developer is ready).
  - MaxGabriel 13y ago
    This is exactly what Supercell, maker of Clash of Clans (currently ranked 81 in the App Store), is doing with its new game Boom Beach, which is Canada only
raverbashing 13y ago
Even restaurants do soft launches. It's important, even as a "smoke test" (albeit in a bigger scale)
- exo_duz 13y ago
  I agree. This is a good period to be able to reflect and improve on services, coding and fix bugs. Doing a soft launch could start your way to getting power users whose input and feedback is valuable to improve the website in the future.
msrpotus 13y ago
I'm actually working on a new product (for a fairly small B2B niche) and planning to do a soft launch to work out all the kinks before I publicize it more widely. I'm thinking that'll allow me to work out any issues before I risk my reputation with people who might dismiss the product out of hand if they run into major issues. If you have more experience with it, does that make sense or should I forgo that first step?
- tlack 13y ago
  My gut feeling is that if you have a group of committed potential customers -- i.e., people who trust you and are already interested in what you're building -- then it will probably work. But I'd be wary before you try to get people you barely know to do your beta testing for you unless your product is extremely sexy. The buy-in has to be there before someone will commit to helping you improve a broken product.
alabut 13y ago
Slow rolling a launch reminds me of how the Facebook mafia tends to roll out their companies in measured and targeted ways, rather than trying to go viral all at once. http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/13/inside-the-dna-of-the-facebook-mafia/ http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/13/inside-the-dna-of-the-faceb... (scroll down to "controlled pacing")
bsirkia 13y ago
A lot the sentiments here echo a post from Eric Ries titled: "Lessons Learned: Don't Launch": http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/03/dont-launch.html http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/03/dont-launch.htm... In general, I think the lesson is that you should launch, refine your offering and target customer, and then do a big marketing launch.

33 points by antr 13y ago

arpit 13y ago

Back when I did a lot more web stuff, soft launches were the default way we released features. But I wonder if soft launches are possible or even desirable in the mobile apps world where a lot of press is devoted to "new" (app store sections and even blogs with a recurring "new this week" sections). Do any mobile startups do soft launches?

antr 13y ago
I'm guessing here, but did Evernote ever do a "big" launch, or it slowly came out as the note taking app/service?
simonholroyd 13y ago
You're right it's more difficult to pull off a soft launch on mobile if you're also aiming for a feature in the App Store (Apple seems to favor new-ness when selecting apps for features). I've heard of iOS apps launching into a subset of the regional app stores as a way to soft launch (ie. excluding the US store and thus preventing Apple from featuring there before the developer is ready).
- MaxGabriel 13y ago
  This is exactly what Supercell, maker of Clash of Clans (currently ranked 81 in the App Store), is doing with its new game Boom Beach, which is Canada only

raverbashing 13y ago

Even restaurants do soft launches. It's important, even as a "smoke test" (albeit in a bigger scale)

exo_duz 13y ago
I agree. This is a good period to be able to reflect and improve on services, coding and fix bugs. Doing a soft launch could start your way to getting power users whose input and feedback is valuable to improve the website in the future.

msrpotus 13y ago

I'm actually working on a new product (for a fairly small B2B niche) and planning to do a soft launch to work out all the kinks before I publicize it more widely. I'm thinking that'll allow me to work out any issues before I risk my reputation with people who might dismiss the product out of hand if they run into major issues. If you have more experience with it, does that make sense or should I forgo that first step?

tlack 13y ago
My gut feeling is that if you have a group of committed potential customers -- i.e., people who trust you and are already interested in what you're building -- then it will probably work. But I'd be wary before you try to get people you barely know to do your beta testing for you unless your product is extremely sexy. The buy-in has to be there before someone will commit to helping you improve a broken product.

alabut 13y ago

Slow rolling a launch reminds me of how the Facebook mafia tends to roll out their companies in measured and targeted ways, rather than trying to go viral all at once. http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/13/inside-the-dna-of-the-facebook-mafia/ http://techcrunch.com/2011/02/13/inside-the-dna-of-the-faceb... (scroll down to "controlled pacing")

bsirkia 13y ago

A lot the sentiments here echo a post from Eric Ries titled: "Lessons Learned: Don't Launch": http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/03/dont-launch.html http://www.startuplessonslearned.com/2009/03/dont-launch.htm... In general, I think the lesson is that you should launch, refine your offering and target customer, and then do a big marketing launch.