App growth playbook

App Growth Playbook

Core Workflow

1. Assess Current State

Gather the following before selecting channels:

• Downloads: monthly installs, trend direction, organic vs. paid split
• Retention: D1, D7, D30 retention rates
• Revenue: ARPU, LTV, current monetization model
• Audience: primary demographic, geographic concentration, device split
• Current channels: what has been tried, what worked, what failed

2. Select Growth Channels

Use the channel selection matrix to pick 2-3 channels based on app category and budget.

Channel	Best For	Budget	Timeline to Results
Product Hunt	B2B, productivity, developer tools	Free	1-2 weeks
Reddit	Niche/community apps, indie projects	Free	2-4 weeks
TikTok/Reels	Consumer apps, visual apps, lifestyle	Free	4-8 weeks
Apple Search Ads	Any iOS app with clear keywords	$5-20/day	1-2 weeks
App Store Featuring	High-quality, design-forward apps	Free	4-12 weeks
Content Marketing/SEO	Apps solving searchable problems	Free-low	2-6 months
Referral/Viral Loops	Social, messaging, collaboration apps	Dev time	4-8 weeks
Email/Push	Apps with existing user base needing retention	Free-low	1-2 weeks

Budget tiers:

• $0/month: Product Hunt, Reddit, TikTok/Reels, App Store Featuring, Referral
• $150-600/month: Apple Search Ads, Content Marketing (hosting/tools)
• $600+/month: Paid social, influencer partnerships, Google Ads

3. Execute Channel Playbooks

Load the appropriate reference file for detailed execution:

• references/product-hunt-playbook.md — Full Product Hunt launch timeline, templates, and activation plan
• references/social-media-templates.md — TikTok/Reels scripts, Reddit posts, hashtag strategies
• references/paid-acquisition.md — Apple Search Ads and Google Ads campaign setup
• references/content-marketing.md — Blog templates, SEO strategies, landing page patterns

4. Measure and Iterate

Track these metrics weekly per channel:

Metric	Formula	Target
CAC	spend / installs	< 1/3 of LTV
Install-to-trial rate	trials / installs	> 30%
Trial-to-paid rate	paid / trials	> 10%
Payback period	CAC / monthly revenue per user	< 3 months
Channel ROI	(revenue - spend) / spend	> 2x

Decision framework after 2 weeks per channel:

• ROI > 2x → double budget
• ROI 1-2x → optimize creative/targeting for 2 more weeks
• ROI < 1x → pause and reallocate to higher-performing channel

Channel Playbook Summaries

Product Hunt Launch

Preparation timeline: start 2 weeks before launch.

Key elements:

• Schedule for Tuesday-Thursday, post goes live at 12:01 AM PT
• Secure a hunter with 1,000+ followers or self-hunt with a strong network
• Prepare maker's comment (first comment on post) — personal story, not sales pitch
• Build activation list of 50+ people who will upvote and comment authentically
• Prepare 5 different social media announcements for launch day

Load references/product-hunt-playbook.md for the full timeline, hunter outreach template, maker's comment template, and activation plan.

Reddit Launch & Ongoing

Core principle: contribute value first, promote second.

Key elements:

• Research 5-10 subreddits where the target audience participates
• Use "soft launch" format — ask for feedback, share the journey, not "check out my app"
• Target subreddits: r/SideProject, r/IndieDev, r/EntrepreneurRideAlong, plus niche-specific
• Follow each subreddit's self-promotion rules exactly
• Build karma and history before posting about the app

Load references/social-media-templates.md for Reddit post templates and subreddit research guide.

TikTok/Reels Content

Video structure (20 seconds total):

1. Hook (2s) — pattern interrupt or bold claim
2. Problem (3s) — relatable frustration
3. Demo (10s) — screen recording with zooms and annotations
4. Result (3s) — before/after or outcome
5. CTA (2s) — "Link in bio" or "Search [app name]"

Hook formulas:

• "POV: you discover an app that [solves specific problem]"
• "This app is a game changer for [audience]"
• "Stop [old way]. Start [new way with app]"
• "I wish I found this app sooner"

Load references/social-media-templates.md for full video scripts, posting schedule, and hashtag strategy.

Apple Search Ads

Campaign structure for indie budgets ($5-20/day):

Campaign	Keywords	Bid	Budget Share
Brand	App name, variations	$0.50-1.00	10%
Competitor	Competitor app names	$1.00-3.00	20%
Category	Generic category terms	$0.75-2.00	40%
Discovery	Search Match (auto)	$0.50-1.50	30%

Load references/paid-acquisition.md for full setup guide, bid optimization, and creative set strategy.

App Store Featuring

What Apple looks for:

• Exceptional design following Human Interface Guidelines
• Accessibility support (VoiceOver, Dynamic Type)
• Adoption of latest Apple technologies (widgets, Live Activities, visionOS)
• Localization (more languages = higher chance)
• No crashes, no major bugs

How to submit:

1. Open App Store Connect → navigate to the app
2. Use the "Promote Your App" section or email [email protected]
3. Time submissions around iOS releases, seasonal events, or major app updates
4. Create App Store Connect events for in-app promotions

Load references/content-marketing.md for tips on optimizing App Store presence.

Referral & Viral Loops

Trigger moments — prompt sharing after:

• First achievement or milestone
• Positive feedback moment (completed task, reached goal)
• Social proof moment (join streak, leaderboard placement)
• Content creation (user generates something shareable)

Incentive structures that convert:

• 7-day premium trial for both referrer and invitee
• In-app credits or currency
• Feature unlocks (themes, icons, advanced features)
• Never require a referral — always make it optional

Load references/content-marketing.md for referral program design patterns.

Email & Push Notification Strategy

Push notification rules:

• Send within user's active hours (track per-user timezone)
• Limit to 1-2 per day maximum
• Personalize with user data (name, last action, streak count)
• Use urgency sparingly — not every message is urgent

Re-engagement timing:

Segment	Timing	Message Type
D1 churned	Day 2	"You left off at [state]"
D7 churned	Day 8	Feature they haven't tried
D30 churned	Day 31	Major update or new feature
D90 churned	Day 91	"We miss you" + incentive

Load references/content-marketing.md for email sequence templates and push notification copy patterns.

Execution Priority

For a brand-new app with zero budget, execute channels in this order:

1. Week 1-2: Optimize App Store listing (screenshots, description, keywords)
2. Week 2-3: Soft launch on Reddit (r/SideProject, niche subreddits)
3. Week 3-4: Product Hunt launch
4. Week 4-8: Begin TikTok/Reels content (3 videos/week)
5. Week 4+: Start Apple Search Ads at $5/day
6. Month 2+: Build referral loop into the app
7. Month 3+: Begin content marketing / SEO

For an app with an existing user base, start with email/push re-engagement and referral loops before acquiring new users.