Here's What to Do After Updating Your Mobile App

When you update your mobile app, it shows your users that you care about improving the quality of their experience. But pushing your new versions to the app stores isn't the end of the update process—it's the beginning. There's more to do in order to maximize the impact of your update. So what do you need to do after updating your mobile app? These tips will bring old customers back, make your new ones happier, and help everyone get the most value out of your app.

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Send in-app announcements

After updating your mobile app, you'll want to send in-app announcements to your users to make sure they’re kept up to date. Instabug has two types of in-app announcements: Version Update prompts and What’s New alerts. Let’s talk about how they work and how you can use them to your advantage.

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Prompt users to download your latest version

Use this Instabug feature to let your users know about your new version and prompt them to update. It sends a native, in-app alert to your users letting them know that their version is outdated. Like all Instabug features, it’s customizable.

You have two types of update announcements to choose from: optional and mandatory.

Optional updates give your users a chance to update immediately (this choice redirects them to the relevant app store) or postpone the update. Mandatory update notices cannot be dismissed, and the user will have to click the update button (which leads to the store) before they are able to use the app again.

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By default, your version update announcement will appear 10 seconds after the session start. You can configure your timing, targeting, and text on your announcement creation page.

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Alert users about what's new in your latest version

After updating your mobile app, you might want to let users know what's new in the app. This announcement type is all about getting your users acquainted with your newest features and changes. This fully customizable message appears for everyone who loads the app for the first time since the update. You can also customize the wording on your Dismiss button, so your communications match your brand voice.

Using What’s New alerts is a great way to boost the discoverability of new features. Once your users know what’s there and what it can do for them, they’re more likely to find it and give it a try.

These are the entries you can add to your What’s New alert:

• Title: Name of the new feature
• Description: Say a few words about what this feature does or how to find it.
• Icon (optional): Add an icon to each feature named to show them a little more.

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Reply to old chats

When a user submits a chat or a feature request, remember to come back to them after updating your mobile app and let them know what’s new, especially if the update is relevant to something they’ve asked you about in the past. For churned or at-risk users who haven’t yet uninstalled your app, this is a surprisingly effective way to draw them back in. You’re letting your users know that not only did you care enough to address their issues, but also that you remember them, value them, and want them to come back.

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Update your store listings

The App Store and Google Play both allow developers to submit notes about their new version after updating their mobile app. This note appears in the app store description and this isn’t a step that should be skipped. Be specific about the changes you’ve made. Try to go beyond the generic “bug fixes and quality improvements” and explain how you've improved the app for your users. If it's on brand, use humor to spice it up.

Give churned or at-risk customers a reason to come back by showing them you’re committed to improving your app experience. You’ll be giving them something to look forward to. Specificity also creates transparency between you and your users, and it puts them at ease about the software they’re installing on their phones.

Reply to developer reviews

Sometimes users leave negative reviews complaining about bugs, features, or design. If you’ve addressed their issues in your update, be sure to respond or update your responses to negative reviews. That way, you’ll show your disappointed users that you have solved their problems… and you’ll also show everyone else reading your reviews that you’re committed to hearing the user voice and developing a superior product.

Get contextual feedback with in-app surveys

Shortly after you’ve launched your update, you can send surveys targeted specifically to users who have your newest version installed. You can ask them specific questions about new features or usability, or you can reach out with a general NPS survey. Especially if your app store rating has been falling lately, the days after an update are a great time to get those numbers back up.

When you send NPS surveys, customers who answer that they’re highly likely to recommend your app to friends and family (promoters) are then asked if they’d like to rate you in the app store. Since you’ve already validated their position in-app, it’s highly likely that this group of people will leave you 5-star reviews. Dissatisfied users will be asked what you can do better, so you can absorb and digest their comments privately. Post-update surveys are a prime opportunity for you to identify what you’ve done well and what needs improvement.

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Monitor your bug and crash reports

New code? New bugs. Keep an eye on your bug and crash reports after updating your app to stay on top of any surprises. Bugs and crashes typically spike right after updates, and Instabug will help you scout out sources of issues so you can debug faster.

Bug Reports

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Instabug’s bug reporting is for developers who want to spend more time developing and less time debugging. When your users encounter bugs, errors, or anything unexpected at all, all it takes is a shake of the phone for them to send you an instant report automatically packed with details that will help you identify and fix issues faster.

Not only do chats help developers solve complicated issues faster, but they build relationships with users.

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Crash Reports

With Instabug, your users’ phones automatically send you crash reports upon the next launch of the application. You’ll be able to identify critical crashes right away, chat with users to identify problems or let them know about fixes, and get the info you need to stop crashes from happening.