Top 10 product launch (go-to-market) platforms.

Product Launch Platforms

What do you mean by Product Launch Platforms?

A company’s planned attempt to introduce new or improved items to the market is known as a product launch. A product is announced to the world in a well-planned and executed launch after creating significant buzz. Additionally, they coordinate members of a product team with other departments to guarantee that the entire company adopts an united strategy for supporting the new product.

We’re open! posts on social media are only one part of a launch. Prior to a deadline, a concerted effort is made to make the product usable. After that, the product is properly marketed via various channels. It’s a big project that calls for cooperation across numerous teams and business departments.

Stages of Product Launch Platforms.

Launching a product can be divided into three stages. These stages are;

• Planning
• Execution
• Analysis

Now let’s talk about them individually.

Planning

Product teams define goals at this point, do audience and competitor research, coordinate expectations, and decide on a marketing plan. The launch team collaborates closely with the product developers to determine a launch schedule and pinpoint the product’s most salable features.

Execution

This time period marks the official release of the product. This covers the actual day of release as well as the ensuing marketing initiatives to keep buzz going over the next weeks. Data on the product and marketing are gathered during this period that will eventually be used to assess the launch’s performance.

Analysis

As the product moves from the “launch” stage into the “growth stage” of its life cycle, marketing activities will eventually wane. Product teams assess if KPIs and other objectives were accomplished as a result of the launch by comparing data gathered throughout the release window.

Tips for building a successful Product Launch Platforms strategy.

Every product launch has a different set of difficulties since every product is distinct. Even updating an old product will need a different strategy than the first launch does. To build a solid basis for their product launches, businesses should adhere to a few best practices with every product launch strategy. A few of this strategy we will talk about are;

Focusing on the customer experience: the reason for the creation and launch of any product is because we want to meet a target customer. So teams actually have to get into the point of view of a customer to be able to launch a useful product for a customer. For example let’s take a food ordering app, we all know that it can be frustrating to take the same process of ordering the same meal everyday from a food app especially when the meal option is the last on the list. This is where  the user experience designer of a team comes in with a solution of saving the mostly ordered food of the customer and bringing it to the top of the list. Or also adding voice options for people who are visually impaired.

Use your data acquired to form a product strategy:  before the launch of any product, research has to be done, either by using questionnaires or asking people individually or creating forms. Information has to be gathered in order to create a product that people will use. When this data is gathered according to the pain points of the people you can strategize by prioritizing the most expressed pain point of the users as that will be what they will look out for first.

For instance, a quick scan of the beta testing data reveals the widespread use of your ecommerce product’s “recommendations” feature. Additionally, beta testers that use this feature continue to use your product longer than those who don’t. It would be logical for your marketing campaign to place a lot of emphasis on the suggestions function in order to draw clients who are more likely to engage right away.

Create a product checklist:  A crucial component of any product launch is a running checklist. Product teams, marketing teams, sales teams, and other groups collaborate during product launches to achieve an unified objective. Even the most organized manager or team leader can easily lose sight of what has to be done while managing a constantly-evolving list of chores.

Launch early and improve the product on the go: As soon as your product’s essential features have been extensively evaluated, you should put it on the market. Customers will accept your product more quickly if you can collect and evaluate their useful behavioral data as soon as possible. This will help you to enhance onboarding processes, spot churn hotspots, and guide feature development.

Customers can’t use your product every day it is under development. Your potential consumers are losing interest or switching to competitors as you wait a few months to complete polishing a feature that is not critical. By releasing a functional version of your main product, you can win over early adopters who will promote it as you continue to refine it.

Measuring a product launch success.

The likelihood is that your next product launch won’t be your last. Therefore, it’s crucial to evaluate both the positive and negative aspects of a release in order to improve subsequent launches. The following can be done to do this:

• Define your relevant KPIs: You must establish the criteria for a successful launch before your product goes on sale. For items in various marketplaces, success is probably defined differently. For instance, a new income target can be in mind for an e-commerce business. In contrast, they can consider a launch successful if a specific proportion of clients place a second order.

A North Star Metric chosen in conjunction with various pertinent KPIs can aid in providing a clear picture of how effectively your launch went. These KPIs ought to accurately reflect your ultimate objectives. They must also be quantifiable. The following KPIs are typical for new launches:

• Web traffic
• Web traffic
• Leads generated
• Customer usage and retention
• Trial subscribers signed up

• Tracking and analyzing data: A successful launch will probably produce a significant amount of data. To ascertain how well your KPI targets correspond with reality, marketing data from your website and behavioral data from your product will need to be sorted and examined. This should be carried out after launch to focus on launch-specific outcomes.
• Gathering feedback: Numerous product metrics place a strong emphasis on quantity, such as how many users were added or how many items were purchased. You may get a feel of how well received your message and goods were by directly asking them for feedback. Obtaining customer feedback typically involves:
• customer consultations
• Surveys
•  focus groups

What is the  importance of a product launch?

Your business stands to gain the following advantages, among others, with the appropriate product launch marketing strategies:

• Improved reputation
• Grabbing customers attention
• New business lead
• More revenue

With all that said it’s time for us to look at the top 10 platforms that can be used to launch a product into the market.

In this list we are going to be counting down from the 10th to the first Product Launch Platforms. Now let’s get started!

10. Launching next

Launching Next is the platform where you will find out about tech startups from all over the world. You can add your recently launched startups here, along with your startup concepts. Additionally, it enables you to plan, create, start, and adjust your small business.

It was founded in 2013

Benefits (reason for it being on this list)

Startups can submit a succinct description of their goods to be mentioned on this page. Following the submission of the description, it contacts you to arrange the free publication of your website on it. Launching Next also conducts one-on-one interviews with startup founders to learn about their backgrounds. Additionally, it provides a direct connection to your startup website so users can go there to find out more.

Dos and don’ts of the platform.

• Do not try to copy others as the platform tends to accept unique ideas and custom answers to problems that exist.

9.  BetaTesting

Beta testing is a platform for user testing in startups. It offers people beta testing for websites, digital products, and mobile and online applications. The user receives thorough feedback outlining the benefits and drawbacks of the product based on real-world testing. There are around 150k testers worldwide as a whole.

It was founded in 2012

 Benefits (reason for it being on this list)

The BetaTesting team closely helps the user to set a primary testing goal or set primary testing goals and also choose the right audience for the user. The major advantage for startups here is that the feedback from the real-life users allows entrepreneurs to reframe their business strategies and work on its weak points. Based on the testing results, the start up can adjust to the demands of the public and expand their production by having a more user friendly product.

Startups that have used this platform: the New York Times, Xerox, Clef, Drupe,Musical.ly and so many others.

Dos and don’ts of the platform

• To get an efficient result, the user should provide a solid business description and crystal clear business objectives.

8. SignUpFirst

The innovative platform signupfirst uses the growth hacking technique of referral marketing. It is best characterized as a crowd fundraising platform for beta-signup firms. It is the perfect platform for giving potential clients incentives on how to purchase a specific product if it is still in the development stage.

It was founded in 2015 by David Allison

 Benefits (reason for it being on this list)

The concept of this platform covers both founders that are submitting their products and users which will get the products on great discounts and deals. The platform promotes small businesses and finds the businesses useful contacts for expansion and collaborations in the future.

Dos and don’ts of the platform

• The startup should be a brand new one and the entrepreneur has to have a clear project idea and a clear design structure.

7. Springwise

Springwise delivers innovating ideas that attack our everyday problems, driving a positive and sustainable change across all sectors. The platform covers all facets of startup ideas and innovations like; health and education, lifehacks, internet of things, fashion, retail, home and housing and so many more.

It was founded in 2002 by James Bidwell and Reiner Evers.

 Benefits (reason for it being on this list)

They feature just 3 to 5 daily new ideas and products to their social reach of over 400,000 users. If you have a compelling product that is truly innovative and want to get significant exposure this is the right place to get featured on.

Startups that have used this platform: Udemy, Ebay, Deloitte, Eurostar, Holland< Edelman and many more.

Dos and don’ts of the platform:

• The product has to be recently launched without press coverage or any other marketing effort.
• The landing page should include custom and unique design and description of the product/services that  the entrepreneur wants to offer to its audience.
•  Avoid using a template and default styles.

6. The startup pitch

This is a great platform for presentation of startups. The platform allows you to present in a pitch format, just like what you send to journalists when you want to have your startup featured in a major publication. The platform has a community strength of 25k subscribers who will give feedback on pitches made by entrepreneurs and even share what the startup is all about. Interaction with the community of entrepreneurs who will give feedback one your startup can be achieved on this platform without a price tag.

This platform was founded in 2008

 Benefits (reason for it being on this list)

After the submission of the form on the website, it is reviewed and gets published on the platform immediately if deemed fit.

Dos and don’ts of the platform:

• The small business should not include a coupon system or affiliate sales.
• Adult content websites are restricted.
• The startup should be recently launched.
•  Established businesses are not allowed on this platform.

5.  Angellist

This platform is the world’s largest social media platform for startup businesses. Its core focus is on the tech startup community for entrepreneurs and angel investors. The aim of this platform  is to make the growling process of finding investments for startups easier. It helps startups find potential investors and recruit talents to expand their businesses. It is even starting to become a social network and this means that connection with investors and high-net-worth professionals to help raise funds from your startup has just been made a whole lot easier.

It was founded in 2010 by Babak Nivi and Naval Ravikant.

Benefits (reason for it being on this list)

This platform helps entrepreneurs to exhibit their start up globally and find investors to fund their startups. After an account is created on this platform, the user and public section of the newly created profile will be visible to the general audience and search engines by a default setting.

Startups that have used this platform: Tinder, Medium, Hinge, Meerkat, Yelp and so on.

Dos and don’ts of the platform:

• Users should use a professional photo following the short description of the entrepreneur role on their slot for a profile picture.
• The description of the startup needs to be clear and distinct.
• Design should be customized and unique
• Using a template of any type is forbidden

4. Reddit(side project)

Reddit is a social news aggregation, web content rating and discussion website. The platform is great for getting very quick feedback and having discussions on various topics. The reddit side project is a great platform for startups to get feedback on their startup ideas and projects. Engaged with a community of over 10k subscribers, your ideas will be spread around at a very pacy rate for free.

The platform was founded by Alexiss Ohanian and Steve Huffman on 2005.

Benefits (reason for it being on this list)

Even though the platform is usually referred to as a startup marketing platform, it is not a platform for self promotion. It rather is a great platform to build a network  and go viral with interesting content. The platform is great for customer service and establishing the network around your startup.

Dos and don’ts of the platform:

• The platform is required to be active and posts has to be put up on a regular basis
• Users can subscribe to a subreddit of their interests
• Posting a teaser and text link to the website is a bad practice on the website. Instead it is better to post about 30 to 60% of the content and ask the readers to check the remaining content on your site then attach the link.

3. Hacker News

Hacker News is a social startup platform that focuses on relevant updates and stories about entrepreneurship and computer science. The platform is run and managed by Paul Graham’s investment fund and startup incubator, Y Combinator. Therefore, the platform is a  great fit for entrepreneurs who want to target a tech audience. The platform currently has about 150k plus subscribers which means this is also a great platform for promotion of your concept or product to a community of tech savvy individuals all for no cost at all.

It was founded by Young Chang in 2012.

Benefits (reason for it being on this list)

The users can submit on-topic and off-topic stories.

Dos and don’ts of the platform:

• The user has to submit the original source following the best practice of the submission criteria.
• The title should not be written in caps lock for the sake of standing out.
• Submitting the same story several times is unallowed
• The story on the platform has to have and educational context
• Self promotion is not allowed here.

2 .  Product Hunt

One of the finest social media platforms for startups is Product Hunt, where users can find the most recent information on brand-new digital products. This website’s front page features recently launched startups. You can apply to be featured here if you own a technology, productivity, gaming, or fitness firm.

It was founded by Ryan Hoover in 2014.

Benefits (reason for it being on this list)

Users can also upvote their preferred products on this free site, which attempts to introduce new products to its audience. This voting system has the ability to make your startup popular and attract investors and clients. You must upload a video and a description that are both clear and instructive in order to register your startup on Product Hunt.

Startups that have used this platform: Station Houseparty, Robinhood, Front, Digit, Shyp, Gimlet Media

Dos and don’ts of the platform:

• The product should not be recently launched without press coverage or any other marketing effort.
• The description should be  clear and informative. 
• It is better to provide some video presentations as well

1.  Betalist

BetaList is a platform where small business owners may advertise their startups for potential customers to find. Bloggers, investors, journalists, and early adopters are among the users of this community website. As a result, a community of professionals may give you ratings and criticism on your startup. Depending on your demands, you can choose from the platform’s free and premium subscription options. Make sure your business is a hardware- or software-based technology startup if you want to join this group. Recently launched websites without press attention or marketing activities are not allowed to be included here.

It was founded in 2010 by Marc Kohlbrugge

Benefits (reason for it being on this list)

After the startup has been submitted, there will be a process where the startup will be verified to match the platform criteria. If the startup matches the criteria, the entrepreneur gets two months to feature the startup. The platform could be useful even at the stage of market research.

Startups that have used this platform: Pinterest, InVision, Airtable, IFTTT, About.me, Nuji, Skillshare and many more startups.

Dos and don’ts of the platform:

• It should be a tech startup(software or hardware)
• The product should not be launched recently without press coverage or any other marketing effort.
• The landing page should include custom and unique design and description of the service or product intended to be pushed.
• The signup form should be via email or through a link with a social media(facebook or linked in).

Conclusion

Startup business owners and product developers place the highest priority on increasing brand recognition and product familiarity. You are on the correct route to gaining the required attention of your users if you continue to include them in your marketing campaign.

Use digital marketing techniques, regardless of the site you decide to use, to increase audience awareness.