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Published January 3, 2025
feature launch blog post

It’s every product manager’s nightmare: after months of developing an exciting new feature, the adoption rates fall flat. This can happen for several reasons—users might not understand how the feature works or may not even know it exists on your platform.

A product manager’s role extends beyond feature development. You should also craft compelling feature announcements that captivate your customers.

In this article, we’ll explore how to introduce new features effectively through strategic marketing campaigns and user onboarding initiatives ⬇️

1. Launch new features through in-app announcements

In-app communication includes messages delivered to users while actively using an app, whether on mobile, desktop, or a browser. Here are some in-app strategies you should consider when planning for your next launch to promote the new feature on your site and your product: 

Use in-app announcements, newsfeed pop-ups and in-app banners

In-app notifications appear on user screens while they are actively using your app. They allow users to take specific actions, such as testing a feature or upgrading their subscription. Some instances where you can use in-app notifications include feature announcements, limited-time promotions, product update notes, and welcome screens to activate new users. 

In this short interview, our Head of Product, Martin Fisera, discusses his approach to in-app communication during new feature releases. Watch how he combines various in-app announcements to create a seamless onboarding experience for new features.

Also, Figma demonstrates how new features work, and their call-to-action leads to release notes or prompts users to engage immediately.

Image source: Figma

By the way, we newly released AI-powered in-app banners to make your in-product comms even more powerful. Get a free trial to try it! 🙂

Feature release notes

Release notes summarize all your product updates in a neat order, timeline, and accessible location.

These notes inform users about what’s new and how the product has improved since the last release. Below is an example of a release note that can be created with a product tour software like Product Fruits.

ClickUp does an excellent job by creating feature release notes in the form of video explainers.

Website announcements (i.e. website banners)

Website banners are your site’s digital billboards, proudly displaying the new feature release. Your site visitors can learn more about new features by clicking on in-app banners.

2. Use emails to call attention to new features

A feature launch announcement email is a great way to send new feature updates and encourage users to engage with your product. It informs users about new updates without cluttering the UI with too many messages. People check emails daily, so when you’re launching a new feature via email, link it back to your platform and create the appropriate user onboarding flows.

👀 12 Onboarding email examples to increase trial to conversion in 2025

ClickUp does an excellent job by including a video explaining how to use the feature in the email. 

3. Enhance your feature launches with engaging webinars and tutorials

Webinars are powerful tools for announcing feature updates. They combine education and social proof in an engaging format. They allow you to showcase real customer success stories while providing in-depth explanations of new features and their benefits.

A well-structured webinar can help you:

  • Share the strategic vision behind new features
  • Demonstrate practical use cases and implementation tips
  • Present real success stories that inspire and educate

Ready to improve your feature announcements? Watch the video from our webinar with Adam to learn proven strategies for effective in-app communication and discover how to maximize user engagement with your new features.

4. Promote your new feature on social media 

People today are “chronically online” more than ever, so if you want to grab their attention – social media is the way to go. Here are a few ways you can use social platforms to hype up your new feature release.

Design eye-catching and scroll-stopping social media posts to attract your target audience who are not your active customers. Experiment with different types of content, like videos, gifs, and popular memes. You can ask everyone in the company to post from their accounts to generate awareness about the launch. 

Here’s an example of how Product Fruits announced their new AI-powered onboarding feature:

5. Use beacons to capture the attention of users

Beacons are small markers that guide users to focus on specific design elements or features. They offer users instant tips and guidance, making it easier for them to navigate without needing as much support. 

With beacons, you can:

  • Design Hotspots to match your product’s look
  • Hide a Hotspot after a user interacts with it
  • Connect Hotspots to both static and dynamic UI elements
  • Target users based on their behaviors and attributes

Tooltips, hints, and flashing beacons

Tooltips are small pop-ups that help users understand new features as they go through the onboarding process for a new app.

You can design them to highlight the most valuable features and guide users through the product’s interaction. This will draw the user’s attention to the next steps and provide contextual help as they navigate the app. 

6. Use guided product tours

Guided product tours act like compasses, helping new users learn how to use your product. They are especially important for complex products because they allow users to learn how to use them more quickly.

Effective product tours help users reach the “aha moment” in three key ways:

  1. Product tours teach users how to use the most important features based on their roles, simplifying the learning process. 
  2. Effective feature tours encourage users to take action instead of just showing features. This “learning by doing” approach helps users remember how to use the product better.
  3. Well-designed product tours make it easier for users to start using the product, which increases the chances of them continuing to use it and recognizing its value. This helps keep users interested in the product and using it regularly.

Product tours are essential for helping users learn how to use a product independently. When done well, they help increase users’ use and retention of the product and reduce users’ questions and the need for extra help.

👀 Check out our cheat sheet to build the perfect onboarding flow 

Your support team isn’t just there to troubleshoot issues; they also play a crucial role in building excitement around new features. Here are some ways how you can involve your support team in a feature launch: 

Inform support team

You can do this by holding training sessions or giving them detailed documents. When your team can confidently discuss the new features and clients feel like they’re receiving insider information, it makes customers feel important!

Create hype about upcoming features to existing customers 

Keeping your customer in the loop about your feature upgrades and asking for their feedback goes a long way because it makes them feel like their opinions matter. When discussing upcoming features, your support team can tailor their conversations based on how the new feature is a game changer for their existing business processes.

Make sure all the tutorials, knowledge base, and videos are up to date

Your customers typically defer to your knowledge base when they have questions about the product. Update all your tutorials, articles, and videos to include everything about the new feature and keep customers informed about how they can better use the product after the feature launch.

Just launched a new feature? Gather feedback for continuous product growth 

Collecting user feedback is crucial for understanding their needs, preferences, and pain points. By monitoring the right metrics, companies can measure success and pinpoint areas where they can optimize for business growth. 

Creating a feedback loop, whether through user feedback widgets or NPS surveys, keeps the lines of communication open with customers.

It helps you understand their experiences and proactively adjust to meet their changing needs. Prioritizing user feedback strengthens our product development and builds long-term customer satisfaction and loyalty, paving the way for sustained growth and success in the competitive marketplace.

Check out our feature launch checklist, which gives you an end-to-end breakdown of how to nail your feature launches!

If you’re in a hurry to launch the in-app comms around new features, here’s your quick-start free trial link. 👈

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About the author

Janhavi Nagarhalli
Janhavi is a freelance SaaS content marketer who strives to create expert-driven, product-focused content that converts readers to users. When she's not writing about SaaS products, you can find her journaling, travelling, and incessantly searching for new things to learn.

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