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Mobile AppBasic LaunchGuideTips and standardized promotionalmaterials to help launch your mobile app.Version 2.0.0

ContentsWelcome.3Market your app without increasing your workload.3Choose launch date.4Brief your staff.4Keep it fresh.4Basic marketing assets.5Boilerplate templates. 5Web banners. 6Promotional video. 6Print materials. 7Email headers. 8Social media cards. 8Additional launch services.9 Mobile app launch guide2

WelcomeCongratulations! Your school district is ready to unveil your new BlackboardMobile Communications App. This guide will help you meet your goal of fullengagement with your entire K-12 community, keeping them connected whileon-the-go.Your new mobile app is the most effective tool for parents, students,and other community members to gain immediate access to criticalinformation, including school closings, weather notices, and much more.In addition, the app is a great way for your staff and administrators to receivecritical updates and access information relevant to their role in the district.Since the app is designed specifically for your district, it also extends yourdistrict brand through the iTunes and Google Play app stores.When you combine your mobile app with the other communication productsof the Blackboard Community Engagement Solution— Web CommunityManager, Mass Notifications, and Social Media Manager —you have the mostpowerful communication tools available.Promote the app withoutincreasing your workloadTo ensure the families in your K-12 community get the most out of yourapp, they need to know it is available. They need to understand the value itbrings them. They need to know how to get it. And they need to know whatto expect.This guide is designed to help busy district and school communicators—likeyou—market your mobile app to boost downloads and drive usage to keepyour families better informed and engaged.By using the materials and best practices found in this document, you caneffectively educate your K-12 community about the app. Mobile app launch guide3

Choose launch dateSet a date for the official launch of your mobile app. You can launch the appanytime, but consider times when your K-12 community is most engaged,such as: The start of a school year or a new semester Coming back from holiday breaksAvoid times of the year when your community may be distracted, such as: The weeks leading up to holiday breaks Going into summer break Standardized testing and end-of-semester testing monthsSelect a time when your parent community won’t miss the exciting news.Brief your staffThis step is critical. Conduct internal briefings with your staff and keycommunity leadership in advance of making the app available. Get themexcited about the latest addition to your communication toolkit.Many districts allow staff members to download the app in advance andsubmit ratings and reviews to the app stores that your community will seeonce the app is launched.Keep it freshOne way to keep your community using the app frequently is to infuse itwith new content every day of the school year. With its seamless integrationwith your Blackboard Web Community Manager, it is easy to feed yourcommunity new content about the good news happening at your schools.Your school and department website administrators should be encouragedto post news, events, and photos on the go from their smartphones. Lunch menus Friday night score of the football game posted from the event Photos added from a field tripMuch of this content can be updated automatically from social mediachannels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, making it easy foryou to keep content updated and engaging without any additional hassle.These are just a few of many ways you can keep parents engaged andconnected to your schools with your new mobile app. Mobile app launch guide4

Basic marketing assetsAs a communications expert, you know it requires frequent messages throughmultiple channels to reach your community.Your community includes: Parents and students Teachers and staff School board PTO/PTA Athletic boosters AlumniUse the folowing basic marketing assets to build your communications andsee how easy it can be to educate and motivate your community to downloadand use your Blackboard mobile app.If you view this document online, you will find clickable images that will link youdirectly to that specific promotional item for your app launch campaign.Boilerplate templatesINFO CARD TEMPLATEInformation card about the app, its features,benefits, and download instructions.PRESS RELEASE TEMPLATEPress release ready to issue on launch day.FLYER TEMPLATEFlyer for schools to distribute.ANNOUNCEMENT TEMPLATEWebsite announcement and graphic linksto the app stores.EMAIL TEMPLATEEmail announcements ready to be sent toparents and the school community.eNEWSLETTER TEMPLATEeNewsletter stories and photos of theapp in action.SOCIAL MEDIA TEMPLATESocial media post.POSTCARD TEMPLATEPostcard to families.LETTER TEMPLATEMail to families. (formal letterfrom district)VOICE NOTIFICATION TEMPLATEVoice notification script. Mobile app launch guide5

Customizable web bannersYou can find within your Blackboard app portal four optional websitebanners. Each has an embed code that can be easily added to yourwebsite. To navigate to the banners while in your Blackboard portal,do the following:1. Click Settings2. Click App Config3. Click App PromotionPromotional videoVisually promote the features of your app by sharing this standardpromotional video which highlights the following three app features:Activity StreamSee all notifications,events, news, andmessages in one stream.DirectoryQuickly find neededschool and personnelcontact information.NotificationsReceive messages frommultiple schools intoone customized inbox. Mobile app launch guide6

Print materialsLet your school community know your app is ready for download with thehelp of these non-branded set of print materials to utilize during your applaunch campaign.HeaderParents need school supplies too.(Luckily, it’s just a single download away.)Download our district app todayfor access to your school’sstudent info, grade alerts,calendars, and much more!nibh nec ornare. Cras eu nulla mauris. Sed attortor enim. Sed non quam in lorem suscipitvestibulum. Donec justo tellus, faucibus sitamet ornare aliquam, condimentum euParents need school supplies too.Header (BW)la quis nec tortor. Etiam mi tellus, rhoncuseget bibendum ut, adipiscing sed lacus. Duisporta vehicula eleifend. Fusce convallisturpis semper blandit vehicula. Suspendissein sapien metus. Integer pulvinar, lorem ettincidunt congue, risus augue imperdietlectus, non suscipit est massa at nunc. Fuscelorem dui, ullamcorper a libero in, accumsanvolutpat nisi. Aenean imperdiet tincidunt nisl(Luckily, it’s just a single download away.)Download our district app todayfor access to your school’sstudent info, grade alerts,calendars, and much more!We’ve added onelast thing to yourschool supplies.We’ve added onelast thing to yourschool supplies.(Don’t worry, it’s free.)(Don’t worry, it’s free.)nibh nec ornare. Cras eu nulla mauris. Sed attortor enim. Sed non quam in lorem suscipitvestibulum. Donec justo tellus, faucibus sitamet ornare aliquam, condimentum euDownload the official Our District app apptodayfor necaccessto yourschool’sstudentrhoncusla quistortor.Etiammi tellus,info, grade ut,alerts,calendars,eget bibendumadipiscingsed lacus. Duisand much more!porta vehicula eleifend. Fusce convallisturpis semper blandit vehicula. Suspendissein sapien metus. Integer pulvinar, lorem ettincidunt congue, risus augue imperdietlectus, non suscipit est massa at nunc. Fuscelorem dui, ullamcorper a libero in, accumsanvolutpat nisi. Aenean imperdiet tincidunt nislColumnDownload our district app today for accessto your school’s student info, grade alerts,calendars,and much more!Column (BW)We’ve added onelast thing to yourschool supplies.(Don’t worry, it’s free.)Download our district app today for access to your school’s studentinfo, grade alerts, calendars,and much more!Postcard 6x4Postcard 6x4 (BW)Block (BW)We’ve added onelast thing to yourschool supplies.We’ve added onelast thing to yourschool supplies.(Don’t worry, it’s free.)(Don’t worry, it’s free.)Download our district app today for access to your school’sstudent info, grade alerts, calendars, push notifications, andmuch more!Download our district app today for access to your school’sstudent info, grade alerts, calendars, push notifications, andmuch more!Letter Poster 8.5x11Letter Poster 8.5x11 (BW)Poster 24x36Medium Poster 24x18Banner 70x31Parents need schoolsupplies too.Parents need schoolsupplies too.(Luckily, it’s just a single downloadaway.)(Luckily, it’s just a single downloadaway.)Download our district app today for access to yourschool’s student info, grade alerts, calendars, pushnotifications, and much more!Download our district app today for access to yourschool’s student info, grade alerts, calendars, pushnotifications, and much more!Tabloid Poster 17x11Tabloid Poster 17x11 (BW) Mobile app launch guide7

Email headersUse this set of available email headers to add to emails being sent toteachers, staff, parents, and students regarding your new mobile app.Social media cardsOne of the best ways to connect to your school community is throughsocial media. Use these social media ads to promote your new mobile appvia Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.Twitter - Cards specifically sized anddesigned for Twitter posts. Tweet about thebig game, and share the sports feature cardpersuading followers to check the final scoreusing the app.Facebook - Cards specifically sizedand designed for Facebook posts andcomments. Post about an upcoming PTAmeeting, and attach the calendar featurecard to remind followers of the app’scalendar function.Instagram - Cards specifically sizedand designed for Instagram posts andcomments. When introducing a new teacheron Instagram, include the directory featurecard to let followers know the app provideshelpful district and school contact info. Mobile app launch guide8

Additional launch servicesAs your community uses it, your mobile app will be an essential elementof your communications program. Engagement with your community willreach new heights by giving mobile app users immediate, on-demandaccess to the information they want about your District and Schools.An app launch can quickly become intimating and involved. If youfind yourself needing help to navigate your app launch, talk to yourrepresentative about the three additional launch services available:Premium Launch MaterialsLaunch Service (Basic)Launch Service (Advanced)Branded marketing assets whichincludes a promotional video, printmaterials, email headers, and socialmedia cards.Private two-hour consultation callwith a K-12 mobile app expert toreview launch structure, strategies,and best practices.Face-to-face onsite consultation witha K-12 mobile app expert to create aspecific and actionable app launchplan within a 2 day period.Blackboard.com/K12Copyright 2017. Blackboard Inc. All rights reserved. Blackboard, the Blackboard logo, Blackboard Web Community Manager, Blackboard Mobile CommunicationsApp, Blackboard Mass Notifications, Blackboard Social Media Manager, Blackboard Collaborate are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackboard Inc. or itssubsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. Blackboard products and services may be covered by one or more of the following U.S. Patents: 8,265,968,7,493,396; 7,558,853; 6,816,878; 8,150,925 Mobile app launch guide9

Basic marketing assets As a communications expert, you know it requires frequent messages through multiple channels to reach your community. Your community includes: Parents and students Teachers and staff School board PTO/PTA Athletic boosters Alumni Use the folowing basic m