How to announce product updates & new features successfully (with examples & templates)

Looking to increase new feature adoption and customer loyalty with effective product updates? You're in the right place.
想要通过有效的产品更新来提高新功能的采用率和客户忠诚度吗？您来对地方了。

In this guide, we'll go over everything from identifying the right audience to crafting the perfect release notes.
在本指南中，我们将讨论从识别正确的受众到撰写完美的发布说明的所有内容。

Get ready to learn how to make your product updates hit the mark every single time!
准备好学习如何让您的产品更新每次都能精准到位！

What are product updates?
产品更新是什么？

Product updates are changes or improvements made to your product, including new features, bug fixes, performance enhancements, or user interface redesigns.
产品更新是对您的产品所做的更改或改进，包括新功能、错误修复、性能增强或用户界面重新设计。

The goal of product updates is to improve the user experience, add value, and ensure the product remains competitive and relevant.
产品更新的目标是改善用户体验，增加价值，并确保产品保持竞争力和相关性。

When to announce product updates?
何时宣布产品更新？

Deciding the right time to announce product updates depends on the nature and significance of the update itself. It's important to consider what the update is about:
决定宣布产品更新的正确时机取决于更新本身的性质和重要性。考虑更新的内容是很重要的：

• New features 新功能
• New product 新产品
• Bug fixes 错误修复
• Feature updates 功能更新
• Product redesign 产品重新设计

For example, new features and a redesign impact the user experience in a big way, so you should let your users know about them. 
例如，新功能和重新设计会对用户体验产生重大影响，因此您应该让用户知道这些变化。

But for smaller updates, such as bug fixes or slight improvements, a big announcement is not necessary. Frequent small updates can quickly overwhelm users and get annoying.
但对于较小的更新，例如修复错误或轻微改进，没必要进行大规模的公告。频繁的小更新可能会迅速让用户感到不知所措并变得烦人。

👍 A simple rule of thumb is to consider the update's impact on your user's interaction with the product. If it changes how the app or a particular feature functions in a noticeable way, it's worth announcing.
👍 一个简单的经验法则是考虑更新对用户与产品互动的影响。如果它以显著的方式改变了应用程序或某个特性的功能，那么值得宣布。

Why do product updates matter?
产品更新为什么重要？

Product updates show your users that you're listening and committed to improving their experience. When you ship a feature that your customers have been asking for, they feel heard.
产品更新向您的用户表明您在倾听并致力于改善他们的体验。当您推出客户一直在要求的功能时，他们会感到被重视。

This can boost user loyalty & engagement. People are more likely to interact with a product they feel a part of and see is improving.
这可以提升用户忠诚度和参与度。人们更有可能与他们感到参与并看到其改善的产品互动。

Moreover, by constantly announcing these updates and educating users on new features, you're helping them get the most out of your product and enhance their overall experience.
此外，通过不断发布这些更新并教育用户有关新功能的信息，您正在帮助他们充分利用您的产品并提升他们的整体体验。

Announcing updates can also attract new users. When people see your product is always improving, they're more interested in trying it out for themselves. It can also bring back churned customers who see that the new updates have fixed their old problems.
宣布更新也可以吸引新用户。当人们看到您的产品不断改进时，他们更有兴趣亲自尝试。它还可以吸引流失的客户，他们看到新的更新解决了他们以前的问题。

All in all, a well-crafted release note can impact both current, past, and future customers.
总的来说，一份精心制作的 发布说明 可以影响当前、过去和未来的客户。

But to actually achieve this, it's crucial to nail the announcement itself. 
但要真正实现这一点，关键在于准确地发布公告。

The 3-step formula for crafting effective product updates
有效产品更新的三步公式

In short, to write an effective product update, there are three key questions you should ask yourself:
简而言之，要撰写有效的产品更新，您应该问自己三个关键问题：

1. Who’s your target audience?
   你的目标受众是谁？
2. What are your goals with the announcement?
   你对这个公告的目标是什么？
3. Which channels should you use?
   您应该使用哪些渠道？

Let’s go over them 👇
让我们来看看它们 👇

1. Defining the target audience
1. 确定目标受众

Your target audience is never "everyone". You should focus first on:
您的目标受众永远不是“每个人”。您应该首先关注：

1. Users who requested the new feature or change - they're your early advocates.
   请求新功能或更改的用户 - 他们是你的早期支持者。
2. Active users affected by updates - they need to understand how it impacts their experience.
   受更新影响的活跃用户 - 他们需要了解这如何影响他们的体验。

Segment your users to tailor your messaging effectively.
对用户进行细分，以有效定制您的信息传递。

Many modern changelog tools like Featurebase allow you to sync your customer data to easily send customized updates to different user segments.
许多现代变更日志工具，如 Featurebase，允许您同步客户数据，以便轻松向不同用户群体发送定制更新。

For example: 例如：

• For those who requested a feature: "You asked, we listened! Check out our latest update."
  对于那些请求功能的人：“你们提了要求，我们倾听了！查看我们的最新更新。”
• For paid users that can use the feature: "Heads up! Here’s what’s new and how you can use it."
  提醒！这是新功能及其使用方法。
• For free users that would have to upgrade: "Check out this new cool feature we released on the pro plan! Upgrade to also benefit from it."
  对于需要升级的免费用户：“查看我们在专业计划中发布的这个新酷功能！升级以便也能受益于此。”

This tailored approach ensures each user group receives messages that resonate with their specific needs and interests.
这种量身定制的方法确保每个用户群体收到与其特定需求和兴趣相契合的信息。

2. Setting goals for the announcement
2. 为公告设定目标

Define what success looks like for your announcement. The goals could include:
定义您的公告成功的标准。目标可以包括：

• Increasing new feature adoption
  增加新功能的采用率
• Ensuring users are prepared for significant changes
  确保用户为重大变化做好准备
• Encouraging upgrades by highlighting new premium features
  通过突出新高级功能来鼓励升级
• Attracting new customers with your latest features
  吸引新客户使用您的最新功能

Understanding your objectives simplifies planning and ensures you focus on the most impactful activities.
理解您的目标简化了规划，并确保您专注于最有影响力的活动。

Whether it's driving feature adoption with in-app tours or preparing users for upcoming changes, align your strategies with your goals.
无论是通过应用内导览推动功能采用，还是为用户即将到来的变化做好准备，都要将您的策略与目标对齐。

3. Choosing the right channels
3. 选择合适的渠道

There are many different communication channels available for sharing product updates.
有许多不同的沟通渠道可用于分享产品更新。

When making the choice, you should once again consider your target audience and the type of announcement.
在做出选择时，您应该再次考虑您的目标受众和公告的类型。

For smaller improvements that might not interest everyone, email and in-app notifications could be enough.
对于那些可能不吸引每个人的小改进，电子邮件和应用内通知可能就足够了。

However, for launching a new feature with the potential to attract new customers, social media and blogs could be the move.
然而，对于推出一个有潜力吸引新客户的新功能，社交媒体和博客可能是一个不错的选择。

In all cases, you will benefit from keeping a public changelog page with all of your updates available for everyone to read.
在所有情况下，您将受益于保持一个公共的变更日志页面，供所有人阅读您的所有更新。

Let's take a look at how it works and other popular channels for product updates.
让我们来看看它是如何工作的，以及其他流行的产品更新渠道。

Where to announce product updates?
在哪里发布产品更新？

1. Public changelog page 1. 公共更新日志页面

A public changelog page is a transparent way to list all your updates, big and small. It's like a detailed diary of your product's evolution, beneficial for users who like to stay informed about every change.
公共更新日志页面是一种透明的方式，列出您所有的更新，无论大小。这就像是您产品演变的详细日记，对那些喜欢了解每个变化的用户来说非常有益。

Most changelog tools send out automated email notifications to users to keep them updated. More advanced ones also allow sending different updates for different user segments.
大多数变更日志工具会向用户发送自动电子邮件通知，以保持他们的更新。更高级的工具还允许针对不同的用户群体发送不同的更新。

Changelogs are especially useful for SaaS companies, where ongoing improvements and fixes are expected thanks to the subscription model.
变更日志对于 SaaS 公司尤其有用，因为由于订阅模式，持续的改进和修复是预期的。

Having a public changelog builds trust by showing commitment to improvement and transparency.
公开的变更日志通过展示对改进和透明度的承诺来建立信任。

2. In-app announcement 应用内公告

Announcing updates directly within your product is highly effective for reaching your active users.
在您的产品中直接发布更新对于接触活跃用户非常有效。

It ensures that the message is seen by customers who are already engaged with your product. Plus, they no longer have to leave your app to read the updates. It's best used for introducing new features or significant changes that affect the user experience.
它确保消息被已经与您的产品互动的客户看到。此外，他们不再需要离开您的应用程序来阅读更新。它最适合用于介绍新功能或影响用户体验的重要变化。

In-product announcements can include pop-up notifications, banners, or a dedicated "What's New" button.
产品内公告可以包括弹出通知、横幅或专门的“新功能”按钮。

(They're usually connected to your changelog tool if you have one, so you don't have to make separate updates.)
（如果您有变更日志工具，它们通常会与之连接，因此您无需单独进行更新。）

3. Emails 3. 电子邮件

Email newsletters are ideal for delivering detailed information about updates, including benefits, how-to guides, and answers to potential questions.
电子邮件通讯非常适合传递有关更新的详细信息，包括好处、操作指南和潜在问题的答案。

They work well for engaging users who may not log into your product regularly but are interested in staying updated. It's also an excellent opportunity to re-engage inactive users by highlighting updates that might interest them.
它们非常适合吸引那些可能不定期登录您产品的用户，但对保持更新感兴趣的用户。这也是重新吸引不活跃用户的绝佳机会，通过突出可能引起他们兴趣的更新。

Most changelog tools will make your life easier and automatically send out notification emails after you post an update.
大多数变更日志工具会让你的生活更轻松，并在你发布更新后自动发送通知邮件。

4. Blog posts

Blog posts enable in-depth discussion about your updates. They allow you to explain the rationale behind changes, the development process, and the impact on users.

Blog posts are most suitable for major updates that require thorough explanation or have a significant story behind them. They can also be used to showcase the team's effort, enhancing user connection to your product.

Here's an example blog post from Linear on how they built Project Updates →

5. Social media

Social media platforms offer a broad reach and the ability to engage with your audience in a more informal and interactive manner.

Announcements on social media can generate excitement and encourage shares, extending your message's reach. This channel is best for highlighting the most appealing aspects of your update, teasing upcoming changes, or sharing success stories related to your updates.

It's particularly effective for reaching potential new users and keeping your community engaged.

Here's a thread of our monthly product updates on X →

What to include in product announcements

When you're putting together a product announcement, you want to ensure it grabs attention and delivers the message clearly. Including the right elements can make all the difference. Here's what you should consider adding:

1. Bullet Points

Use bullet points to break down the key features or updates. This makes the information easy to scan and understand.

Highlight the essentials by picking the most significant changes or new features and list them out. This helps readers quickly grasp the main updates of your announcement.

2. Visuals

Adding images or graphics to your announcement can drastically enhance its attractiveness and engage your audience. Visuals are a powerful tool to "show" rather than "tell" what's new.

If you've updated the design or added a new feature, showing it through a visual can deliver your message more effectively than words alone.

3. Videos

Videos offer a dynamic way to communicate your message and can create a stronger connection with your audience. They're especially useful for demonstrating how new features work or showing off product improvements in a way that text and images alone cannot.

A well-produced video can capture attention and deliver a comprehensive understanding of your updates in a format that's easy to consume and share.

Ahrefs is a prime example of this with their Rapid-Fire Product Updates.

4. Links

Finally, include links to more detailed information, be it a detailed blog post, product documentation, or a FAQ page.

Links can guide users to where they can try new features, sign up for a trial, or directly purchase, making it easy for them to take the next step.

Good to know: Featurebase allows you to link updates to existing feature requests on your feedback board. This way users can see the full request and its comments with a click of a button.

Top product update announcement examples

Understanding the theory behind effective product updates and announcements is one thing, but seeing them in action is another.

Let’s take a look at how different companies utilize these tips to keep their users engaged and informed.

Many of our customers use Featurebase’s changelog tool. They find it simple to use and easy to engage users.

Here's how Reword ships their release notes. Their updates feature a relevant image while being short and simple to read.

The changelog page features a collaborative comment section and reaction where users can engage with them and leave additional feedback.

Something that many of our customers especially love is being able to bring the updates into their own products using beautiful widgets.

"We want to increase new-feature adoption in our SaaS, so we moved to Featurebase. We love the way we are now able to share updates from our product." - Olly, Co-Founder of Senja.io

Here's an example of how Senja brings product updates into their app to boost engagement:

The in-app popup is connected to the changelog page (seen in the previous example). So, writing an update there will automatically queue one in your app - no extra work needed.

Moving forward, we love Daybridge's changelogs for their user-friendliness. You can understand the key updates already from the illustration. They're also easy to read, thanks to the emojis and headings.

If you like the layout of the full changelog page but want to have the updates inside your app, consider a changelog widget. It can be easily connected to a button and will display a notification badge when you post a new update.

Conclusion

All in all, there's no better way to keep all your users involved, engaged, and updated than through intuitive product announcements.

Managing and sharing these updates doesn't have to be a headache. Tools like Featurebase make writing release notes a child's play and help engage your users with automated emails and in-app popups.

Start publishing product updates with Featurebase for free →