Mobile apps are becoming somewhat of an essential for businesses, but do all businesses really need one? There’s almost an app for everything these days, which means that your app can get lost in the competition if you don’t think about it carefully enough.
So what does it take to create a great app? Take a look at some of the things you need to consider when designing a mobile app.
Purpose
What is the purpose of your app? You’ll need to evaluate the goals and aims of your app before you can proceed. If your app is simply going to be another version of your website, then you could be wasting time and money by developing an app. Successful apps have features that are useful to the user, are integrated with their phones’ features and will provide users with a reason to download the app.
Planning
To help ensure that your app is a success, you’re going to need a carefully thought-out plan to get started. Consider timescales and deadlines and work backwards from your intended launch date. There will be a lot of things to think about when it comes to developing your app, so you’ll need to treat it as a separate project. With the right plan in place, you’ll stand a better chance of launching a successful app that is fit for purpose and ticks all of the boxes. If there’s no rush to release your app by a certain date, you can take your time with the planning to ensure that everything is just right.
Maintenance
Do you struggle to keep your website up to date? Then you might find an app is simply another thing to juggle, something that could affect the quality of your product. If you work alone, you might find it tough to manage an app in addition to a website, but you could outsource the work to a freelancer or an agency who can take this on board.
Cost
Cost is a big thing to consider when developing an app. Apps can vary in cost, with some of the price factors including the complexity of the app, as well as the turnaround time. When hiring an app developer, make sure that you choose someone who’s got experience in your industry and has a track record of developing great apps. Sometimes the cost of developing an app can outweigh the benefits, so the app has to be the best decision for you and your business.
Testing
Apps can take time to get right, which is something you’ll know from constantly having to update apps because of ‘bug fixes’ or improved features. A mobile app requires a lot of testing to ensure that it’s functioning correctly, so when it comes to releasing your app by a certain deadline - you might have to be more flexible. There are different ways to test your mobile app, and crowdsourced testing is better than outsourcing if you want to produce effective and affordable results. You can always make improvements to your app over time to help it to stay ahead of the competition.
In addition to the initial testing, you should also give thought to how you’ll test and measure performance to establish whether or not your app is a success, and what can be done to improve it. Include this in your strategy so that you can consider it during the development stage.
Marketing
After developing your app, you’re going to need to market it. The launch of an app can be something new and exciting for your business, helping you to make an impression that will generate interest in your business. You could start by teasing the release of the app or opening it up to some trial users first to help give the app some exclusivity and make it a must-have. Using all of your existing channels to promote your app, you can generate interest from both new and existing customers. Other ways to promote your app can include adds places on public transport, or advertising your app through Facebook and Instagram ads.
Influencer marketing can be a great way to get people talking about and downloading your app. Getting started with influencer marketing is easy, and you even small businesses can get results from it with little budget.
Mobile apps are great for businesses of all sizes, but you need to do your homework before you commit to starting one. Done right, an app can increase your customer base and improve user experience, but an app that doesn’t live up to its objectives could cost your business a lot of time and money.
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