In today’s era, mobile apps are not just apps; they are solutions to business problems. Such solutions solve critical business problems. For efficiently supporting marketing strategies, mobile applications have evolved as a great tool. For unleashing the potential of a variety of mobile app development frameworks, it is very important to understand business growth from mobility.
Having a mobile application is not just only about technology – instead, it is an idea and a belief which explains that an idea can be expressed as a mobile app, an idea which can change the lives of people. An idea that can get into the hands of people, most literally!
Fabricating a robust and functional mobile application is not a cakewalk. It is much more than just having a unique and brilliant idea. One has to understand that not every tech startup founder can be a great developer or a tech maestro. Rome wasn’t built in a day, therefore it requires toil and hard work to build an app for any startup. For a budding entrepreneur who aims at establishing a successful mobile business startup, he/she must know these four important components which constitute those building blocks.
Important Components
1- Value
Identifying what business value a successful mobile application brings to its customers is an important decision to take. Identifying what is the core value of your application and what problem it solves aims at providing its audience and finding whether there is compelling need to use your app regularly or not. It is not just about finding the solution to a problem but it is also about whether your customers are showing readiness to pay for the use of your solution or not. Are they more interested to shift from the existing solution to that of yours? Has your solution solved the problem which no other could have done until now?
2- Design
Steve Jobs once mentioned, that a design is not just what it looks like and feels like but it is more about how it works.
Another key factor which decides the success of any application is its design for a specific audience. The look and feel of your application, product design and its usability should match with designated customer segment it has been created for. Aesthetically, designers must be very much clear on Interactive design, Service Design, and Visual Design. All three play a vital role in design principle management.
Application’s UI/UX design takes into consideration who the customer is and factors like age, gender, geographical location etc which plays a relevant role in how the application will look like.
3- Reach
App marketing, distribution, and monetization are very much important. It can actually make or break your mobile app. To give the application out in hands of your customers can be the most challenging thing which you as an entrepreneur can do. Although there are multiple channels of marketing, the only way to begin is to make use of every channel in early stages of mobile app promotion. This way you will know which channels will deliver the best results.
Laying out a great marketing strategy in a document with a week-wise plan across all the channels is essential. Thoroughly study the result of all your efforts across channels from a period of three to six months. This will give a better insight of the most effective channel that could deliver the best conversions.
4- Scalability
Scalability is another deciding factor which helps in understanding the user behavior more closely. Scalability decides how flexible and adaptive you are to your customers’ feedback and how better you can continue to add great features over a period of time. It is the ability of the application to handle the growing amount of users.
A great way of doing this is to identify a narrow segment, possibly within your circle of friends or extended network of friends. This could even mean reaching out to customers within your city.
Well, once you know about relevant components to be taken care while application development process, there are certain things which you must know before joining the league of mobile developers which are fighting to market successful mobile applications.
Things To Remember
1. Nail Your Design – design for success!
Just a rock-solid idea does not get you anywhere unless the design of the app is eye-catchy. People admire beautiful things and mobile applications are no exception. Mobile apps are as much disposable as websites are. If a user is unable to understand what an application does, he/she won’t take think twice before deleting it. Your application as a business solution must be useful, usable and desirable to make it a successful product.
Remember not to overload your user with tons of features, instead keep it simple. The application interface must completely explain its usability and value. However, unlike websites, apps require little space to integrate everything you want in your app. Instead of smacking your user with tons of features one after the other, it is better to keep it simple. Like a well-created tap, your app interface itself must completely explain its usability and value.
Pay attention to below mentioned things when designing a mobile application:
- a- Less Is More: Since you are designing for small screens, this objective should be really augmented.
- b- Bigger Matters: Although the screen is small, but big fonts, bigger buttons, and icons do matter.
- c- Flaws and Features: Be professional when you compare between flaws and features. Don’t make the mistake of considering flaws as features.
- d- Icons Do Matter: Icons are the first things a user sees. Always make the design fit overall theme of the app.
- e- Test Waters: Always ensure you test the design on every screen. It should appear same on all screens. Use experienced designers to get things done. Invite focus groups to make use of an app and ask them to perform certain tasks. If they are able to perform the same easily, it is good. Else UX of application needs improvement.
2. Magical Marketing Tricks – magic wand!
App Store is a marketplace of apps and therefore presentation of an app matters a lot there. Screenshots and a graphical view of your application play vital role in your app marketing plan. The first three screenshots are the mirror image of your application, therefore, they should highlight application’s best instances. Add videos if necessary. They are impactful. There are always reasons why some of the applications are on top. It could be a well-implemented SEO strategy, application functionality, and design or just a great ideation team.
a- Product Description
Maintain the uniqueness of the product description. Do not make it simply dry application description. If you have a big set of application portfolio then make it unique for each application. Videos do matter, therefore, try making a video of each application and promote it as much as possible.
b- Intelligence Gathering
Always keep track of the applications which are on top and check what keywords they are using but at the same time maintain your app’s individuality. There are tools available which can help you in integrating analytics in your application and this way you will come to know what the areas of improvisation are?
c- Branding and App Awareness
On every major site, maintain a social profile and keep it up to date. Offline promotion is not worth making unless the same is made hyperlocal of geo-location enabled. Run campaigns and contests inside high traffic location such as a mall or an online website via blogs and social media. Create hype on social media platforms and excite your users and make them curious for the new launch of your app. Spread awareness about the application.
d- SEO Pays Off
From as many quality sites as possible, try having as many backlinks as possible.
3. Retaining Client – the secret ingredient!
Retaining client is again a major task to be taken up and there are certain points to remember to retain clients in a better way.
- a- Always Be Professional: Simplicity and professional apps fascinate users. Always have the best possible application.
- b- Balancing Ads: Maintain balance in monetization or simply annoy your paymasters. Do not disappoint your users with too many ads. Keep a balance between paymasters and users.
- c- Transparency While Posting Ads: Always maintain transparency while using ads. In your app description page always clearly mention monetization plan or in-app purchases you are using.
- d-Regular Updates: Update often about the constant improvements. Constant improvements keep users informed.
- e- Support and Respond: Always ensure that your application support as many devices and devices screens. Also, give responses to your user’s feedback using email or add comments.
4. Monetization Is A Complex Task – pricing affects!
Monetization is a very complex task but we can be creative with them too:
- Always sell at a fixed price.
- Rent out the ad space.
- And now sell unique things in the application as in, in-app purchases.
You can have a PRO version with no ads and more features along with a FREE version, but with ads. For boosting sales you can use the free version.
More of It
The list of endless and if you are a novice in coding and practically you know nothing about coding, there are several ways of getting going.
a- Hiring A Dedicated Team
Hiring a dedicated team is also essential. For transforming your idea into a reality, just learning to code is not a feasible solution. Instead, it is important to look for a mobile app development partner and hire a dedicated team of developers for your project.
b- Consider DIY Tools
The application development market is full of DIY tools which allow mobile app development without even writing a single line of code. There are many tools available which allow you to develop, manage and test your app idea.
c- Focussing On The Technical Side
Developing a mobile application without any programming skills is really a daunting task. You must have at least an idea and knowledge about different technology stacks, frameworks, platforms and operating systems. Having such information will help you in making the right business decision for your application or product.
It is imperative to acquire the right team as a development partner which can help you in creating a revenue-generating mobile application.
Final Word
Well, parameters of measuring the success of any application vary. Sometimes it is just building a huge user base with any fascinating application is all that your business requires. So, if money is not what you are looking for then build something which pulls users and entices them to use it.
When you persistently build quality applications, the users start recognizing you as a brand and once you successfully create your fan base, you can convert your app ideation into a successful revenue generating model.
Here we bring you some of the golden mantras to promote you app 🙂 Check these out:
5 Essential Elements of Successful Mobile Application
How to Promote Your Mobile App – An Algoworks Guidebook
A Complete Guide to Offline App Promotion
3 Golden Rules To Acquire Loyal Users For Your App
How to Promote Your Mobile App through Social Media?
Bridging the Gap between Offline and Online Promotion of App
References: inc, yourstory, hongkiat, businesstown
Rachit Agarwal
