Here’s a fundamental modern rule for business growth: have a functional mobile app for your business.
Today's industry is increasingly mobile, literally. If your word travels, you sell. The best way to do this is via mobile apps. Creating an app for your business will connect you with consumers and spark dialogue around your products or services.
However, there are many myths that discourage businesses from creating mobile apps. Here are a few, busted.
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All you need is a great idea
Sure, your idea is unique; but is it feasible? You must assess your idea to make sure it's practical, scalable, useful, reliable and, most importantly, user-acceptable. If the idea is exclusive, there’s a chance that others won’t appreciate it.
Let’s consider Google Wave. I bet you’ve never even heard of the app. It was basically a communication tool, but the idea was so unique that Google couldn’t explain the app to consumers. In the rigmarole to learn a new app without knowing why, Wave lost its hyped charm and was eventually taken off the market.
Mobile app development is just coding
Mobile app development goes way beyond coding. An app developer needs to understand the basics of design, UX, cross-coding functionalities, architecture and framework, and much more.
When developing an app, you need to stay updated on market trends and be proficient in both iOS and Android, bridging gaps between the two. Support between cross-platform apps becomes important while designing an app.
Don't be deceived by the size of an app. There are multiple stakeholders during an app development life cycle. A sound strategy and collaboration among the teams ensures the proper development of an app.
Building the first version is easy
While many believe building the first version of an app actually takes the longest to build, it may take weeks, even months, to build the first version. It all depends on the scalability and app requirements.
As a developer, you need to fix the basics of the app. You don’t want to walk out there with an app that’s too rushed and does close to nothing. Take your time; build the first version without functional errors.
Visitors will pour in
We live in an advertised world. What we see is what we invest in. We will never be aware of a situation unless we’re informed about it. Mobile apps follow a similar logic.
Uploading an app is not the end; it is the start. To make your app visible in the market, you need to publicize it. No matter how brilliant it is, it's useless without proper marketing.
As of March 2018, Google Play has 2.2 million apps, and the Apple Store has 2 million apps. How do you optimize your app? How do you make the top 10 list? Sit down, sketch and revise a strategy while the app is being developed. Developing an app is only half the work; what makes it complete is the way you showcase it.
App store optimization will give you loads of traffic
Again, the app store has approximately 2 million apps. No app will make it on the top 10 or the top 50 by itself. Not even ASO can build Rome for you in a day.
It’s not the app itself that generates traffic; it's the way you display your app to the masses that does. Devise a marketing plan, target social media (if you don’t do so already) and focus on your customer segment. Divert all the channel traffic toward the app.
Once your customer downloads the app, they'll use it regularly
It doesn’t matter if your app has a million downloads if it doesn’t have a comparable number of active users. Your app can be deemed a hit only if users are revisiting it regularly.
Here’s what I mean: We have a number of apps on our phone. We use a bunch of the same apps every single day, multiple times a day, while others lie dormant in our phone. Those apps have little to no use to us, and this happens to millions of apps every day. Your app isn’t successful if it isn’t turning downloads into active users.
Your quality app features will surely bring success
Here’s your greatest downfall: you’re mistaking a feature for a benefit. A feature is the fancy part of an app, whereas a benefit relates to the usability of an app. Figure out what it is your consumers want and develop an app based on those findings. Remember, features don’t make an app great - benefits do.
Mobile app analytic data will tell you exactly how your app is performing
Yes, mobile app analytics help you gauge your app’s performance. However, you’re looking at the overall performance of the app.
Here’s what you should be doing:
- Looking for screens with minimal engagement
- Locating the complex engagements
- Measuring and comparing your app performance on different screens
- Identifying the screen at which the users leave the app
Pointers like these (and more) help you in up-keeping your app in every minuscule aspect.
Your marketing campaign will be a costly affair
I’m sure you’re aware of Facebook and LinkedIn, the two social (and professional) media giants. They invest heavily in their marketing campaigns to expand their reach. But do you know their main source of publicity? Word of mouth.
Paid publicity is the easiest way to go, but not always the most effective. How and where you invest your finances is what matters. It's important to draft a marketing strategy while promoting an app. Ensure that you cover social media, email, review marketing and others while drafting a strategy. In the end, it is all about smart investments and returns.