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How to Create a Successful App

Mobile apps are inextricably woven into the fabric of our daily lives. Whether for entertainment or information purposes, or simply to stay in touch with friends and family, apps make up 90 percent of our daily mobile phone use. But while there are millions of apps available, most of us use only a handful per day. This makes the app market ultra-competitive, and in order for some apps to gain significant user attention, they must have a competitive enough edge to stand out from the crowd. This means a product that is well-built and well-fitted to market needs, so as to ensure success.

What actually makes an app successful?

There are three main components that must come together in order to create a successful app: the market, the user, and the product itself. All these factors work together to provide users with the unique value, great usability and good performance they seek out in an app.

So how does one go about creating a successful app? That seems to be the million-dollar question every entrepreneur asks when planning their digital transformation. After all, it’s one thing to have an incredible mobile app idea. Making sure it ends up – and stays – on users’ mobile devices, however, is a whole other ballgame. The first step is to safeguard your app’s visibility in this highly competitive environment. App creation is no easy task, so hiring an app developer is a vital part of the process. A good app developer is cautious about the fundamentals that make up a successful app, and knowledgeable of the whole development process, in order to be able to offer optimal solutions to their clients.

We break down the 5 tips for making a successful mobile application:

1. Understand and identify your audience

In order to create a successful application, you will firstly need to take into consideration the people who will be using it. This means identifying the target audience – their demographic and psychographic characteristics – as well as the market need for the app idea you are proposing. Market research is very important in this case. Search for statistics and insights, peruse forums pertaining to your interests, check current trends, conduct a poll, and gather user feedback. Once you have collected your data, start narrowing down your target audience to a niche. After all, it’s impossible to serve everyone, especially at the beginning. Start small, target your idea towards a small group of users, and work your way up.

2. Define your business model

Today, you will find that there are thousands of apps out there, all serving a similar purpose. It’s therefore a good idea to plan ahead and find a business model that suits your needs so that you can begin monetizing and promoting your brand straight away. Analyzing your competition is a good way to kick off your project and find the right approach for you. When it comes to monetizing your app, there are a number of business models you can look into – from video ads to in-app purchases. Choose the right and appropriate approach according to your app type, and don’t forget to generate buzz before your launch in order to attract and engage your target audience ahead of time.

3. Choose the right technology

Now is the time for those technical skills to shine. How an app is built is just as vital to its success. You can choose among platform-specific native apps, cross-platform native apps, and hybrid apps, all of which come with their own specific pros and cons depending on the functionality and purpose of your mobile app. Another important aspect is selecting a programming language – specifically one in which your app developer has proficient skills and expertise. And of course, no matter the technology and development process you follow, it’s imperative that this is adequately aligned within the budget and timeframes specified at the start of the project.

4. Design a simple and intuitive UX/UI

A well-designed app is one of the key factors of its success. People want to use apps that are simple and intuitive, and that goes for both UX and UI. This means that while a snappy, polished interface may generate a happy feeling when using the app, the UX is just as crucial when it comes to simplicity of use. There are plenty of components to think about when designing your app, and even the simplest element can bring value. For example, an easy-to-use registration process will lead to higher download numbers, while well-designed onboarding will make it more likely that users will stick around. Tasteful graphics, animations and interactions also make a world of difference to users so take these into consideration.

5. Plan a marketing strategy

Once you’ve designed and developed your app, marketing it efficiently and effectively is the final and equally important step. A good marketing strategy requires meticulous planning, scheduling and control, especially in a world saturated with information and content overload. Grabbing – and holding – users’ attention is harder than ever, so it’s best to start as soon as possible. This means creating buzz for your app before it even hits the app store. Focus on creating curiosity and communicating the advantages of using the app and get your audience hooked through social media and press promotion, SEO, alternative app stores, even reaching out to influencers who can get first dibs on your app and promote it to their vast audience.

As app development becomes all the more popular, you may find several shortcut, drag-and-drop app builders on the market. But as we outlined above, there is so much more to building a great app than simply putting together the pieces. It takes expertise, a skilled approach, and practical development methods to get each and every component just right. That’s why it’s best left to the hands of a reliable app developer from an enterprise mobile app development background. After all, even the most brilliant idea is worth nothing without great execution.

Our team has been developing great apps for clients for years. Contact us today to find out how we can help turn your app idea into a successful reality.