October 8, 2018If you want to make it big in the business world, you need to get a foothold in the mobile marketplace.
It was estimated that over 2 billion people owned a smartphone in 2017. Countless people use their mobile phones as their main source of internet connectivity, and you’re missing out on valuable customers if you can’t connect with them.
If you want to stake your claim in this new business landscape, it’s time to look into getting an app of your own.
Mobile application development is a booming market. If you want to learn the right ways to handle app development for your business, read on to learn more.
Essential Tips For Mobile Application Development
Mobile developers are almost a dime a dozen in today’s world. A lot of people claim to know how to build apps, but few know how to manage development the right way.
A small mistake can have big consequences in the app development world. If your app isn’t solidly made, you could miss out on a lot of business.
Whether you choose to make your own app or hire a business or contractor to handle development, make sure this advice is followed in the development process.
Think About Purpose
Don’t make an app just so you can say that your business has one. When you develop an app you need to think about what its purpose is and how it adds value to the lives of users.
Do you want your customers to have an easier time buying items online? Have your app be checkout based and make it easy for people to browse and buy from you on their phones.
Are you interested in promoting different business locations? Give your app amazing location-finding features so people can find your business whenever they travel.
Think About The User
User experience is such an important part of app development that large development agencies often have entire departments devoted to it.
When you’re designing your app, you need to keep the user at the forefront of everything you’re doing. Their needs should be considered at all points in the development process.
If you’re having trouble getting into the heads of your customers, consider creating a buyer/customer persona. Taking time to outline the motivations and needs of customers can help you create a great app experience.
Invest In Design
You could have the best idea for an app that functions well, but if the app looks bad nobody will have it downloaded on their phones for long.
People spend a lot of time focusing on the importance of website design, but design in every digital and visual aspect of your business is just as necessary.
Regardless of who you have handling your mobile application development, make sure they understand the importance of visually appealing and functional design. The success of your app will depend on it.
Consider All Possible Platforms
In the past, it wasn’t unusual for some companies to only release apps for certain phones. An app may be available on iPhones, but couldn’t be used on Android devices.
Now people expect apps to work across all platforms. Don’t limit yourself to releasing on one. When you focus on one platform, you alienate millions of other users.
When you’re building your app, consider using a versatile programming language like React Native that makes it easy to build across different platforms.
Go Beyond The Internet
When most people use their smartphones they’re connected to the internet. An app that relies on a network connection can still be useful to users, but one that can operate without the internet can be even more helpful and appealing.
Home routers can drop connections and people can reach data limits. Having something reliable people can use to always stay connected to your business can be great for forming lasting customer and client connections.
Keep in mind that your app doesn’t have to be fully functional offline to be a success. An app that has a few key features available in both online and offline modes can resonate with users.
Tone Down Ads
Some businesses can make extra money off of their app by allowing advertisers to buy space in it. In app ads can help make you a little more money, but you shouldn’t sacrifice usability for a little more revenue.
Ads can interfere with app features or make them run slower. If you display too many ads, people could have a bad user experience or feel over advertised to. Either way, it can easily result in the loss of a customer.
It’s okay to try out an ad you think your users would find interesting, but don’t go overboard.
Utilize Helpful Phone Features
If you want to develop a successful mobile app, think about all of the tools the average phone has at its disposal.
Cameras aren’t just for taking selfies, they can do a lot to add to the user experience on your app.
Some business tend to forget that mobile apps will be used on phones. Start off utilizing phone features by doing something easy and making it simple for people to use the app to call customer service.
Incorporate a picture taking feature on your app that allows users to easily take pictures of products the app could identify. Use the phone to snap pictures of QR codes and give the user access to certain deals.
Test, Test, And Test Again
If you think not having an app for your business is bad, try having an app that doesn’t work well and is hated by most users.
You can’t tell if your app is going to be a major success, but you can at least ensure that it works the way it’s supposed to.
Building a functioning app is one part development, and one part quality assurance and testing. Testing key functionalities of your app on different platforms can help ensure that you’re releasing a successful product.
Next Steps
Now that you have some great advice on mobile application development, it’s time to focus on other digital aspects of your business.
You may be focused on mobile, but when was the last time you gave your website some attention? Read our post about the latest Google algorithm update and you can learn how to boost your site ranking.
And remember, we’re here to answer any questions you may have about digital marketing. Contact us today so we can talk about the best way to help your business.