What you need to know before developing an app
There are almost 4.5 billion mobile app users around the world. Both Android and iOS offer their users roughly 1.5 million apps each. You could scroll for days in both the Google Play and Apple stores. That’s a rough market. If you are thinking seriously about creating a mobile app, there are a few things that require careful consideration before investing your time and money into it. After all the process is both time consuming and expensive.
Research Diligently
So, you have an idea. Before you get too far ahead of yourself, do some market research.
- What kind of audience will be interested in your app?
- How saturated is the target market?
- What makes your app different or better than what already exists?
You should have the answers to these questions before any developmental work begins as they will determine the outcome of the finished product.
Stand Out
1.5 million is a large crowd, but they aren’t all looking for the same thing. Find your niche and do it better.
- Is your app useful or entertaining?
- Can it be both?
Scout out any possible competition and look at what they’re doing right, and especially look at what they’re doing wrong and do it better. Highlight how you’re going to do it better to potential users and then deliver.
Clear Marketing Strategy
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel; there are proven strategies that work. It just takes a little research. Know what audience you’re trying to appeal to. Remember that simple is usually better, no need to over complicate.
To generate buzz pre-launch, you want clear and concise marketing while still retaining an air of mystery. Let your audience know what you do, but keep the majority of the bells and whistles close to your chest allowing a morsel of information out every so often.
Most importantly, don’t keep the audience waiting so long they lose interest. Set a release date that allows time to work out any bugs that might pop up during testing.
Know Your Budget
App development takes time and costs money. Many factors go into answer the question “How much does building an app cost?” Luckily, there are online tools to help with the estimation process.
Be sure to allocate funds appropriately. It may be a good idea to have a third party who isn’t emotionally invested in the app to keep an eye on the allocation of expenses. This will ensure that as little unnecessary expenditures as possible happen throughout the process.
As with anything else, you’ll want to prepare to go over budget, so you have a bit of a cushion if anything unexpected happens. Prepare for problems and delays during the testing process.
Conclusion
There is no recipe for success that is surefire, especially in such a volatile market, but following these tips will improve your chances tremendously. Developing an app is a process and not something to be undertaken lightly. It can be lengthy and requires many different resources, but it also has the potential to be extremely rewarding. Good luck to you in all your endeavors!