Building a mobile app is a big step for your business so it needs to be well thought out before starting to look for an app development agency. A mobile app can make all the difference for your business in regards to customers, revenue, and even reputation. Appster states that mobile app revenue is expected to reach $80.6 billion by the end of 2020. Not only are large corporations taking advantage of this while it’s still fresh, small-medium sized businesses are too! So if you’re still watching from the sideline, it’s time you joined the game.
You need to figure out how to monetize your app, if any customized features are needed, your target audience, and anything else in relation to your app’s design or development. With over 4 million apps in Google Play and Apple App’s store, it is important to understand the development process so you won’t waste valuable time or resources. You also need to know how your app will fit yet standout in the market. Here are the necessary steps to take before starting the development process.
Your business’s app needs to be a solution to a problem you’re having in your business, you need to have a bigger purpose in mind. Consider the problem and think about why this problem is happening and how can an app fix that. It can be to fill in a gap in the market, to boost your sales and revenue, to modernize your business and keep up-to-date with the latest trends.
You can even get your customers intake on this, which is never a wrong approach. Find out if your customers really need a mobile app, would it make the service better? Will it make their shopping experience easier? Your customers’ feedback can help you set clear goals for your app so you don’t lose focus and spend money on features you don’t need.
Besides checking if your app is in demand or not in the market, you need to check out your competitors’ game and what they’re doing. Many small businesses are picking up on the benefits of a mobile app and are already working on their app development; however, some are still in the blue. So, a well-developed mobile app will definitely give you leverage over your competitors.
Look at other apps similar to your idea, how can you make it better? What can you do differently? With small-medium sized businesses, the options wouldn’t be various, giving you the advantage to easily do better. By researching a competitor’s app in terms of the number of times an app was installed, the reviews or ratings, and an insight on the development, you would be able to better plan your own app.
This is not only limited to understanding who your target market is, whether it’s targeting teens, housewives, or small businesses because this is something you’re probably already familiar with when taking this step. But it means what devices do your customers use? Developing a mobile app for Android users is different from developing one for Apple users. Both require separate resources, development time, and strategy. Most businesses prefer to start with an Apple app because it consumes less time and money. An Android app takes more time to develop because Android has various devices and the screens come in many sizes. And of course, more development time is more money. It’s always best to start with one platform and then expand to the second platform next so the cost won’t be as high.
However, if your target audience is based in Asia or Europe, starting with an Android app is better because Android users are more than Apple users. But, if your target audience is the United States, an Apple app is your best option.
You want the best app possible for your business and that makes sense but, you need to make sure you’re not overspending on the development of useless features that aren’t necessarily needed.
Developing a single feature can cost up to thousands sometimes, so choosing your features is a big decision to make. Get a pen and paper and start jotting down what you want your app to do? Will it need a geo-location feature? To track down your location, in case of a transportation app like Uber or restaurant app. Will it need a search option? Third-party integration? In case of sharing on Facebook or Twitter. Your options are endless! Some businesses also have customized features, specified for your business and customers. Having a clear idea of all the features you need, will be a guide when developing and help your app reach its full potential.
When investing money into a big project like developing a mobile app, you need to work on a plan to compensate the money spent, and then gain revenue. Developing an app can be expensive and small-medium sized businesses are already on a tight budget. However, you need to set a budget for your mobile app depending on your app type, features, and many other factors.
You can request a free quote from a specialized developing agency like Softxpert with your app description and features to get an estimate of how much your app will cost. Small businesses make the mistake of assuming their mobile app is going to be a money maker once they launch it. However, that is not the case. First off, you need to monetize your app. There are multiple ways to do this, in order to pay off your investments and make money. You can have in-app sales and sell your products/ services, use ads, or make a premium account option with special features.
Conclusion:
These are a few factors to help you get a full image of your app and all it can be. After you have these points set, you look into who can handle this project, whether it’ll be freelancers, in-house developers, or outsourcing to an app agency. An app development agency will be the best option in regards to professionalism and quality, and there are many that target small-medium sized businesses or startups.