So are you next to planning to jump the bandwagon of Mobile app developers? Do I hear a YES? This means you have it all planned out. Fantastico!!! But it isn’t going to work. I am not being negative but when it comes to Mobile Application Development, the chances of getting a good rating from users are challenging. If you have had a bad experience with developing a mobile application, then you might want to reconsider this first.
Now, I understand you want to share your ideas with the world but if you do not follow a certain T&Cs, chances are it will cost you both downloads and revenue. Mobile app developers can be quite intimidating – one moment making you feel like Superman and next moment you are Donald Trump.
Think about it. Do you want to be a creator of “just-another-app” or do you want to create a benchmark project? Thought so! That’s why I give you 11 prominent tips that will help you to customize your mobile app in a more user friendly and precise manner. This can prevent you from getting sidetracked amongst your competitors.
1. Research, Research again & Research Well
If you are planning to kick start an application, you need to research what’s currently trending. Analyzing can give you proper insights regarding your competitors, their pros, cons etc. As a matter of fact, it can also help you to avoid any mistakes your competitor has done. Another crucial point is user reviews. Consumers are best critics as they give you blunt opinion straight from the heart. Scan what the users have to say regarding a particular app. Keep a note of both what they love and hate in an app (Personally, I hate when ads pop mercilessly :-/). Such points can assist you in winning customer’s heart.
2. App store optimization
You have a great creative title. But if you don’t have the kind of keywords that people use to “search”, chances of success is still murky. So make sure to fan out all the essential keywords that can skyrocket your app. Do not use both singular and plural version of keywords. Spelling mistake, exceeding your character limit etc. is bad. Situation becomes worse when you repeat the same keyword thinking that would help with ranking. To be honest, keep the description, title etc. short and sweet and make sure to proofread before launch. Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, Apptopia etc. are few websites that can help you in getting your competitor’s keywords.
3. What makes you Unique?
What possible features do you have that makes a user commit to you? I realize not everyone can afford to own every single feature. So make sure to narrow on the essential ones that users prefer. It is also crucially important to serve something out of the box. People are looking for something fresh. Believe it or not, the end user tends to get bored and frustrated quite easily. So make sure you deliver something unique.
4. User friendly features
Too much confusing programs can make the user move your app to “Uninstall”. Thus, make sure to provide easy to use without stuffing bunch of features. High speed networks such as 4G are setting the bar very high for both developers and users. Make sure your app doesn’t take any time to load. A data efficient mobile app is loved by many users. Too much time can eat up the mobile data of user. It also creates a bad impression on the user pushing them to put forth a negative review. Hence, make sure that the mobile application handles data proficiently and does not suck up all the data. Simultaneously, you can also deliver progressive indicator or animation while your app loads. This will calm down a restless user and give the message that the app is working but waiting for the network to get proficient.
5. What’s your budget?
Stating the obvious, mobile application development involves money. To top it, allocating them at the right stages of development is essential. If you have someone to keep a strict eye on your expense, your budget will remain unwaivered from the start to the end.
6. Opt for one sole platform
What is the platform you are planning to use – iOS, Android or Windows? It’s important you plan it early. If you are planning to launch on many platforms, make sure to inform the developers early. This will eliminate guesswork for the developers as well and save lot of time, energy and money.
7. Patience is a virtue
I do realize the idea came outright in your mind but you need to understand the fact that your app will not be available overnight. There are structures such as designing, programming and many testing stages. Keep a tag on your SOPs that will support you as you grow.
8. Run a test before the big launch
Once set, make sure to give it a test run before you launch it off to the market. Check the overall design (logo, colors, trademark and so on). Make sure that your mobile application developments are user friendly, easy to understand and deliver excellent performance. Testing it will give you the liberty to smoothen out any points that go unnoticed.
9. Secured payment and Privacy
It doesn’t matter if yours is a paid app or free. It all comes down to how much secured is your app. In fact, this is one of the most overlooked factors that many developers ignore. If your app is delving into personal info of users, then make sure their privacy is secured from malwares and potential threats.
10. Make your presence feel among target audience
Once you have created the application, you may build a website where you can promote your app. Many mobile app developers have a blog and undoubtedly, an FB and twitter account. Utilize them to the fullest and connect with your audience such as sharing the updates as and when your app grows.
11. Excellent App Description
Description says a lot about your app. Many users do not take the time to check out your website and go through the app details. This is where the description plays a fundamental role. Make sure to use the description to covers the key points especially how exactly the application will benefit the user. NOTE Google play store or Apple store displays only couple of lines from your description. This makes the users tap on the ‘Read more’ button to get through the entire description. So it is very, very critical that you make the first 2-3 lines creative enough to boost the conversion rate i.e. convert the users into your loyal customers.
To sum it up, these are no foolproof ideas in the mobile app world. Nevertheless, these tips can definitely work if you are serious about developing a mobile app and want it to stay for long time.