15 Things to Keep in Mind While Developing a Mobile Application

In 2019 alone, over 204 billion mobile app downloads were registered across the world, as per Statista. Mobile applications a.k.a. software developed to be used on smartphones, tablets, and other wireless devices have outgrown any other field in the IT industry. As of now, there exist 3.5 billion smartphone users in the world, and that certainly poses as a target clientele with an enormous potential of generating revenue through different kinds of Apps and Mobile services.

With the advents in the internet and ever-increasing coverage of communication networks, none could fathom it till two decades ago that mobile apps will change the world, in fact, will mark a significant change in day-to-day life as well. As per Statista, the revenue generated worldwide from mobile apps was just USD 97.7 billion, which is expected to reach USD 581.9 billion. Wait, the lucrative figures just end here, revenue from mobile apps has just set on a rocketed ride and projected to touch USD 935.2 billion marks by 2023.

Are these figures giving you a tickle? Absolutely yes! For anyone who wants to step up his business and increase their profits will immediately think of getting their business out in front of the world through mobile apps. E-commerce is just another big example of this. With Amazon, eBay, Flipkart, Alibaba, and other platforms, mobile apps have carved a different niche in the IT and online industry altogether.

Now when you are hooked to know more about the advantages and possible profits that mobile apps can generate, the question that boggles your mind is –

What all should you keep in mind while developing a mobile app? Well, here are the 15 points that you must take into consideration.

1. Concept Proofing/ Brand Design

2. Market Research

3. Budget & Investment

4. Target Audience

5. Platform (Native or Hybrid)

6. Database/ Payment Method/ APIs/ TPAs integration

7. UI/UX Design

8. Updating App and Content

9. Backend Infra/ Bug fixing/ App Speed

10. A/B Testing or Micro Testing

11. App promotion & Marketing Campaign

12. Social Media Integration

13. Analytics

14. Competition Tracking

15. ROI and Turn Around Time

We have just pointed out the figures in the mobile app industry vertical and things that you must keep in mind while developing your mobile app. Now let’s delve deeper and know the knacks of all these things.

Concept Proofing/ Brand Design

Concept and Design both create the foundation of your mobile app. The first question in the ideation process should be – will my mobile app present a solution to the problems that my audience is facing? You must have a foolproof concept that can hit the crowd and instantly pop up on the screens of the audience as you have perceived. Isn’t that the reason why it’s said – give them what they need instead of just getting what they want. In a nutshell – ‘your mobile app solution must propose the currently existing customer demands.’

Alongside this, what do you think can make you look like a standalone solution provider? – ‘A Brand Stamp.’ Yes! You heard that right. Right from the brand logo to its presentation on the first screen of your mobile app and expansion of the same color theme across all screens and phases is equally important. It won’t be an exaggeration if we say that ‘instant recognition’ of your mobile app is the first step to its success.

While you make a note of concept proofing and brand designing, do not forget that these initial steps are all about – research, research, and research! You must know what makes you different from others and what breakthrough you are bringing.

Market Research

Will you step out of your house without checking the weather? Absolutely No! the same process must be followed when it comes to the development of a mobile application. You must undertake thorough market research. As we have already said – keep asking yourself, ‘what makes your mobile app standalone amongst the billion others?’ Who knows your exact same idea is already in the framing process by any of the fortune 500 companies?

We don’t want to startle you; it’s rather a cautious step that you must take and begin market research as soon as you put your mobile app idea into the conceptualizing process. You can begin with a simple research on Google or in Playstore by simply entering the related keywords, or perhaps you can discuss the idea with a seasoned and expert mobile app development company that can help you in the ideation process along with in-depth market research. It’s the first step that we make our partners take at Biz4Group when they want to develop and launch their mobile apps.

The final takeaway here is to check the user requirement in the present as well as in the future. What if your developed mobile app fails to generate traction amongst the same audience in the near future? That is why buckle up for the in-depth market research or hire an expert like Biz4Group, who have even helped fortune 100 companies.

Budget & Investment

The higher the investment, the better the outcome can be. If not 100%, this statement does hold a major stake in defining the success of your mobile app. Whether it is about features, User Interface, TPIs, or other details, you need to first decide on the budget before beginning the app development. Both the cost and time of development are crucial in getting a mobile app to the audience. Also, a realistic approach is needed to adroitly figure out the price to market, because it isn’t just development but the marketing and advertising costs that add up in your end product.

It was the dawn of start-up age that brought different investment avenues to the front, but they existed for long. Whether you call it venture capital, angel investment, public share or any other term, today, a number of companies that have risen from start-ups to unicorns is because of the investment they could attract and expand their business plan on a greater scale. If you, too, have an idea of a Mobile App that can certainly bring a breakthrough in the existing market, it will be a smart step for you to showcase your prototype/MVP to investors and get more money for developing the mobile app of your dreams.

Target Audience

Giving a glance at statistics, 21.3 billion mobile apps were downloaded from the Google play store in 2019 alone. With the number of smartphone users worldwide increasing rapidly, the number of mobile app downloads is also going to increase. Statista has projected a revenue generation of over USD 9953 billion through paid downloads and in-app advertising. The reports further stats that by Q4-2019, 257 million mobile apps were available in the Google Play Store, and 1.8 million mobile apps were available in the Apple App Store. Can you fathom what potential does this global industry vertical possesses with over 3.5 billion smartphone users? That’s a sure-shot pool of business profit, waiting for you to dive in.

Audience or potential clientele is the most crucial aspect for you to keep in mind while developing a mobile application, as it is they who will decide whether your app floats or drown. Even a brilliant idea for a mobile app can’t assure you success in the future. You have to make sure that your customers really want what you are offering them. Or, in other ways, ‘Try to know your customer’ is the secret mantra for the success of your mobile app, both geographically and demographically.

Platform (Native or Hybrid)

Further to add, the market research isn’t just confined to figure out what the audience needs or what is available or not in the market. You also have to figure out the platform on which you are going to develop your website. The US has a ratio almost opposite to the rest of the world when it comes to comparison on iOS to Android, where iOS market share is 56% as compared to just 43.5% for the latter. Globally, Android has maintained a 74.13% market share by December 2019 and holds the first position of the leading platform for mobile applications.

If you are looking to get your mobile app launched, right with the conceptualization and budget fixing, you must decide on the platform you want your app to be built on. It can be the simplest way to state that if you have enough capital to invest, you should get your app developed for both iOS and Android, which will maximize your chances of increased revenue growth. On the one hand, native apps come with pros of high performance, better UX, broad functionality, and store’s support. While, on the other hand, the development of apps on cross-platform gives benefits of lower costs, faster development, and easy maintenance.

Database/ Payment Method/ APIs/ TPAs integration

Some of the major factors like data structure, size of the data to be stored, speed, scalability, accessibility of data, safety, and security should be kept in mind during the development of a mobile app. Though there are several databases like SQL or MongoDB available to be used on open platforms with different development languages, yet you need to choose the most appropriate one depending on the requirements of your mobile app.

Whether it is an E-commerce platform or any mobile app that offers products or services, payment method, and integration of payment gateways is also way crucial. Whether it is making payments, booking tickets, making transactions, or any monetary activity, even BFSI industry apps are also rendering services of TPAs for establishing payment gateways. Further, with the API frameworks like Express.JS and Symfony, better quality mobile apps can be developed within minimum time.

Altogether, these mobile app development components ensure the smooth functioning and better security of the application and customer data that it utilizes to provide services.

UI/UX design

User Interface and User Experience are the factors that decide whether you win or lose your battle in markets. Just in case, if the users aren’t happy with the UI of your app, there are higher chances that they will abandon your app and move onto your competitor.

Content is one thing that we will talk about in the further segment, but the presentation is the first impression that your customers will come across. That is why stress more of UI and UX while you are giving downloads to your mobile app development company. We suggest, go with an experienced and expert team, where not one but a whole team of designers can work onto your mobile app slides and make it better presentable, taking you ahead of your competition.

The clarity in the user interface is much more important than other things because a really intuitive design can get your audience stick to your app. After all, we live in a world where user experience defines your success. Further, creating a conversational flow is also very important. A mobile app with lesser input options always performs better than an app with multiple input options at every stage. Lastly, we suggest you don’t over push notifications in your app. Bingo! You are set to rocket your app in the sky of success.

Updating App and Content

Updates and upgradation are as crucial as developing a new app. Take the fact seriously that with constantly updating platforms and OS, you must keep on updating your app as well. Therefore, we suggest that you stick to the partner who is developing your website for post-delivery services as well. This is a perfectly wise decision as to the ones who have created the app, for you can better handle the updating of it. Alternatively, you can also take the download of coding from developers and take care of the mobile app update by yourself.

‘Content is the King’ – this slang became a saying in no time, and today it is one such crucial factor that determines the success or failure of your mobile application. Quality and engaging content coupled with smartly designed UI will keep your users gripped while generating more audience traction along the side. Not just this, regardless of the vertical that you serve in (except that of gaming segment), you need to update the content time-to-time and keep your audience interested.

Backend Infra/ Bug fixing/ App Speed

Once you have ideated the application and your mobile app development partner has developed the UI/UX and front-end for your app, it’s time you focus on the backend as well.

Though your users won’t experience the backend, yet it is the foundation of your mobile app. Consider, backend as the strong concrete foundation on which a beautiful building with an attractive façade is giving a breathtaking view to the viewers.

Today, with the advents in the IT field, most of the apps are based on APIs. Still, some of the apps need customization in that and can’t be based on a local database.

When your app is developed following an agile methodology where wireframing, prototyping and development processes are rigorously followed by quality assurance tests, you get a better functioning mobile app with no glitches and no bugs.

Further to this, you should not forget that the speed of your app functioning is another important element that decides the success of your app. If loading, downloading, or accessing pages of your mobile app are taking time longer than expected, there are higher chances that users may fall off, and you end up losing the business. A tip – always include animation or moving symbol for your user’s action and get the bugs related to speed fixed at the highest priority.

A/B Testing or Micro Testing

Ask a question – how do you know what can work for your mobile app or what can grip more user to your app? That’s where A/B testing comes into the picture, or what we call ‘Quality Assurance’ or ‘Testing’ phase.

Following the process of micro testing, where your internal team or your development partner tests the mobile app for certain days to check the faults, shortcomings, bugs, and other issues with the app. Today, this is considered as an important step of the agile methodology because it helps in achieving valuer faster and getting the final tested mobile app to the user on different platforms in shorter time durations.

App promotion & Marketing Campaign

Some of the developers suggest creating a website where you can put your mobile app’s APK file for download and installation. Also, you can add keywords, metatags, and other SEO techniques to create visibility of your website. But, that’s just one way of putting it out there. We, at Biz4Group, suggest that the mobile app that you have ideated with great efforts must get the right place amongst the top trending ones and for that comes in handy the digital marketing services that we offer.

Stating clearly, if you have created a native app, it’s better to put it on its respective app store, Android, iOS, or other. Further, investment in marketing is as crucial for you as the development of the app itself. Today, we live in the world where you can sell your product only if it’s visible to the right audience, and for that, you need to put in the right efforts.

Along with digital marketing, media communication (print and digital), brand establishment, and social media buzz, other paid or free advertising channels should also be utilized to create a brand image of your mobile app amongst your target audience. A cleverly thought marketing campaign can lead you to better profits in minimum time. Some of the good examples are Google duo, Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and mobile gaming apps like candy crush and PUBG, which have become amongst the most downloaded app worldwide.

Social Media Integration

There has been a constant debate about the fact that what impacts the online (Web and Mobile) platform more – Social Influence or Brand Value? We say, consider them inseparable, and you will succeed in gaining a larger audience for your app. The integration of social media sites has become integral in the modern age mobile application because they do not just help you reach out to more people but also helps your existing users with better customer experience.

Indeed, reviews, feedback, and comments are the major benefit that the integration of social media into your mobile app brings for you. It increases the scope of your people's outreach and also creates an alternate channel for you to create your brand image on the various social media handles. For say, E-commerce apps focus more on social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Twitter, whereas, BFSI or tech companies can leverage more from platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook for their mobile apps.

Analytics

‘Data’ – one word that has redefined the whole business world. Right from the inception to the establishment and success of any mobile app greatly depends on data analytics. With big data coming into the picture, analytics has evolved even more. Mobile apps like Facebook, Amazon, and others utilize the user data to give a more personalized experience to their users.

At the same time, it turns to be your responsibility that whatever user data you use for the analytics process in enhancing your business profits, you must ensure data privacy and security to your users.

If your app is facing lower adoption rates or any other changes in user interaction, analytics can become handy in giving you the right reports and correct projections to set the course of profit again and save your investment and the app. The way social media app – TikTok has come out of a great fall is because of its timely understanding of the user experience and using the advance analytics in determining what should be the new course to reach success.

Competition Tracking

Yes! You must test the waters before you enter. Right, when the process of ideation, research, and conceptualization starts; competition tracking must begin alongside. This step is intentionally kept different from market research for a reason.

While market research tells you of how feasible your app idea is, competition tracking alongside your app development helps you in understanding the business strategy of your competitors. So that, by the time you put your app out for users, you can present your app in a way that it gets ahead of your competitors and give you an edge over them. Knowing your competition helps you in coming up with a better and more innovative mobile app, which can help you carve a niche for yourself and give you a stronghold in the online market space.

ROI and Turn Around Time

Why did we put effort into our previous 14 steps? The answer is simple and right in front of you – ‘Return on Investment in Minimum Turnaround Time.’ Though most of the apps available on online stores are free, yet there are a number of ways of monetizing your app, like – in-app ads, in-app purchases, paid app downloads, and others.

Speaking in the tone of a statistically sound accountant, your actual business profit begins when you have achieved the ROI in minimum turnaround time. Following the steps that our experts at Biz4Group suggest, you can certainly accomplish that for your mobile application.

Any more queries? Just reach out to us, and we will take care of it.