5 tips for developing successful mobile apps

Given the quick pace of technology and the speed of mobile adoption we need to focus on what is required to succeed in the mobile space. These devices are fast becoming the primary way of communicating and consuming information around the globe. What features does your app have to help it succeed? What do you […]
Last updated: April 2, 2013

Given the quick pace of technology and the speed of mobile adoption we need to focus on what is required to succeed in the mobile space. These devices are fast becoming the primary way of communicating and consuming information around the globe.

  • What features does your app have to help it succeed?
  • What do you need to provide to get user to love your app and keep coming back?

Here are 5 tips for developing successful mobile apps.

1. Your users must have a great experience

You don’t normally notice I.T. – great software is designed to be used and not seen. However you really notice when things don’t work, like when you can’t get on to the Internet, or your device is slow.  You get frustrated when you cannot find the right button to complete the task you set out to finish.

Bad specification of the technology and poor user interface design (how the experience looks, where the buttons are, and how the flow of the application works) is also a big factor.

We all use computers and electronic devices so much we now begin to take them for granted.  We as users now demand a level of satisfaction provided by being productive. In the same way we now expect an app or service to work well on mobile.

Businesses creating these experiences need to be aware of their own needs on mobile, and pull themselves back from the unconscious user level to look at why things work, or do not work for them.

2. Make it unique

There is room for more than one player in any market, but as we grow the app stores will become more cluttered.

Here is one big tip for success: Do not regurgitate all of the same content you have on your website or that your competitors produce.

If you want to be successful in the world of mobile apps, you need to have something new, unique and valuable. Play to the device’s strengths and create something engaging for your consumers.

It’s not that hard to find your unique value in your business, and match it to the wants and needs of your target market. Think about what you do, and remember that there is always some one out there that wants what you have.

3. Technology must be robust

Smart phones are complex devices and they talk to internet based devices that have equally complex systems around them. These devices are in the cloud, if you prefer, looking after the data and interactions, relationships and connectivity of the devices.

When building an app you must consider not only the user experience on the device, but also the environment they are in, the connection options available and the task they are trying to achieve. Beyond that we need to specify and maintain the servers to collect and manage data, the connectivity and security of these systems, and any interactions with other services that must be built and monitored to ensure a smooth user experience.

4. Your content must be focused and have an end result

Your app should play to the strengths of mobile, noting that each app is focused to a specific task, and it is used for only a short period of time.

Ensure you are focused on your user and understand their needs and the problems they have. Look at other existing solutions and find out what is wrong with those, with a view to doing it differently to ensure you don’t inherit the same issues.

Keep it simple, your users will thank you, as they can get their task done and move on. This is also important for you in the development phase to keep costs reasonable.

5. Choose your battles

Building an app is expensive with a simple application taking 80+ hours just for the coding.  You also need interface and graphic design, and possibly back end coding too for supporting services. You may also need to build for Android and iOS so that will almost double your costs for different code and design. It can be a big investment depending on your needs, so you must be clear on your outcome for the business.

Make sure you are strict with your feature set, and ensure you choose a developer that you get on with, and have set out the roles and responsibility with. Don’t invest in a massive app, start small and build up. This works well from a marketing point of view as you can release regular small updates to create little stories.

If you’d like some assistance creating and launching a mobile app or website for your business, drop us a line, we’d be only too happy to assist you.

If you enjoyed this blog, don’t be shy, please share the love with your network!

Duncan Isaksen-Loxton

Educated as a web developer, with over 20 years of internet based work and experience, Duncan is a Google Workspace Certified Collaboration Engineer and a WordPress expert.
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