5 Question To Ask Yourself Before App Development
App development is a rewarding experience when your finished project delivers on your or your client’s expectations. But in the rush to become the first with the better and most user-friendly app, companies and clients often tend to have confused expectations from their apps. They try to incorporate what works for others thereby overlooking the target needs and objective of their own business which tends to do more harm than good, as every app needs to be unique just like every business. You don’t need an app that just performs all the functions that a normal website could, you need it to do it better and efficiently while reeling in more users.
To make this distinction on what features would help in encouraging users to become long-term clients, give maximum usage and ease of access; it is pertinent to outline a specific approach before app development. This brainstorming session doesn’t need to be too time-consuming as you can draft a simple and effective plan by just asking yourself the following five questions.
Q.1. Does the App Have Good Market Coverage?
Nothing can be sold without being marketed. You use either flashy billboards or cheesy commercials, or you boost your online presence through pop-up ads and recommendations on social media. An app cannot be expected to succeed by being thrown in the void of the internet and hoping for the best. Unfortunately, amateur businesses and unseasoned clients tend to overestimate their online presence in this manner. An app is only as good as the brand it represents. Before app development, it should be verified objectively how much traffic the app can expect to generate in the long run. Large firms like Target and Unilever have no shortage of customers who are aware of their offline existence and are very likely to attract a wide consumer base, but not all businesses can afford this full market coverage. Smaller businesses need to determine what type of market strategy best suits their purpose. The majority tend to utilize the undifferentiated marketing strategy which discovers the common aspect between their product/service and the needs of the consumer in the marketplace. This strategy has a greater success rate for start-ups that launch with online platforms first then spread physically via stores and offices.
If required try to take help from an industry experienced app development company.
Q.2. Who is Your Target Audience?
Every project is developed for a specific audience in mind. Shopping websites are for shoppers, but even under that category, we have various kinds of shopping avenues and customers. Banking facilities are for bank customers, but to reel in new customers and clients, you need to have features that promise the experience to be smoothly operated and with a variety of options to customize their services all while not compromising on the quality of the service. This may sound like a tall order, but nobody said it would be easy. Your app should be targeting a niche by solving some pressing problems at the very least to make it a necessity in every mobile user’s life. This does not negate the value of entertainment apps; it just requires you to be very creative and smart in your approach to the audience.
Q.3. What is the Expected Response from the App Development?
This step requires more thought and gives you a chance to manage your and your client’s expectations on what he can hope to achieve from his app. This isn’t meant to guess at what the outcome would be, no app developer can accurately predict the type of response it will receive from people, but it is always helpful to have a grounding reality check attached to your project. This will make you assess the factors that determine the perform-ability of the app. Device compatibility, competitive market, budget, future expansion, etc., are just some of the important considerations that need to be addressed before you release your app into the public eye. Your numbers should increase steadily in terms of usage and business transactions. For this, you need to record app usage, incoming traffic, number of hits you get on social media, etc. This will help you identify the strengths and weaknesses in your app and its perception among the public.
Also read How To Hire A Mobile App Development Company
Q.4. What is the Monetary Value of the App?
Every website, blog or app is essentially developed to create profit. Creating awareness is the first step, gaining profit from awareness is the second. You should have a strategy in place to monetize the app. In most cases, independent app developers rely on ads, subscription model, and in-app purchases to gain some returns from their platform but not all businesses can afford to risk their assets on these features. Most apps are pressed to generate more traffic to give the business a competitive edge in the market. However, this monetary angle is a two-way street. If it is an app that depends on consumerism then you need to ascertain the logistics of tracking products in exchange for money, set up a cost-efficient system for clients to make payments, determine which payment methods are more suitable for the business. What encryption methods can you incorporate to protect the client and their customers? These aspects need to be carefully considered to ensure the reliability of the app and gain the trust of its users.
Q.5. What are the Weak Links of Your App?
Is your app dependent on anything other than the business or operation that the app will endeavor to optimize? This is where you make risk assessments for the app development. If your app outsources work then how reliable is the workforce. If it involves money transfers then what security software are you going to install? Most companies rely on PayPal and Swift to ensure efficient and quick transfers, how reliable is the app development company depends on? Legal aspects also need to be dealt with including the privacy of clients and their information (if your database requires it) needs to be protected. Your app should be immune to hacks and malfunctions. A business is only as strong as its weakest link; your app is no exception. So, make sure you build the best one you can.
