10 secrets for developing your mobile app
From proposal definition to outreach planning: check out 10 key secrets for developing a mobile app!
Creating a mobile app is not an impossible task, but it requires a lot of care and an investment. Joining good tools, programming and a language that reaches the target audience, it becomes possible to achieve success, attracting thousands or millions of downloads.
It's no secret, by the way, that the mobile app is the big trend in the mobile market these days. After all, how can you think about cell phones and tablets without taking into account their apps? Difficult, isn't it?
Overnight, we're using apps for different functions. There are, for example, social networking apps, which we use to chat with other people, share and consume different content. There are also those with a variety of utilities, such as banking apps, appointment books and more.
A day without a cell phone, therefore, can already cause a big stir in our heads.
Day after day, companies even launch new applications for the mobile market. They seek to attract the attention of users and, consequently, also draw the attention of professionals who are interested in this area.
If there is a demand for creating mobile apps, there is likewise a demand for good professionals. Those who develop the best work and exceed the expectations given to them.
Throughout this text you will receive a series of tips for creating and developing a mobile app. Read on and, at the end of it, you will definitely be better prepared for the development of your app!
Come on?!
10 secrets for developing your mobile app
1. Before creating an app, look for the best niche
First, try to find a problem that your mobile app can solve. Think that if the proposal is to offer a solution, you must first have the problem at hand.
Remember that the success of a mobile app is highly dependent on what it offers users. It's not common for people to leave apps on their phones and tablets for no reason.
They are usually there to assist with everyday tasks, such as enabling communication. Not even those with a lot of internal space tend to leave apps useless on their mobile devices.
A tip, then, is to do a brainstorming process. Pay attention to the problems you face in everyday life and try to get some inspiration from them. Likewise, situations that people close to you experience can also help you.
Want an example? It could be that, in the current economic crisis, many of your friends are without a job, but they have diverse backgrounds. Why isn't there a platform for people like them to advertise their services in order to secure an income?
In this way, propose solutions to problems that really exist. Seek to impact users with simple and useful proposals on a daily basis. Therefore, success will surely come and your mobile app will be the target of loads and loads of downloads.
2. Define the structure of your mobile app
If identifying a problem for your mobile app to solve is a first step, the second is to structure the app. Application development requires the creator to plan the main features of the product right from the start.
Find out, for example, which mobile operating systems your app will work on. Keep in mind that the top three these days are Android, iOS, and Windows Phone. The more operating systems it is able to support, the more users you can receive.
Also, think about the navigation structure your app will offer users. Also think about the app's online and offline behavior, and don't forget to plan accessibility issues.
Therefore, never forget to think about the basic features of your product at the first moment.
3. Have you ever heard of scalability?
Here we go: scalability, when it comes to mobile apps, is about expanding systems. In other words, it's about optimizing the app's processing power to use resources as little as possible.
This means that mobile apps must be designed so that they can work on different devices. Whether in the most robust ones, with a high amount of memory, or the simplest, with fragile processing and low network connections.
This way, more servers use the app and the servers don't overload.
When talking about the growth of the user base, by the way, the importance of having functions to integrate social networks, such as login via Facebook, emerges. Thus, more and more users will get to know your proposal.
4. Bet on a good layout for your mobile app
Think of design as the first contact the user will have with your app. In fact, he is often responsible for the good or bad acceptance of a mobile application.
In this way, therefore, work very well on the elements that make up the layout, such as branding, information architecture, navigation patterns and screen transitions. Propose a unit and let users recognize your app by the simplest elements like colors and even fonts.
More and more, in fact, minimalism is gaining strength and ends up being a simpler path, which is good in two ways. Pay attention to trends and bet on intuitive content, especially if your target audience is more general.
Likewise, don't forget to use a font large enough to read on devices. Also, get deep into your content, detailing information to gain user confidence.
5. Gamification can be a good idea
Anyone who believes that gamification only serves games is wrong. On the contrary, it is a gimmick that can greatly collaborate with any type of application.
To gain user loyalty, application development needs to be concerned with their experience. In other words, it is not enough for someone to download the app; he needs to enjoy using the app to continue using it.
When browsing a mobile app is too hard, the probability of abandonment by users grows. However, if it offers something more, the user is likely to stay.
So, think about using game logic to your advantage. Offer rewards to users, for example, so that they want to interact with your tool.
This can even leverage the good ratings of your app.
6. Protect yourself from copying
You may have heard that everything in the world changes, right? Well, good ideas too!
Whenever an interesting proposal starts to be successful, it is common that others that are very similar start to emerge. Some are the result of inspiration, while others are the result of copies... The important thing, therefore, is to protect yourself against copies!
"But how do you do this?" you might ask. It's simple! Document your mobile app from the very first steps and record everything you do. Know that there is software that can help you in this process, so look for the best ones!
7. Have good professionals on your side
Creating a good mobile app is not an easy task. Therefore, it becomes even more difficult when you do not have good professionals.
In this way, worry about putting together a team of professionals with specializations. There are different tasks that require different professionals.
Remember, for example, that design is one thing and software development is another. There are many technologies at play, therefore.
8. Who is your target audience?
Remember when we talked about identifying a problem for your mobile app to be able to solve? Well then, there is another very important issue: define your target audience.
Even if you want to reach as many people as possible, there will be a target audience. If you ignore this issue, chances are you won't hit anyone and fail.
Find out what age group and what public profile you want to reach. And remember that for every audience, there is an ideal language to use.
9. Test before publishing
Imagine the danger of publishing a mobile app without first testing the tool. The risk of going wrong is great, huh?
So, right after developing even the smallest details of your app, test it out as often as necessary. Every function on the platform must work optimally to avoid frustration for future users.
Remember, once again, that user satisfaction is what needs to happen for your mobile app to be successful. Tests can reveal as-yet-unseen flaws and, consequently, point to solutions.
10. How will your mobile application be promoted?
In order for people to get to know your mobile app, you need to bring it to them, right? In this way, plan well how the process of publicizing your project will take place.
Use whatever means you can to get your work public. Social networks, websites, videos and various ads, for example, are some of the possibilities. Don't forget, however, to filter this disclosure to the audience you want to reach; after all, it's no use presenting your mobile app to those who won't consume it, isn't it?
Anyway, follow this step by step and, for sure, the results will appear. Also, don't forget that FWC Tecnologia is an application development company, and we'll help you in this process!
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