Nowadays, mobile devices have become an integral aspect of our everyday lives. As a matter of fact, there are around 5 billion smartphone users in the world today. The main future of these devices is that they support all kinds of apps that are more or less useful to the users in some way.
That being said, there are over 3 million apps circulating the market these days. There are 1.6 million apps on the Google Play store while there are 1.5 million apps on the Apple store. In any event, apps are highly sought after by consumers, especially apps that are beneficial or valuable to them.
If you’re considering developing an app of your own, you must understand that you’re entering a highly competitive market. Just like with any other product, consumers have specific needs, preferences, demands and expectations when it comes to app’s functionality and performance. With that in mind, here are a few things you should know if you’re thinking of developing your own app.
Conduct market research
Before you delve any deeper into app development, you should take the time to conduct some market research. The main reason is that research will provide you with valuable information required to develop your app the right way, as well as ensure its success on the market. After all, you want to develop an app that’s useful to your customers and the best way to learn what your customers may want or need is through market research.
If you don’t focus on customer needs and expectations, your app simply won’t sell good and customers will soon lose all interest in it. That said, research can help you determine the needs of your customers, as well as determine how competitive apps are perfuming on the market. That way, you’ll be able to understand how to develop your app and which features to include that will make it not just interesting to your customers, but also make it unique.
Focus on the functionality
As mentioned before, consumers these days have specific expectations and needs when it comes to apps. In other words, poorly developed app with a lack of functionality won’t hold any consumer interest. Therefore, make sure your app is performing exceptionally and that it’s able to do what it was designed for. Otherwise, your app will quickly lose favor and you won’t be able to make any money out of it.
As an example, you might become ambitious enough to develop a cross-platform app that will encompass various devices. However, consider if you’re able to do it properly and if you lack the means or resources to do so, then avoid it altogether. It’s better to focus on a single platform and ensure your app is working properly than it is to go for a cross-platform feature only to have your app not functioning properly. Consumers will quickly notice that there’s something wrong with your app and they won’t hesitate to voice their dissatisfaction.
Secure proper funds
It’s no secret that developing an app costs money. You may develop it on your own, but if you want to make it right, you’ll have to invest in proper testing or bring in some professional help. What’s more, there’s also the issue of promoting your app once it’s ready for launch and you’ll need to fund a proper marketing campaign for it. That’s why it’s very important to secure the funds necessary for you to not only develop your own app, but also ensure that it’s visible on the market. There are various ways you can secure the fund for your app development.
As an example, you may consider investment options, such as crowdfunding, venture capital or angel investors. Each investor type would be equally interested in app development or tech startups. You can also consider taking a loan if you wish to fund your app independently, but you’d have to perform a credit check to determine if your eligible for a favourable loan to begin with. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages, so make sure you consider your options.
Promote your app
Marketing is a vital factor in your app’s success. As mentioned before, the market is highly competitive and the only way to make your app well-known is to promote it properly. You should consider app promotion even before you actually finish the app.
The main reason is that you have to build awareness for it over time so that there’s enough buzz surrounding it once it’s ready for launch. You can achieve that by utilizing various marketing strategies, such as social media marketing, email promotions content marketing and so on. The key is in developing an effective marketing campaign that will not only help you generate customer interest but also encourage them to download and buy your app.
Today, app development is on the rise. Everyone wants to capitalize on the growing need for functional apps. If you’re considering developing your own app, you must familiarize yourself with the market, as well as the competition you’re up against so that you’ll have more chances of succeeding in such an environment.
