Apps are used by millions of people every single day. The idea of creating a successful app is an intriguing one, but one that requires more than just a little thought. How do you know if people will download it? How do you retain consumers? If you have fresh ideas and the drive to create the new ‘in’ app, then read on – here are eleven tips on creating a successful phone app.
1. Find a Gap in the Market
Think about the apps you use daily and then sketch out some ideas on what is missing. Maybe you use a photo-editing app, but certain features are missing that would take it from good to great. Finding a gap in the market isn’t just about coming up with an idea which isn’t there already, it can be as simple as improving on apps that are already available. You will need to do extensive research to see what is out there and what your competition will be. Remember, it’s always better to work on something you’re passionate about, so think about the apps you already use and go from there. That way you’ll know exactly what the audience wants, as you would be one of them!
2. Find Your Dream Development Team
You must find a team that can collaborate well and work together smoothly. It’s no good having a group of people who all thrive in the same area – it’s a sensible idea to choose a variety of people who can work on separate functions. Strive to hire technical types who know what hard work entails and allocate jobs according to each person’s area of expertise. These are the people who will be bringing your idea to life, so you want to make sure you are choosing the best.
3. Start Slow and Keep it Simple
It is easy to become too ambitious early on, but you must avoid this. Begin with a simple baseline idea and go from there without overcomplicating it. If you find yourself zooming in on one little detail, then pull yourself back and think about the bigger picture. Focus more on functionality – you can always improve your product later.
4. Keep to a Schedule
One of the reasons many app start-ups fail is they never manage to pass the first step. The key to avoiding this is to plan and stick to a strict schedule, this will help you avoid getting stuck on a small problem. You need to think about the app as a whole, if something is taking too long and doesn’t add much quality to the app – get rid of it! Nip any disagreements in the bud and work towards a common goal together – with a clear set schedule. You don’t have to strive for perfection, but you should strive for a functioning app that gets out of the door. You can always improve later!
5. Be the Tester
Once you have a functioning app, you and your team should test it. Use it as a consumer would, so you can see any issues that need resolving. Don’t just spend five minutes on it either, take the time to use all its functions and take note of any areas you could improve on.
6. Be Critical and Objective
As the creator, the way you view your app could potentially lead to errors going unnoticed. You must be critical when you are testing the app, applying an objective viewpoint so you can critique it just as a consumer would. Think about its flaws logically and you will end up with a better perspective on how to improve it.
7. Keep up with the Latest Tech
Using old tech isn’t going to work when it comes to creating a new app. Make sure your app runs on the latest phones as smoothly as possible. This starts with you owning the latest tech to begin with, so you know what sort of device you are dealing with.
8. Figure out Monetization
When making an app, your goal is to make money. It isn’t as simple as creating a brilliant app that everyone wants and expecting the money to roll in – you need to choose which way you will monetize. There are a couple of options to go with – such as ads, payment upfront, and in-app purchases. Have a look at what your competition is offering and see if you can do better. If you choose ads, then it’s important to not overcrowd your consumer with them, as retention is just as important as getting them to download in the first place!
9. Find Your Marketing Strategy
Quality will most likely be the dominant issue in your mind, but in order to get customers to download your app, you must work out a marketing strategy. Promote your creation in ads, social media and more, to gain the interest of potential consumers.
10. Issue Regular Updates
Your app may be close to perfection on release, but these things always change. Make sure you provide updates as soon as you see any bugs or decline in quality. Check-in with consumer reviews as often as possible and if there are multiple complaints about a similar issue, work on resolving that. Regularly updating will make sure you keep up with the surrounding market.
11. Don’t Lose Passion
When you first start out creating an app, you most likely have all the passion in the world. As time goes on, however, it’s easy to become swamped with technical issues and marketing techniques, forgetting why you had the initial idea in the first place. Always keep in mind why you are making the app, and stay passionate about it. If you care about what the app is, there’s more chance that consumers will, too.
Creating an app isn’t as simple as some would hope. It takes dedication, creativity, and a great team behind you. With the right drive, though, you can make something that will be downloaded on hundreds, thousands, even millions(!) of phones.